Abstract
Production executives in modern factories are concerned with standards, real production and schedule maintenance, and with having early foresight into problem areas. The use of digital computers in the factory has for many years been largely divided between “closed-loop control” and “data processing” (DP), but today there is a growing need for “closed-loop information control” (CLIC). This paper describes a system for implementation of this concept using exclusively industry-standard hardware, and its application within smaller industrial operations rather than the industrial giants (although their need may indeed be greater). For many such smaller companies, production monitoring may be a first venture into CIM. Rather than “control” or “data” being the key, “information” is the cornerstone of the system described.
The word “information” conjures up a variety of ideas in its normal use, but a visit to a real factory forces a closer look at its meaning, if the CLIC concept is to be even worth considering. Repeatable and verifiable data sources are very difficult to obtain on the factory floor. Physical compatibility is a real concern, because equipment that operates in the usual controlled DP environment is not usually reliable on the factory floor. The operating conditions demanded by much to today's DP equipment preclude heat, vibration, electromagnetic interference and the generally hostile conditions which are prevalent in many factories. Consequently, any factory-floor system is fraught with unique problems all the way from data capture, through communications, into efficient data structures and meaningful graphic presentation.
This paper describes such a system and summarises its effect on productivity as proven by application in several factories in the US and Canada.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M. P. Groover,Automation, Production Systems and Computer Aided Manufacturing, Prentice-Hall, USA, 1980.
J. Orlicky,Material Requirement Planning, McGraw-Hill, USA, 1975.
L. Kneppelt, “MRP II: help or hindrance to the factory of the future”.Proceedings of International AMSE Conference—Factory of the Future. Montego Bay, Jamaica, pp. 121–126, 12–16 May 1986.
D. W. Russell, “Production monitoring: entering the factory of the future”,Proceedings of International ASME Conference—Factory of the Future, Montego Bay, Jamaica, p. 127. 12–16 May 1986 (keynote address, abstract only).
M. L. Shooman,Software Engineering, Design, Reliability and Management, McGraw-Hill, USA, pp. 107ff, 1983.
J. D. Wright and J. M. White, “Real time operating systems and multitask programming” inReal Time Computing, ed. D. A. Mellicamp, Von Nostrand Reinhold, USA, pp. 345ff, 1983.
W. C. Arndt, “How MIS pays off”,Plastics Technology, April 1984.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Russell, D.W. Production monitoring—A proven productivity tool. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 4, 335–348 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02604334
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02604334