Intelligent Manufacturing € January € 1995 € Vol. 1 € No. 1
Intelligent Manufacturing € January € 1995 € Vol. 1
€ No. 1
At AUTOFACT '94, an annual event held this past November in Detroit,
Mich., an industry award was presented to the Actuators and Fuel
Systems Components Division of Siemens Automotive. The division,
which is based in Newport News, Va., had a number of challenges
facing it:
Siemens' solution was to establish a Just-in-Time delivery
program, along with committing the company to total quality control
and employee involvement. A shop floor information system now lets
operators monitor equipment performance in real-time. The result has
been described by Siemens as "almost paper-free production
monitoring."
"The entire manufacturing process is highly automated," explained
David Lee, director of engineering and technology, "which is
essential to maintain volume production," currently 50,000 units per
day, in about 40 configurations.
"The most significant lesson learned from this experience is the
power of information," said Lee. "It allows us to manage based on
facts, not opinions."
The power of information. For Siemens, as well as for countless other
manufacturers throughout the world, the key to achieving and
maintaining a competitive advantage is information, and how best to
utilize it in day-to-day operations. For instance, Ingersoll Milling
Machine Co., a machine tool builder in Rockford, Ill., has
implemented techniques that allow it to harness the power of its
corporate knowledge base, i.e., its employees (see"Application
Briefs").
"To be a world-class global competitor, you have to be the very best,
not just in each functional area, but in the smooth and effective
integration of these functions into a unified enterprise," observed
George Hess, Ingersoll's vice president, planning. "To support this
world-class globally competitive enterprise, you need a world-class
enterprise information system." There's that word again -
information.
Trouble is, we're in the midst of an information overload, with more
data and knowledge at our disposal than we know what to do with.
Cottage industries are springing up left and right offering to help
manufacturers and other large companies manage and maintain their
information. How many times have you heard the words "Information
Superhighway" in the past few months, and wondered what all the fuss
is about? With a limitless array of opportunities, the possibility of
making the wrong choices is all too often paralyzing decision-makers
into a "wait and see" mode. What to do?
Helping you make some sense of it all is a central theme of this new
publication you hold in your hands, Intelligent Manufacturing. The
idea behind Intelligent Manufacturing is a simple one: Manufacturers
are being bombarded with buzzwords and advanced technologies from all
directions. We'll help you get up to speed on the latest trends,
without bamboozling you with ivory-tower theories or self-serving
product pitches.
To that end, we've assembled a first-rate team of authors for this
debut issue, who have each tackled a specific topic and shared their
expertise and insights. Steven Melnyk defines the concept of
intelligent manufacturing, and spells out the challenges of achieving
success in the modern knowledge factory. Paul Peyton looks at the
deceptively simple formula for profitable manufacturing, and turns it
on its head. William VerDuin provides an overview of computer
technology's impact on manufacturing. And Bob Turek answers one of
the most oft-asked questions: What is client/server, and why should I
care?
We've crafted this first issue of Intelligent Manufacturing with your
needs in mind. Give us a call at (330) 677-4210, or via the Internet
at [email protected] and let us know how we've done, and what
you'd like to see in future issues.