COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING:BENEFITS OF CIMS

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BENEFITS OF CIMS

Many benefits can be obtained from the successful implementation and operation of a CIM system in a manufacturing company. The benefits can be classified into three kinds: technical, management, and human resources quality.

Technical Benefits

Technical benefits obtained from implementation CIM system are:

1. Reducing inventory and work-in-progress: This can be accomplished through the utilization of an MRPII or ERP system. Careful and reliable material purchasing planning and production planning can to a great extent eliminate high inventory and work-in-progress level, hence reducing capital overstock and even waste through long-term material storage.

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2. Improving production efficiency: Through the integration of a production system, planning system, and material supply system, the production processes can be operated in a well- organized way and hence production can be carried out with the shortest possible waiting times and machine utilization greatly increased. Through the integration of CAD, CAPP, and CAM systems, the setup time for NC machines can be reduced significantly. The improvement of production efficiency will bring economic returns from investment in the CIM system.

3. Improving product quality: The integration of the company’s business processes, design pro- cesses, and production processes will help in improving product quality. TQM can be put into effect in the CIM integrated environment.

4. Reducing cost: This is the direct effect obtained from the above three benefits.

5. Improving product design ability: Through the integration of CAD, CAPP, and CAM systems, by using the current engineering method, the product design ability of the company can be significantly improved. New and improved products can be designed and developed in a shorter time, and the company can win the market competition with these products.

Management Benefits

The following management benefits can be obtained from the CIM sysem implementation:

1. Standardizing processes: The business processes, design processes, and production processes can be standardized. This can help to streamline the company’s processes and reduce errors caused by uncontrolled and random operations.

2. Optimizing processes: The business processes, design processes, and production processes can be optimized. This can help to locate bottlenecks in the processes and cost-intensive activities and thus to provide methods to reduce the cost.

3. Improving market response ability: The traditional pyramid organization structure will be changed to flat structure that can greatly improve the speed of response to market change and user requirements.

Human Resource Quality

Almost all employees will be involved in the implementation of the CIM system. Through different courses of training, from CIM philosophy to computer operation, the total quality of the employees can be improved at all levels, from management staff to production operators. More importantly,

employees will get to know better the company’s objectives, situation, technical standards, and man- ufacturing paradigm, inspiring them to devote their energy to improving the company’s operation efficiency.

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