Product design and manufacturing have been changing greatly in recent years, largely because of the application of computer technology. Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and the Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP) are some of the cornerstones of the factory of the fulfillment software. CAD/ CAMs help engineers design products much more quickly than they could with the traditional paper- and-pencil approach. This will become increasingly important, since product life cycles are getting shorter. Capturing the market quickly is crucial in the very competitive environment. Moreover, firms can respond more rapidly to the requests of customers with specific requirements. The ultimate aim of many companies is "computer- integrated manufacturing." Automobile companies, as well as firms such as Boeing and East man Kodak, developed what is called manufacturing automation protocol, which is a network of machines and various office devices hooked together. MAP is a sophisticated extension of Local Area Networks (LANs). MAP is used to link robots with numerically controlled machine tools. Automobile companies like General Motors has achieved considerable savings by using the new method to change the production line when introducing a different kind of front axle for an automobile. What previously took 3 days now takes only 10 minutes. With the new fulfillment software, General Motors and other US manufactures hope to overtake Japanese firms, which now are quite advanced in automation. What factors show signs of influencing future developments in the fulfillment software? Several major trends can be expected in operations management. The increased complexity of technology will be reflected in the product themselves as well as in the processes used to produce them. New machine tools, microprocessors, sensory technology and computer controls now make it possible to reduce machine setup time and costs. This means a greater variety of products at lower cost. |
