IMPLEMENTING THE AUTOMATED FACTORY

It has been well documented that companies can attain significant competitive advantages through advanced manufacturing technologies such as flexible manufacturing systems, computer aided design, and robotic systems. Yet, it is equally well known that many companies are reluctant to install these technologies, and those who do frequently are not reaping the advantages the technologies can offer, largely because of the difficulties of implementing these expensive, complex systems. Some of the major difficulties in implementing the automated factory, sometimes referred to as the factory of the future, are addressed here. A generic implementation plan is formulated and the major impediments are described. These include an assessment of the firm's readiness for automation, conducting the 'as is' study, and attending to the automation infractructure and organizational interfaces.