Automated Manufacturing System

                       Flexible Manufacturing Cells (FMC) represents a class of highly automated systems. FMC is considered as a computer controlled manufacturing unit use to manufacture or produce more than one part or product. Activities in FMC are controlled and coordinate by Cell Controller (CC) which usually made of an industrial type micro-computer. The Cell controller is interfaced to cell element for example CNC Machine (CNC Turning Machine), Robot, and etc. the Cell Controller is often attach to the Local Area Network (LAN) and interfaced with element in the cell using a variety of serial and parallel data networks. The primary role of the Cell Controller in controlling and coordinating the FMC activities is communication and information processing.

            In modern CNC systems, design is highly automated using CAD/CAM programs. The programs produce a computer file that is interpreted to extract the commands needed to operate a particular machine by a post processor and then loaded into the CNC machines for production. In either case, the complex series of steps needed to produce any part is highly automated and produces a part that closely matches the original CAD design.

            The use of robots in the production segment of manufacturing industries promises a variety of benefits ranging from high utilization to high volume of productivity. Each Robotic cell or node will be located along a material handling system such as a conveyor or automatic guided vehicle (AGV). The production of each part or work-piece will require a different combination of manufacturing nodes. The movement of parts from one node to another is done through the material handling system. At the end of part processing, the finished parts will be routed to an automatic inspection node, and subsequently unloaded from the Flexible Manufacturing System.

Training FMS with learning robot SCORBOT-ER 4u, workbench CNC Mill and CNC Lathe (source: equipment at Mechanical laboratory, UiTM)

Equipment of FMS with learning robot SCORBOT-ER 4u, workbench CNC Mill and CNC Lathe
(source: equipment at Mechanical laboratory, UiTM)

Automated Manufacturing System physical layout

Legend:

1. Automated Turning Machine
2. Scorbot
3. Scorbot Linear Track
4. Workpiece holder
5. Storage for machined product
6. Computer with CAD software

The main work of the operation:

References

• Automation, Production System, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (Third Edition)-Mikell P. Groover
• www.intelitek.com
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNC_machine