Nice introduction to the issues. Computers were one revolution. Communications was another. Electronics and Fiber Optics both travel close to the speed of light, a good thing. The combination of computers and communications had a real synergy. Getting this right was more art than science. Toyota jumped into Computer Integrated Manufacturing with both feet. And jumped back. As you mentioned Elon Musk got burned with the fully automated factory. It turns out that robots don't join quality circles. Industrial engineers see the assembly line floor for the first time when they go to install their meticulously designed equipment. Assembly line human workers eat, sleep and breath the shop floor. Of course, they can get it better and better with continuous improvement. Computers are good at mind numbing straight forward tasks. There are 30,000 parts in a car. If you make 1,0000 cars a day that is 30,000,000 parts. The manufacturers computers talk to the tier 1's computers. The tier 1's computers talk to the tier 2 computers. The tier 2 computer's talk to the tier 3 computers. Doing this by hand would be monumental. Even Toyota has replaced physical kanban cards with ekanban. Humans and art. Who knew?
I love this series!
Educating and entertaining! Thank you, Prof.
Nice introduction to the issues. Computers were one revolution. Communications was another. Electronics and Fiber Optics both travel close to the speed of light, a good thing. The combination of computers and communications had a real synergy. Getting this right was more art than science.
Toyota jumped into Computer Integrated Manufacturing with both feet. And jumped back. As you mentioned Elon Musk got burned with the fully automated factory. It turns out that robots don't join quality circles. Industrial engineers see the assembly line floor for the first time when they go to install their meticulously designed equipment. Assembly line human workers eat, sleep and breath the shop floor. Of course, they can get it better and better with continuous improvement. Computers are good at mind numbing straight forward tasks. There are 30,000 parts in a car. If you make 1,0000 cars a day that is 30,000,000 parts. The manufacturers computers talk to the tier 1's computers. The tier 1's computers talk to the tier 2 computers. The tier 2 computer's talk to the tier 3 computers. Doing this by hand would be monumental. Even Toyota has replaced physical kanban cards with ekanban. Humans and art. Who knew?