Handbook of Design, Manufacturing and Automation

Comprehensive, detailed, and organized for speedy reference--everything you need to know about modern manufacturing technology. From concurrent engineering to fixture design for machining systems, from robotics and artificial intelligence to facility layout planning and automated CAD-based inspection, this handbook provides all the information you need to design, plan, and implement a modern, efficient manufacturing system tailored to your company's special needs and requirements. Handbook of Design, Manufacturing and Automation does more than simply present the characteristics and specifications of each technology--much more. Each technology is discussed both in terms of its own capabilities and in terms of its compatibility with other technologies, and the trade-offs involved in choosing one option over another are explored at length. An entire section is devoted to the business aspects of converting to the new technologies, including acquisition of automation, managing advanced manufacturing technology, and issues of cost and financing. The focus is on incorporating these technologies into a cohesive whole--an efficient, cost-effective manufacturing system. Other important topics include: Design for automated manufacturing Nontraditional manufacturing processes Machine tool programming techniques and trends Precision engineering and micromanufacturing Computer-integrated product planning and control Image processing for manufacturing And much more