Manufacturing Systems in Automotive Industry Research Paper

Introduction

A manufacturing system includes four different components together with the production machine, material handling system, computer control system, and human resources (Lee, 1998). In recent times, due to the technological advancement, automation of manufacturing systems has continued to become prevalent. A key aspect in the contemporary automotive manufacturing systems and automotive industries is automation. An automated manufacturing system alludes to an intersected or interrelated system of material processing stations with the capability of automatically processing an extensive range of part types simultaneously under computer control. Imperatively, the system is not just interlinked by a material transport system but also interconnected by a communication network for assimilating all aspects of manufacturing. This sort of system portrays flexibility in handling, routing, processes, and changing of tools. Also, an automated manufacturing system demonstrates key features, including a high magnitude of automation, integration, and flexibility (Swamidass, 2000). This paper examines the four different parts of a manufacturing system and provide a comprehensive discussion of the future of the automotive industry and automotive manufacturing systems.

Manufacturing Systems in Automotive Industry

A manufacturing system is delineated as a set of integrated equipment and human resources that carry out one or more processing as well as assembly processes on a starting work material, components, or set of components. The integrated equipment comprises of production machines, material handling, and positioning instruments, and computer systems. In this automotive system, human resources are necessitated either part-time or full time to guarantee that the equipment continues operating. Also, automation within the automotive alludes to the usage of control systems, for instance, robotics and computers, as well as information technologies for dealing with various procedures and machinery within an industry to supplant a human being (Groover, 2007).

In the contemporary setting, there is progressively more automation in automotive systems and industries as a whole. Initially, the objective of automation was increasing the level of productivity and also decreasing the cost linked to human system operators. Nonetheless, in the present day, the emphasis of automation has shifted towards increasing the quality levels and also flexibility within a manufacturing system. Specifically, automation minimizes the blunder linked with human beings. Also, different from human beings, robots and machines do not encompass any sort of fatigue, which gives rise to products with consistent and unchanging quality manufactured at various times (Joshi et al., 2018). Through automation, programming of robotics can facilitate the functioning of any task, and this ensures that the manufacturing process is more flexible. Automation also facilitates high information precision and high safety. Notably, industrial automation can guarantee the production line to be significantly safer for personnel by organizing robots to tackle hazardous situations. More so, incorporating automated data gathering can enable the firm to gather key manufacturing information, enhance data precision, and diminish data gathering expenses (Lamb, 2013).

Production Machine

The majority of the manufacturing process in automotive manufacturing systems is carried out by machines in some form of way. Specifically, the categorization of machines about the involvement of the worker in the manufacturing undertaking is grouped into three classifications including manually-operated, semi-automated, or completed automated. In the present day, based on increased automation and computerization, it implies that the production machines are either semi-automated or completely automated (O'Sullivan. 2009). To begin with, semi-automated machines carry out a proportion of the work process cycle under computerized control, and thereafter an employee takes up control for the remaining phases of the cycle. For instance, a semi-automated machine can be signified by a computer numerical control lathe machine, whereby the machine carries out its processing operation in line with the automated program, and thereafter, the employee is necessitated to unpack and replenish the machine for the following work process cycle. It is essential for the employee to tend to the machine during every work cycle. However, the employee does not need to be incessantly present (O'Sullivan. 2009). Completely automated product machines are the ones with the ability to function and operate devoid of any human involvement for the periods that are lengthier than simply one work cycle. Without a doubt, some kind of machine attention and servicing will be necessitated every so often; for instance, reloading the work machine with raw materials. In the automotive industry, production machines provide key advantages for the vehicle's automation. These comprise of automated assembly systems, gauging and measuring, feeding of the different automated parts, and checking and inspection systems.

Over the past number of decades, automation in manufacturing systems and industries has encompassed the transformation of factory floorboards and surfaces, the aspect of manufacturing employment, and the financial side of numerous manufacturing segments. In the present day, the production machine is on the crossover of a new automation epoch that encompasses fast-paced advances in robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, all of which enable machines to either equal or outmatch humans in a variety of work activities. Contemporary technological developments have overcome several of the customary restrictions of robotics and automation. A new-fangled cohort of robots that are more flexible and multipurpose, and considerably inexpensive, than those utilized in numerous manufacturing settings nowadays can be trained by the frontline workforce to carry out tasks formerly considered to be too problematic for machines. Some of these tasks include gathering and storing unevenly spaced items and resolving electric wiring problems in a large-scale project. Furthermore, the advent and advancement of artificial intelligence are also creating significant progress that is augmenting the potential for automating work undertakings in numerous industries (Chui et al., 2017).

Material Handling System

A material handling system within a manufacturing system encompasses an assimilated system that involves different activities that include controlling, handling, as well as storing of materials. The fundamental aim of material handling within a manufacturing system is to guarantee that the material in the appropriate amount is delivered safely to the appropriate end-point at the appropriate time and the lowest cost possible (Tanchoco, 2012). Material handling is designed adequately and ideally to guarantee the lowest…

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…for undertaking the recruitment and onboarding of new personnel. In this process, they are usually required to maintain massive amounts of paperwork, comprising of different aspects such as resumes, job roles, responsibilities and descriptions, and also tax firms. Usually, these are also paperwork procedures that shift from one person to another. However, automation of these processes has generated major transformation (Boone, Kurtz, and Khan, 2019). Onboarding and recruitment processes that are automated can enhance the experience momentously by diminishing human blunders, precluding loss of paperwork, and enhancing the visibility of the prevailing status of hiring between the manufacturing department and other departments. Furthermore, integrating artificial intelligence into automation of human resources increases the level of interactivity whereby chatbots can provide new employees with guidelines on filling information. Ultimately, this facilitates both time and cost savings, making it possible for humans to concentrate on the strategic aspects (Boone, Kurtz, and Khan, 2019).

Employee Payroll

Automation of the employee payroll system implies that the processing is done within a system instead of manually. The latter is a process that is substantially slower and usually takes several days and has a greater likelihood of resulting in blunders as compared to an automated system. Automation of the payroll process brings about numerous benefits. First, calculations are done more precisely as all the distinctive points, including taxes, deductions, employee commissions will be computed automatically and pinpoint the correct outcomes. Secondly, having digital payroll records rather than paper folders and files implies that there are time savings when accessing and auditing such documents. Third, there is a reduction in mistakes while recording employee working hours, and also proper tracking of employee times and payments are achieved (Booze, Kurtz, and Khan, 2019).

Conclusion

In the automotive industry, it is considered that agile manufacturing systems will enable quick, cost-effective responses to impulsive and incessantly changing product demand. Also, they will support fast-paced product launches or preceding unplanned products personalized to meet regularly, transforming consumer desires. A manufacturing system comprises of four key elements that include production machine, material handling system, computer control system, and human resources. In the automotive industry, regarding human resources, devoid of automated manufacturing systems, factory productivity would be massively condensed. Also, production would be exceedingly time-consuming, working circumstances would be progressively more insecure, and quality control would be tremendously problematic. Employees would be required to work twice as much to accomplish in a day what they can presently accomplish within an hour with automated industrial systems.

Secondly, production machines are manually-operated, semi-automated, or completed automated. They encompass fast-paced advances in robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, all of which enable machines to either equal or outmatch humans in a variety of work activities. The machines facilitate the manufacture of automotive parts in addition to facilitating assembling. The automated and semi-automated machines enable the workers to create automotive parts such as engines and at the same time in ensuring that they are properly assembled. Third, material handling in the automotive industry…