Computer Integrated Manufacturing

Unit 2 Automated Manufacturing

Systems
Dr.S.Thirumalai Kumaran
Associate Professor / Mechanical
PSG iTech
 Automated Production Lines

• An automated production line consists of multiple workstations

that are automated and linked together by a work handling system
that transfers parts from one station to the next.
• Each station performs a different operation, so all operations
must be performed to complete each work unit.
• Multiple parts are processed simultaneously on the line, one part
at each station.
• In more complicated lines, provision is made for temporary parts
storage between stations, in case there are more parts than
stations.
 Work Part Transfer

• The work part transport system moves parts between stations on

the line. Transport mechanisms used on automated production
lines are usually either synchronous or asynchronous but rarely
continuous.
• Synchronous transport has been the traditional means of
moving parts in a transfer line.
• Asynchronous transport provides certain advantages: (1) more
flexible, (2) permit queues of parts to form between
workstations to act as storage buffers, (3) it is easier to rearrange
or expand the production line.
• Continuous transport systems are widely used on manual
assembly lines.
a) Continuous, b) synchronous, c) asynchronous
 Transfer mechanisms

• Palletized transfer line is sometimes used to identify a

transfer line that uses pallet fixtures or similar work-
holding devices.
• The alternative method of work part location is to simply
index the parts themselves from station to station. This is
called a free transfer line, and it has the obvious benefit
that it avoids the cost of the pallet fixtures.
• However, certain part geometries require the use of pallet
fixtures to facilitate handling and ensure accurate location
at a workstation.
 System Configuration

Proc = processing operation, Aut = automated workstation

• The work flow can actually take several different forms:
(1) In-line
(2) Segmented in-line
(3) Rotary
• The in-line configuration consists of a sequence of stations in a straight line
arrangement.
• Several possible layouts of
the segmented in-line
configuration of an
automated production line:
(a) L-shaped
(b) U-shaped
(c) rectangular

Proc = processing operation,

Aut = automated workstation,
Wash = work carrier washing
station.
• In-line + Segmented in-line
• It contains palletized and free transfer lines.
• In the rotary configuration, the work parts are attached to
fixtures around the periphery of a circular worktable, and the
table is indexed to present the parts to workstations for
processing.
• Rotary indexing systems are commonly limited to smaller work
parts and fewer workstations, and they cannot readily
accommodate buffer storage capacity.
• The rotary system usually involves a less expensive piece of
equipment and typically requires less floor space.
 Automated Assembly System

• A typical automated assembly system consists of the

following subsystems:
(1) One or more workstations at which the assembly
steps are accomplished.
(2) Parts feeding devices that deliver the individual
components to the workstation(s).
(3) A work handling system for the assembled entity.
 System Configuration

• Automated assembly systems can be classified

according to physical configuration.
• The principal configurations are
(a) in-line assembly machine
(b) dial-type assembly machine
(c) carousel assembly system
(d) single-station assembly machine
Parts Delivery at Workstations

• Hopper
• Parts feeder
• Feed track
• Selector
• Orientor
• Escapement
• Placement
Parts Delivery at • Hopper: This is the container
into which the components
Workstations are loaded randomly at the
workstation.
• Parts feeder: This is a
mechanism that removes the
components from the hopper
one at a time for delivery to
the assembly work head.
• Feed track moves the
components from the hopper
and parts feeder to the
location of the assembly work
head, maintaining proper
orientation of the parts during
the transfer.
• Selector is a device that acts as a filter, permitting only parts
in the correct orientation to pass through. Incorrectly
oriented parts are rejected back into the hopper.
• Orientor is a device that allows properly oriented parts to
pass through, and reorients parts that are not properly
oriented initially.
• Escapement and Placement
(a) and (b) horizontal and vertical
devices for placement of
parts onto dial indexing table.
(c) Escapement of rivet-shaped
parts actuated by work
carriers.
• Escapement device removes
components from the feed track
at time intervals that are
consistent with the cycle time of
the assembly work head.
• Placement device physically
places the component in the
correct location at the
workstation for the assembly
operation.

(d) and (e) two

types of pick-and-
place mechanisms
that use suction
cups to pick up
parts
 Design for Automated Assembly

• f – feed rate from the hopper

• θ – proportion of components that pass through the
selector-orientor
• Rc – rate of depletion of parts in the feed track
• (fθ – Rc) – rate of parts increase in the feed track
• nf2 – high level sensor (near hopper)
• nf1 – low level sensor (a small distance from the hopper)
The cycle time for a given assembly work head = 6 sec. The parts
feeder has a feed rate of 50 parts/min. The probability that a given
component fed by the feeder will pass through the selector is θ = 0.25.
The number of parts in the feed track corresponding to the low-level
sensor is nf1 = 6. The capacity of the feed track is nf2 = 18 parts.
Determine (a) how long it will take for the supply of parts in the feed
track to go from nf2 to nf1, and (b) how long it will take on average for
the supply of parts to go from nf1 to nf2.
The cycle time for a given assembly work head = 6 sec. The parts
feeder has a feed rate of 50 parts/min. The probability that a given
component fed by the feeder will pass through the selector is θ = 0.25.
The number of parts in the feed track corresponding to the low-level
sensor is nf1 = 6. The capacity of the feed track is nf2 = 18 parts.
Determine (a) how long it will take for the supply of parts in the feed
track to go from nf2 to nf1, and (b) how long it will take on average for
the supply of parts to go from nf1 to nf2.
• Actual production time
Tc=ideal cycle time, n=number of station, m=defect
probability, q=fraction defect rate (component quality gets
worse), Td=average downtime
• The production rate is the reciprocal of
average actual production time
• Proportion of good assemblies (Pap)
• Proportion of assemblies containing
at least one defective component (Pqp)
• Production rate of acceptable product
• Efficiency of the assembly machine
• Cost per assembled product
Cm=cost of material, Co=operating cost,
Ct=cost of disposable tooling
A 10-station in-line assembly machine has an ideal cycle time = 6 sec. The
base part is automatically loaded prior to the first station, and
components are added at each of the stations. The fraction defect rate at
each of the 10 stations is q = 0.01, and the probability that a defect will
jam is m = 0.5. When a jam occurs, the average downtime is 2 min. Cost
to operate the assembly machine is $42.00/hr. Other costs are ignored.
Determine (a) average production rate of all assemblies, (b) yield of good
assemblies, (c) average production rate of good product, (d) uptime
efficiency of the assembly machine, and (e) cost per unit.
We are going to analyze how q and m influences the result
(values shall be taken from the previous problem). First, for
m = 0.5, determine the production rate, yield, and efficiency
for q = 0, q = 0.01, and q = 0.02. Second, for q = 0.01,
determine the production rate, yield, and efficiency for m = 0,
m = 0.5, and m = 1.0.
We are going to analyze how q and m influences the result
(values shall be taken from the previous problem). First, for
m = 0.5, determine the production rate, yield, and efficiency
for q = 0, q = 0.01, and q = 0.02. Second, for q = 0.01,
determine the production rate, yield, and efficiency for m = 0,
m = 0.5, and m = 1.0.
A single-station assembly machine performs five work elements to
assemble four components to a base part. The elements are listed in the
table below, together with the fraction defect rate (q) and probability of a
station jam (m) for each of the components added.

Time to load the base part is 3 sec and time to unload the completed
assembly is 4 sec, giving a total load/unload time of Th = 7 sec. When a
jam occurs, it takes an average of 1.5 min to clear the jam and restart the
machine. Determine (a) production rate of all product, (b) yield of good
product, (c) production rate of good product, and (d) uptime efficiency
of the assembly machine.
 Overview of Material Handling

• Transport Equipment. Material transport equipment is used

to move materials inside a factory, warehouse, or other
facility. The five main types of equipment are (1) industrial
trucks, (2) automated guided vehicles, (3) rail-guided vehicles,
(4) conveyors, and (5) hoists and cranes.
• Positioning Equipment. This category consists of
equipment used to handle parts and other materials at a single
location: for example, loading and unloading parts from a
production machine in a work cell.
• Unit Load Formation Equipment. The term unitizing
equipment refers to (1) containers used to hold individual
items during handling and (2) equipment used to load and
package the containers. (Ex.: Pallet)
• Storage equipment can be classified into two major
categories: (1) conventional storage methods (with labor) and
(2) automated storage systems (without labor). Storage
methods include bulk storage (storing items in an open floor
area), rack systems (for pallets), shelving, and drawer storage.
• Identification and Control Equipment. The scope of
material handling includes keeping track of the materials
being moved and stored. This is usually done by affixing
some kind of label to the item (bar code), carton, or unit load
that uniquely identifies it.
 Design Considerations in Material
Handling

• Material
Characteristics

• Flow Rate,
Routing, and
Scheduling
• Plant Layout
• Unit Load
Principle
Conveyors
 Conveyor Operations and Features

• Conveyor systems divide into two basic types in terms

of the characteristic motion of the materials moved by
the system: (1) continuous and (2) asynchronous.
• Continuous motion conveyors move at a constant
velocity Vc along the path.
• Asynchronous conveyors operate with a stop-and-go
motion in which loads move between stations and then
stop and remain at the station until released.
• Reasons for using asynchronous conveyors include (1) to
accumulate loads, (2) to temporarily store items, (3) to allow for
differences in production rates between adjacent processing
areas, (4) to smooth production when cycle times are variable at
stations along the conveyor, and (5) to accommodate different
conveyor speeds along the pathway.
• Conveyors can also be classified as (1) single direction, (2)
continuous loop, and (3) recirculating.
AGVs
Vehicle Guidance Technologies
 Vehicle Management

• The purpose of traffic control in AGV is to minimize

interference between vehicles and to prevent collisions. Two
methods of traffic control used in commercial AGV systems are
(1) on-board vehicle sensing and (2) zone control.
• On-board vehicle sensing uses one or more sensors on each
vehicle to detect the presence of other vehicles and obstacles
ahead on the guide path. Sensor technologies include optical and
ultrasonic devices. When the on-board sensor detects an obstacle
in front of it, the vehicle stops. When the obstacle is removed,
the vehicle proceeds.
In zone control, the AGVS layout is divided into separate
zones, and the operating rule is that no vehicle is permitted
to enter a zone that is already occupied by another vehicle.
 Vehicle Safety

• Travelling slower than the normal walking pace of a human.

• Automatic stopping is deviated from guided path.
• Sensor in vehicle to stop when emergency.
• Bumper surrounding the vehicle.
• Manual restarting after interrupted in emergency.
• Warning lights and bells.
• Alerting humans about the problem.
Material Storage
 Storage System Performance

• Storage capacity can be defined and measured in two ways:

(1) as the total volumetric space available or (2) as the total
number of storage compartments in the system available to
hold items or loads.
• Storage density is defined as the volumetric space available for
actual storage relative to the total volumetric space in the
storage facility.
• System throughput is defined as the hourly rate at which the
storage system (1) receives and puts loads into storage and/or
(2) retrieves and delivers loads to the output station.
• Accessibility refers to the capability to access any
desired item or load stored in the system.
• Utilization is defined as the proportion of time that
the system is actually being used for performing storage
or retrieval (S/R) operations compared with the time it
is available.
• Availability is a measure of system reliability, defined as
the proportion of time that the system is capable of
operating (not broken down) compared with the
normally scheduled shift hours
 Storage Location Strategies

• The two basic strategies applied in warehousing operations

are (1) randomized storage and (2) dedicated storage
• In randomized storage, items are stored in any available
location in the storage system.
• In dedicated storage, stock-keeping-unit (SKU) are
assigned to specific locations in the storage facility. This
means that locations are reserved for all SKUs stored in
the system, and so the number of storage locations for
each SKU must be sufficient to accommodate its
maximum inventory level.
Conventional storage methods and
equipments
 Bulk Storage Rack System

Drawer Storage
 Automated storage/Retrieval system
(AS/RS)
• To increase storage capacity and storage density
• To recover factory floor space presently used for storing work-in-process
• To improve security and reduce pilferage
• To improve safety in the storage function
• To reduce labor cost and/or increase labor productivity in storage
operations
• To improve control over inventories
• To improve stock rotation and customer service
• To increase throughput
 Automated storage/Retrieval system
(AS/RS)
• Automated storage systems divide into two general types:
(1) fixed-aisle automated storage/retrieval systems and
(2) carousel storage systems.
• A fixed-aisle AS/RS consists of a rack structure for storing
loads and a storage/retrieval machine whose motions are
linear (x–y–z motions).
• Carousel system uses storage baskets attached to a chain-
driven conveyor that revolves around an oval track loop to
deliver the baskets to a load/unload station.
 Fixed-aisle AS/RS

Carousel Storage
 Deadlocks in Automated
Manufacturing Systems
• Deadlock and related blocking
phenomena often lead to
catastrophic results in automated
manufacturing systems. Their
efficient handling becomes a
necessary condition for a system
to gain high productivity.
• Three strategies addressing
deadlock issues in different
contexts are prevention,
detection/recovery, and avoidance
methods.
 Petrinet models
1. Deadlock Prevention

• Mutual Exclusion
• Hold and wait
• No Preemption
• Circular wait

• If we can eliminate any one out of

four, then we can tell that deadlock
is eliminated or will not occur.
Mutual Exclusion
• Multiple processes can’t use the same resource at the same time.

• It is not possible to eliminate mutual exclusion.

Hold and Wait
• A process can request for a resource only when the process holds no
resources (only wait and no hold).
• If a process requires 5 resources, then the process has to request all.
After receiving all the resources, the process starts (only wait and no
hold). Disadvantage is under utilization of the process.
No Preemption
• Pi has requested for Rj, but it is allocated to Pk. Pk has requested Rc.
• Pi Rj Pk Rc
• As Rc is requested by Pk, the operating system disables all allocated
resources from Pk.
• Pi Rj Pk Rc
• Deadlock is eliminated
Cycle Wait
• A circular wait occurs when one or more processes wait in a circular
order for the resources they require.
• The problem of a cyclic wait can be solved by assigning a priority
number to each resource. A resource with a lower priority value cannot
be requested by the process.
• It ensures that no process can demand a resource that is already in use
by another. As a result, no cycle will form.
 Petrinet models
2. Detection/recovery

Detection
• Possibility of deadlock as
there is a loop in (a)
• In wait-for graph if there
is a circle/cycle with
knot, then there is a
deadlock.
Recovery
• Process termination
• Resource Preemption
 Petrinet models
3. Avoidance

• The operating system will have a prior database regarding

the availability of the resources, preoccupancy of the
resources and need of the resource by each process.
• If all the data are available, allocation can be done for the
future demand so that my system will remain in safe state.
• Safe state and unsafe state.
unsafe
• Bankers Algorithm
• Ex. Bank withdrawal safe
 Industry 4.0

• Smart Manufacturing focuses on integrating advanced technologies

for real-time, automated, and intelligent operations (IoT, automation,
advanced analytics, cyber-physical system)
• Digital Manufacturing uses digital tools and models throughout the
manufacturing process for design, planning, and optimization (digital
twins, simulation and modelling, CAD/CAM system, data integration)
• Virtual Manufacturing employs virtual and augmented environments
to simulate, visualize, and improve manufacturing processes (AR, VR,
process simulation, training and visualization)
Thank You