ME6073-COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

TWO MARKS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

UNIT-1 INTRODUCTION

1. List the fundamental reasons for implementing a CAD system. [A.U.,

N/D 11; N/D 13; A/M 15]
i. To increase the productivity of the designer.
ii. To improve the quality of design.
iii. To improve communications.
iv. To create a database for engineering.
2. What are the components of a CAD system? [A.U., N/D 11]
i. Geometric modeling.
ii. Design analysis and optimization.
iii. Design review and evaluation and
iv. Documentation and drafting.
3. Define CIM. M/J 14
CIM is the integration of the total manufacturing enterprise through
the use of integrated system and data communications coupled with new
managerial philosophies that improve organized and personnel efficiency.
4. What is meant by lean production? M/D 11
Lean production can be defined as an adaption of mass production in
which workers and work cells are made more flexible and efficient by
adopting methods that reduce waste in all forms.
5. Mention the principles of lean production system. M/J 14
i. Recognition of waste
ii. Standard processes
iii. Continuous flow
 iv. Full-production
v. Quality at the source
vi. Continuous improvement.
6. List the potential tangible and intangible benefits of CIM. N/D 11; N/D
12
Tangible benefits In Tangible benefits
i. Higher profits i. Improved customer service
ii. Improved quality ii. Greater flexibility
iii. Shorter time to market with iii. Greater responsiveness
new products iv. Improved competitiveness
iv. Shorter vendor lead time v. Safer working environment
v. Reduced inventory levels vi. Higher employee morale.
vi. Improved schedule vii. More opportunities for
Performance and so on. upgrading skills.

7. Mention few elements of CIM. M/J 16

i) CAD
ii) CAM-manufacturing planning
iii) CAM- manufacturing control
iv) Computerized business systems.
8. State the objectives of implementation of CIM. M/J 16
i) Make the total process more process more productive and efficient.
ii) Increase product reliability.
iii) Decrease the cost of production.
9. Mention the reasons for implementing CAD? A/M 15
i) To meet competitive pressures
ii) To coordinate and organize data
 iii) To eliminate paper and the costs associated with its use.
iv) To automate communication within a factory and increase the speed.
v) To facilitate simultaneous engineering.
10. Define computer integrated manufacturing. M/J 14
CIM is an attempt to combine existing computer technologies in order to
manage and control the entire business.
11. Illustrate the components of an automated system with sketch. N/D
16; A/M 17

12. What are the factors that lead to the evolution of CIM? A/M 17
The following factors have led to the development of the CIM concept and
associated technologies:
i) Development of NC, CNC, DNC.
ii) The advent and cost-effectiveness of computers.
iii) Manufacturing challenges, such as
Global competition
High labor cost
Demand for quality products
 UNIT-II PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL &
COMPUTERISED PROCESS PLANNING

1. What is meant by CAPP? [A.U.., May/June 2012]

CAPP refers to computer-aided process planning. CAPP is used to
overcome the drawbacks of manual process planning. With the use of
computer in the process planning, one can reduce the routine clerical
work of manufacturing engineers. Also it provides the opportunity to
generate rational, consistent and optimal plans.
2. Differentiate the underlying concepts of variant and generative CAPP
systems. [A.U.., May/June 2014]
i. Variant CAPP system: a process plan for a new part is created by
recalling, identifying and retrieving an existing plan for a similar part,
and making the necessary modifications for the new part.
ii. Generative CAPP system: automatically generates the process
plan based on decision logics and pre-coded algorithms.
3. List any two benefits of CAPP. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2010; May/June 2015]
i. Process rationalization and standardization
ii. Productivity improvement
iii. Product cost reduction
iv. Elimination of Human error
v. Reduction in time.
4. What is CMPP? [A.U.., May/June 2013]
The CMPP stands for computer- managed process planning. It is a
commercial generative process planning system capable of
automatically making process decisions.
5. What is Master production Schedule (MPS)? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2014;
May/June 2015]
The master production schedule is a listing of the each end items to be
manufactured, when they are to be delivered, and in what quantities for a
short range planning horizon.
6. What are the inputs to MRP system? [A.U.., May/June 2012; Nov/Dec
2013]
The three important inputs to MRP are:
i. Master production schedule.
ii. Bill of materials file
iii. Inventory record file.
7. List the outputs of MRP. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2013]

The MRP outputs are:

i. Order release notice

ii. Report of planned order releases
iii. Cancellation notices
iv. Exception reports.
8. What is meant by Shop Floor Control? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2013]
Shop floor control (SFC) is concerned with:
i. The release of production orders to the factory;
ii. Monitoring and controlling the progress of the orders through the
various work centers;
iii. Acquiring information on the status of the orders.
9. What are the phases of SFC? Or List the different stages of SFC. [A.U..,
May/June 2012; Nov/Dec 2012]
The three important phases of SFC are:
i. Order release
ii. Order scheduling
iii. Order progress
10. What are the objectives of FDC system? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2014]
i. To supply status and performance data to the shop floor control
system.
ii. To provide up-to-date information to the production supervisors and
production control personnel.
iii. To enable the management to monitor implementation of master
schedule.
11. Distinguish between On-line and Offline data collection systems. [A.U..,
Nov/Dec 2011]
i. On-line system: the data are entered directly into the plant computer
system and are immediately available to the order progress module.
ii. Offline system: the data are collected temporarily in a storage device
or a standalone computer system to be entered and processed by plant
computer in a batch mode.
12. List out the various data input techniques or methods of data
collection from the shop floor. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2011]
i. Manual/clerical data input techniques
a) Job traveler
b) Employee time sheet
c) Operation tear strips
d) Prepunched cards
 ii. Data collection terminals
a) Push button keyboards
b) Keyboard based terminals.
iii. Automated input techniques
a) Optical bar code readers
b) Magnetic card readers
c) Magnetized or bar-coded cards.
13. List the types of inventory. [A.U.., Apr/May 2011]
i. Raw materials inventory
ii. Work-in-process inventory
iii. Finished goods inventory
14. What do you mean by fixed-order quantity model? [A.U.., May/June
13] In fixed-order quantity model, the size of the order (order quantity) is
predetermined and fixed, but the time of its placement (ordering time) is
allowed to vary depending upon the fluctuation of demand.
15. Draw the structure of an MRP system. [A.U.., May/June 2014]

16. What are the objectives of FDC system? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2014]
i) To supply status and performance data to the shop floor control system.
ii) To provide up-to-date information to the production supervisors and
production control personnel.
iii) To enable the management to monitor implementation of master
schedule.
17. Differentiate process planning and production planning.[A.U., Nov/Dec
2016]
Process planning: consists of preparing set of instructions that describe
how to manufacture the products and its parts.
Production planning: it may be defined as the determination, acquisition and
arrangement of all facilities necessary for future production of products.
18. Differentiate MRP I and MRP II. [A.U., Nov/Dec 2016]
MRP I: Material requirement planning is the computational technique that
converts the master production schedule for final products in to detailed
schedule for the raw materials and parts used in the final products.
MRP II: manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) is a computer-based
system for planning, scheduling, and controlling the materials, resources,
and supporting activities needed to meet the master production schedule
(MPS).
19. Comment on the output of aggregate production planning. [A.U.,
Apr/May 2017].
It is also know aggregate output planning or aggregate planning, is
concerned with determining the quantity and timing of production for
the intermediate future (often 3months to one year) ahead, settings.
Employment, inventory, and subcontracting.
20. List the basic steps in developing a process plan. [A.U., Apr/May
2017] Step 1: drawing interpretation
Step 2: material evolution and process selection
Step 3: selection of machines, tooling and work holding devices
Step 4: setting process parameters
Step 5: selection of quality assurance methods
Step 6: cost estimating
Step 7: preparing the process planning documentation
Step 8: communicating the manufacturing knowledge to the shop floor.
 UNIT III CELLULAR MANUFACTURING

1. What is group technology (GT)? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2013]

Group technology is a manufacturing philosophy to increase production
efficiency by grouping a variety of parts having similarities of shape,
dimension, and/or process route.
2. State the role of GT in CAD/CAM integration. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2011]
i. GT applications provide a common database for effective integration
of CAD and CAM, which leads to successful implementation of CIM.
ii. To integrate the CAD and CAM, it is needed to integrate the
information used by all department in a shop such as design,
manufacturing, quality, etc.,
3. What is the main difference between hierarchical codes and attribute
code structures? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2012; May/June 2013]
In hierarchical structure, the interpretation of each symbol in the sequence
depends on the value of preceding symbols. Whereas in attribute/polycode
structure, the interpretation of each symbol in the sequence does not
depend on the value of preceding symbols.
4. What do you mean by form code and supplementary code in
Opitz classification system? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2013]
i. The opitz coding scheme uses the following digit
sequence: 12345 6789 ABCD
ii. The first five digits (12345) code the major design attributes of a
part and are called the form code.
iii. The next four digits (6789) are for coding manufacturing-related
attributes and are called the supplementary code.
5. List the factors to be considered in selection of coding system.
[A.U., Apr/May 2015]
i. Objective of the classification system
ii. Robustness- capability of handling all parts now being sold or
planned to sold by the firm.
iii. Expandability- ability to cope up with future demands.
iv. Automation- for computer use.
6. Mention the benefits of GT. [A.U.., May/June 2012]
i. GT results in product design cost and time savings.
ii. GT results in reduced materials handling cost because of the group
layout of the shop.
iii. GT simplifies production and inventory control activities.
iv. GT leads to an automated process planning system.
7. List any four design considerations guiding the cell formation. [A.U..,
Nov/Dec 2014]
i. Parts/products to be fully completed in the cell.
ii. Higher operator utilization.
iii. Fewer operators than equipment.
iv. Balanced equipment utilization in the cell.
8. What is cellular manufacturing? [A.U.., May/June 2014]
Cellular manufacturing (CM) is an application of group technology
in which dissimilar machines have been aggregated into cells, each of
which is dedicated to the production of a part family.
9. Write the reasons for using a coding scheme in GT? [Nov/Dec 2015]
i) Design retrieval
ii) Automated process planning
iii) Machine cell design
10. What is group technology (GT)? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2013]
Group technology is a manufacturing philosophy to increase production
efficiency by grouping a variety of parts having similarities of shape,
dimension, and/or process route.
11. Explain optiz coding system? [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2013]
The optiz system was developed by H.Optiz of the University of Aachen in
Germany. In fact, it was the most popular and one of the first published
classification and coding schemes for mechanical parts.
12. How the part families are identified? [A.U., Apr/May 2017]
Part families are identified based on the similarities of the parts either in
their part design attributes (i.e., geometric shape and size) or in their part
manufacturing attributes (i.e., processing steps required in their
manufacture).
13. What are the problems in implementing Group Technology?
[A.U., Apr/May 2017]
i) Implementing GT is expensive.
ii) Installing a coding and classifications systems is very time-
consuming.
iii) As there is no common implementation approach, the
implementation of GT is often difficult.
14. Explain composite part concept. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2016]
A composite part is a hypothetical part which includes all of the design and
manufacturing attributes of a family.
The composite is a single hypothetical part that can be completely
processed in a manufacturing cell.
UNIT IV FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND
AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLE SYSTEM

1. Write the difference between FMC & FMS systems? [A.U.., Nov/Dec
2015]
S.No Criteria FMC FMS
1. Number of Two or three Four or more
machines used machines machines
2. Non-processing FMC does not FMS incudes
workstations include any non- non-processing
processing workstations
workstations (such as part
cleaning,
deburring
stations, and so
on)
3. Computer The computer The computer
control system control system control system
of FMC is of FMS is larger
simpler and no and more
more sophisticated
sophisticated than that of a
and additional FMC. Also
functions are not additional
included functions are
included in FMS

2. Write the main elements of Flexible manufacturing system.

[A.U.., May/June 15]
i) Workstations
ii) Material handling and storage system
iii) Computer control system, and
iv) Human resources.
3. What are the various types of layouts used in FMS design?
[A.U.., May/June 15]
i) In-line layout
ii) Loop layout
iii) Ladder layout
iv) Open-field layout,
v) Robot-centered cell.
4. What are the components/elements of FMS? [A.U.., Apr/May 2015]
i) Workstations
ii) Material handling and storage system
iii) Computer control system, and
iv) Human resources.
5. Distinguish between dedicated FMS and random-order FMS[A.U..,
Nov/Dec 2012]
i) A dedicated FMS is designed to produce a limited variety of part
configuration. A random-order FMS is more flexible than the
dedicated FMS.
ii) Unlike in dedicated FMS, the random-order FMS is equipped with
general purpose machines so as to meet the product variations.
Also, this FMS type requires a more sophisticated computer
control system.
6. List some important advantages of implementing FMS. [A.U..,
May/June 2013; Nov/Dec 2016]]
i) Increased machine utilization
ii) Reduced inventory
iii) Reduced manufacturing lead time
iv) Greater flexibility in production scheduling
 v) Shorter response time
7. Differentiate between primary and secondary material handling
systems. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2012; Nov/Dec 2014]
i) The primary handling system establishes the basic layout of the
FMS and is responsible for moving work parts between work
stations in the system.
ii) The main function of the secondary handling system is to transfer
work parts from the primary system to the machine tool or other
processing station.
8. State the functions of the computer control system of FMS. [A.U..,
May/June 2012]
The functions that are performed by the FMS computer control system
include:
i) Workstation/processing station control
ii) Distribution of control instruction to workstations
iii) Production control
iv) Material handling system control.
9. Write any two applications of FMS. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2011]
The applications of FMS are realized in the following areas:
i) Machining
ii) Assembly
iii) Sheet metal press working
iv) Plastic injection molding
v) Forging
vi) Welding
10. List out the types of AGVs. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2016]
i) Guided driverless trains
 ii) Guided pallet trucks, and
iii) Guided unit load carriers.
11. What are the applications of AGVs? [A.U.., Apr/May 2017]
The four categories of AGVs applications are:
i) Driverless train operations
ii) Storage/distribution systems,
iii) Assembly line applications, and
iv) Flexible manufacturing system.
12. List the four tests for flexibility in FMS research. [A.U.., Apr/May
2017]
i) Part variety test,
ii) Schedule change test
iii) Error recovery test, and
iv) New part test.
 UNIT-5 INDUSTRIAL ROBOTICS

1. Define pitch, yaw and roll. [A.U.., Nov/Dec 2016]

Pitch: it refers to the rotation in a vertical plane through the arm.
Yaw: It refers to rotation in a horizontal plane through the arm.
Roll: It refers to rotation in a plane perpendicular to end of the arm.
2. What is accuracy and repeatability in industrial robots? [A.U.., Nov/Dec
2016]
Accuracy: it is defined as the robots ability to position and orient the end of
its wrist at a defined target point within the work volume.
Repeatability: It is defined as the ability of the robot to reposition itself to a
position to which it was previously commanded or taught.
3. Classify the robot control systems. [A.U.., Apr/May 2017]
i) Non-servo (open loop) control system, and
ii) Servo (closed loop) control system.
4. Differentiate between world and tool coordinate system in robotics with
simple sketch. [A.U.., Apr/May 2017]
i) World reference frame which is a universal coordinate frame, as
defined by the X-Y-Z axes. In this case the joints of the robot move
simultaneously so as to create motions along the three major axes.
ii) Tool reference frame which specifies the movements of the robots
hand relative to the frame attached to the hand. The X, Y and Z axes
attached to the hand define the motions of the hand relative to this
local frame. All joints of the robot move simultaneously to create
coordinated motions about the tool frame.
5. What is an industrial robot? [A.U.., May/June 2016]
A robot is an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose,
manipulative machine with several reprogrammable axes, which are either
fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation application.
6. What is a playback robot with point-to-point control? [A.U.., May/June
2013]
Point-to point robots are the most common of the four classifications and
can move from one specified point to another but cannot stop at arbitrary
points not designated previously.
7. What is the advantages of dual gripper over a single gripper? [A.U..,
May/June 2013]
The two advantages of using grippers are:
i) Reduced machine downtime; and
ii) Reduced cycle time per part.
8. List the basic components of an industrial robot.
i) Manipulator
ii) End-effector
iii) Power supply, and
iv) Control system.
9. What is robot anatomy?
Robot anatomy is defined as the study of the types and sizes of the joints,
links and other aspects of the manipulators physical construction.
10. What is the work volume of a robot manipulator?
The maximum volume of the space that a robot can reach mechanically is
called the work volume or work envelope or robot reach or the workspace of
robot.
11. List any four commonly used robot programming languages.
i) AML-IBM
ii) HELP-General electric
iii) VAL & VAL-II Unimation, adept
12. What are the types of mechanical joints commonly used in industrial
robot?
i) Linear joint (Type L joint)
ii) Orthogonal joint ( Type O joint)
iii) Rotational joint ( Type R joint)
iv) Twisting Joint (Type T joint), and
v) Revolving joint (Type V joint).