Computer integrated manufacturing in small companies: a case study

A methodology for introducing computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) technology in small companies has been developed. With the aim to assess the capabilities in real applications of the proposed approach, a case study is presented in this paper. The case study refers to a small Italian company (Italpneumatica Sud) producing pneumatic components under one of the leading trademarks in the world (SMC). Results of first experimental tests demonstrate ability of the developed methodology in improving overall company performances, maintaining at the same time low implementation costs.