Unit 26TEXT READING MATERIAL Unit 26Unit 26TEXTComputer Integrated Manufacturing System Computer integrated manufacturing or CIM is the term used to describe the most modern approach to manufacturing. Although CIM encompasses many of the other advanced manufacturing technologies such as computer numerical control (CNC), CAD/CAM, robotics, and just-in-time delivery (JIT), it is more than a new technology or a new concept. Computer integrated manufacturing is actually an entirely new approach to manufacturing or a new way of doing business.Unit 26 To understand CIM, it is necessary to begin with a comparison of modern and traditional manufacturing. Modern manufacturing encompassed all of the activities and processes necessary to convert raw materials into finishes products, deliver them to the market, and support them in the fields. These activities include the following:Unit 26(1) Identifying a need for a product.(2) Designing a product to meet the needs.(3) Obtaining the raw materials needed to produce the product.(4) Applying appropriate processed to transform the raw materials into finished products.(5) Transporting product to the market.(6) Maintaining the product to ensure a proper performance in the field.Unit 26 This broad, modern view of manufacturing can be compared with the more limited traditional view that focuses almost entirely on the conversion processed. The old approach separates such critical preconversion elements as market analysis research, development, and design for manufacturing, as well as such after-conversion elements as product delivery and product maintenance. In the other word, in the old approach to manufacturing, only those processes that take place on the shop floor are considered manufacturing. Unit 26 This traditional approach of separating the overall concept into numerous stand-alone specialized elements was not fundamentally changed with the advent of automation. While the separate elements themselves became automated (i.e., computer aided drafting and design (CAD) in design and CNC in machining), they remained separate. Automation alone did not result in the integration of these islands of automation.Unit 26 With CIM, not only are the various elements automated, but also the islands of automation are all linked together or integrate. Integration means that a system can provide complete and instantaneous sharing of information. In modern manufacturing, integration is accomplished by computers. With this background, CIM can now be defined as the total integration of all manufacturing elements through the use of computers. Progress is being made toward the eventual full realization of CIM in manufacturing. When this is accomplished, fully integrated manufacturing firms will realize a number of benefits from CIM:Unit 26(1) Product quality increases.(2) Lead times are reduced.(3) Direct labor costs are reduced.(4) Product development times are reduced.(5) Inventories are reduced.(6) Overall productivity increases.(7) Design quality increased.Unit 26NEW WORDS AND PHRASESencompass In5kQmpEs v. 包含或包括某事物delivery dI5lIvErI n. 递送，交付performance pE5fC:mEns n. 履行，执行conversion kEn5v:F(E)n n. 变换，转化advent 5Advent n. 出现，到来background 5bAkraJnd n. 背景，后台instant 5Inst(E)nt adj. 立即的，直接的maintenance 5meIntInEns n. 维护，保持computer integrated manufacturing system(CIMS) 计算机集成制造系统lead time 交货时间Unit 26NOTES 1It is more than a new technology or a new concept. 与其说它(CIM)是一个新的方法，还不如说是一个新的概念。 句型more thanor意为“与其不如”。 2Modern manufacturing encompassed all of the activities and processes necessary to convert raw materials into finished products, deliver them to the market, and support them in the fields. 现代制造包括了把原材料转换成成品、把产品投向市场和进行售后服务所必需的一切活动和过程。Unit 26 necessary to do是形容词短语，作the activities and processes的后置定语，意为“必须的”。 3. This traditional approach of separating the overall concept into numerous stand-alone specialized elements was not fundamentally changed with the advent of automation. 这种传统的将整个概念分割成许多独立的专用单元的方式 并没有随着自动化的出现而发生根本性的变化。 分词短语separating the overall concept into numerous stand-alone specialized elements在这里作介词of的宾语。 Unit 264Progress is being made toward the eventual full realization of CIM in manufacturing.制造业在最终完全实现CIM的方向正在取得进展。 full realization of意为完全实现。Unit 26EXERCISES 1Place a“T”after sentences that are true and an“F”after those that are false: (1) CIMS is a new type of enterprise.( ) (2) Transporting product to the market is not encompassed in modern manufacturing.( ) (3) traditional manufacturing encompasses all of the activities and processes necessary to convert raw materials into finished products.( ) (4) While such separate elements as CAD or CAM themselves became automated, integration of these islands of automation will fully realize.( ) (5) In modern manufacturing, integration is accomplished by computers.( )Unit 26 2Answer the following questions: (1) What does CIMS means? (2) Whats the difference between modern and traditional manufacturing? (3) What can we benefit from CIMS? 3Fill the following blanks with appropriate words:Unit 26 ( ) or CIM is the term used to describe the most modern approach to manufacturing. Although CIM encompasses many of the other advanced manufacturing technologies such as computer numerical control ( ), CAD/CAM, robotics, and just-in-time delivery ( ), it is more than a new technology or a new ( ). Computer integrated manufacturing is actually an entirely new approach to manufacturing or a new way of ( ).Unit 26 To understand CIM, it is necessary to begin with a comparison of modern and traditional manufacturing. Modern manufacturing encompassed all of the activities and processes necessary to convert raw materials into ( ), deliver them to the market, and support them in the fields. These activities include the following. This broad, modern view of manufacturing can be compared with the more limited ( ) view that focuses almost entirely on the conversion processed. Unit 26 In the other word, in the old approach to manufacturing, only those processes that take place on the ( ) floor are considered manufacturing. This traditional approach of ( ) the overall concept into numerous stand-alone specialized elements was not fundamentally changed with the advent of automation. While the separate elements themselves became ( ), they remained separate. Automation alone did not ( ) in the integration of these islands of automation.Unit 26READING MATERIAL The Factory of the Future The concept of the “factory of the future” has been developed in response to the change in consumer preferences in modern society characterized by shorter product life cycles. The shorter cycle means more competitive products, more products being introduced, more products phasing out, and results in lower order quantities. In this sense, the age of mass production is gone and the era of flexible production is being started. Unit 26 The requirement for flexible production systems dictates the specifications of the factory of the future: (1) Rapid introduction of new products. (2) Quick modifications in products of similar function. (3) Manufacturing of small quantities at competitive production costs. (4) Consistent quality control. (5) Ability to produce a variety of products. (6) Ability to produce a basic product with customer-requested special modification. Unit 26 The core of the factory, which meets these specifications, is the computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) system. The CAD/CAM process shortens the time between the concept point of a new product to its manufacturing; the FMS can produce the new product by loading a new program into its supervisory computer; the automatic assembly lines can accommodate the problem of assembling a variety of products with customer-tailored modifications; and automatic inspection maintains the high quality. All this is achieved with few workers on the shop floor. Only material-handling systems, automatic controls, and industrial robots are performing on shop floor, under limited and remote human monitoring. Unit 26 Therefore, the factory of the future will not contains locker rooms, the showers, and cafeteria facilities. Furthermore, automatic systems, CNC machines, and robots, the basic components of a CIM system, do not need light or heating to operate. Thus, the factory of the future will be dark and cool. Raw materials will be entering at one side, and finished product will be coming out the other end. Unit 26 The aspiration toward the factory of the future is driven by the competitive economy in industrialized countries and supported by available computer technology. The computer control concepts that were introduced throughout this book allow manufacturing systems to become more flexible and to adapt the production process to new products in a short time. This is a substantial step toward the realization of a complete CIM system. It seems that the efforts in developing CIM systems in the United States, Japan, and Europe will make the factory of the future more than an illusion or a dream, and it will become a reality in the near future. Unit 26PROFESSIONAL WORDS AND PHRASEScharacterize 5kArIktEraIz vt. 表现的特色competitive kE5petItIv adj. 竞争的modification mBdIfI5keIF(E)n n. 更改，修改termination t:mI5neIF(E)n n. 终止