Manufacturing, Automation Systems and CIM Factories

This book provides an overview of advanced manufacturing technology in Japan. It describes the prevalent manufacturing engineering concepts and highlights the current applications, technologies and systems in Japanese manufacturing industry. In Japan, the progress of numerically controlled automation systems has resulted in practical manufacturing systems characterized by a high degree of flexibility and productivity. This in turn has resulted in the establishment of reliable, high quality factory automation systems. Numerous case studies from leading Japanese manufacturers, including Toyota, Hitachi, Mazda and Kobe Steel, are featured. Looking towards the future, the book reports on Japanese industry's progress towards computerized "Intelligent Manufacturing Management Systems" (IMMS).