Affordable Automation
Affordable Automation
S. SolomanMcGraw-Hill1996405 pp.ISBN 0-07-059633-6£71.99 Hardcover
Keywords: Automation, Manufacturing
Affordable Automation is a comprehensive guide to this important manufacturing subject and introduces efficient automation for small and medium sized companies.
The first chapter introduces the product realisation process, methods for achieving affordable automation, contemporary design practices, and understanding, motivating and supporting the designer for affordable automation. Chapter 2 addresses Part Design and Handling for Affordable Automation. Topics covered include: designing fasteners for affordable automation, managing the quality of part fastening, flexible feeding systems, design for assembly, and design optimisation for affordable automatic assembly.
Planning for Automated Assembly and Fabrication is covered in chapter 5 and includes discussion on: computer controlled part feeding magazines, and affordable and adaptable grippers for multiple assembly functions. Planning for Affordable Automation is discussed in chapter 6, while chapter 7 addresses Cost Saving Strategies. Two subjects covered in these chapters are group technology as a base for affordable automation and robots as flexible assembly systems.
The eighth chapter, Affordable Control Systems in Manufacturing, looks at how to establish an affordable automation program and understanding workstations,work cells and work centre. The final two chapters of this book address Product Coding and Data Acquisition Systems, and Economic and Social Concerns respectively. They include discussion on: barcoders, scanners, information gathering, digitisation and decoding, encoders, financial planning and control of manufacturing operations, planning for profit, responsibility centres, and mathematical methods for planning and control.
The first few chapters of this book are not easy reading and although the concepts are straightforward the discussion is not. Later chapters are much better in this respect as the discussion smoothly flows and does not make reading it a chore. Overall this is a useful book which is suitable for engineers and managers alike.
