EvolutionEvolutionof theof the

State of Manufacturing State of Manufacturing

Up Until the Mid-1800’sUp Until the Mid-1800’s

custom-made productscustom-made products skilled craftsmen (blacksmith, cooper, …)skilled craftsmen (blacksmith, cooper, …) much human energy, some wind and water much human energy, some wind and water

power power

Turn of the CenturyTurn of the Century(end of 1800’s/beginning of (end of 1800’s/beginning of 1900’s)1900’s) increasing wealth stimulates great demand increasing wealth stimulates great demand

for conventional and new productsfor conventional and new products steam engine - machines controlled by cams steam engine - machines controlled by cams

and linkages, driven by belts via common and linkages, driven by belts via common drive shaftdrive shaft

these machines become the backbone of these machines become the backbone of automated factories to produce a variety of automated factories to produce a variety of complex, mostly custom-made, productscomplex, mostly custom-made, products

example

ElectricityElectricity

electromotor and electric switching electromotor and electric switching components are inventedcomponents are invented

each machine tool can be provided with its each machine tool can be provided with its own power driveown power drive

a factory can be configured in various ways a factory can be configured in various ways depending on the required layout of the depending on the required layout of the manufacturing systemmanufacturing system

the factory can be tailored towards a specific the factory can be tailored towards a specific applicationapplication

Rigid Flowline ProductionRigid Flowline Production

concept of division of labor/mass production concept of division of labor/mass production and part interchangeability (Henry Ford)and part interchangeability (Henry Ford)

rigid flowline production (assembly line)rigid flowline production (assembly line) high quality products become available to high quality products become available to

many people who previously were unable to many people who previously were unable to afford the expensive custom-made productsafford the expensive custom-made products

due to enormous investment, rigid flowline due to enormous investment, rigid flowline production can’t be altered easilyproduction can’t be altered easily

market becomes saturated with standard market becomes saturated with standard products - manufacturing system needs to products - manufacturing system needs to become more flexiblebecome more flexible

Other Inventions Shape the Other Inventions Shape the Manufacturing SystemManufacturing System

vacuum tubes and transistors make it vacuum tubes and transistors make it possible to build machine controllers that can possible to build machine controllers that can be reprogrammed to a limited degree - can be reprogrammed to a limited degree - can now produce various product variantsnow produce various product variants

the numerical controller (NC) is invented at the numerical controller (NC) is invented at MIT in 1947 combining hardware and MIT in 1947 combining hardware and software technologies in one control unit - software technologies in one control unit - allowing machining of complex, low volume allowing machining of complex, low volume partsparts

Integrated CircuitsIntegrated Circuits

transistors and other electronic components transistors and other electronic components are integrated into very compact circuits are integrated into very compact circuits (VLSI, very large-scale integration)(VLSI, very large-scale integration)

micro, mini, and mainframe computers micro, mini, and mainframe computers become available for controlling become available for controlling manufacturing processes (PLCs, manufacturing processes (PLCs, programmable logic controllers)programmable logic controllers)

Computer Integrated Computer Integrated ManufacturingManufacturing

all activities that make and shape (not only all activities that make and shape (not only machining) a product are integratedmachining) a product are integrated

for example the communication between for example the communication between planning and control and the manufacturing planning and control and the manufacturing floor - responsiveness to market/customerfloor - responsiveness to market/customer

More Recent DevelopmentsMore Recent Developments

Read “... major operations-related concepts Read “... major operations-related concepts that have been popular since the 1980s.” that have been popular since the 1980s.” (ref. Jacobs and Chase)(ref. Jacobs and Chase)

Sustainability/GreenSustainability/Green Read “A Revolution in the Making” (Wall Read “A Revolution in the Making” (Wall

Street Journal, June 11, 2013)Street Journal, June 11, 2013)