Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) is a relatively old term, but is not really heard too much these days.
For the hard hit discrete manufacturing sector (you know those folks that make planes, trains and automobiles), the advance of technology on their factory floors has been steady, but I argue not fast enough. The key here is that we need to make products faster, better, cheaper and more efficiently and to that end we need integrated technology to fill the productivity gap. In short, we need more of IT (Information Technology) on the factory floor.
Missing until recently has been a common IT device communication language. I am happy to report that we now have that in part with the recent adoption of MTConnect XML Schema V1.01 (check out http://www.mtconnect.org/). This web-based, self-describing language easily allows for dissimilar devices to talk over the LAN or WAN to applications (like Overall Equipment Effectiveness or OEE software) or to each other. Missing as of yet are file management and write capabilities - but that is now allowed as valid "extensions".
Everything will be connected sooner than you think - my goal in this blog is to chart the course of CIM coming back into the forefront. Is CIM boring, irrelevent or useless? I think not.
Keep posted and we will try our hand at "automating the automation". Also, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=674RpaMSYEw for a better insight.
Finally, welcome the "CIM Today" Blog ... we are up to something alright!
Tom Gaasenbeek
For the hard hit discrete manufacturing sector (you know those folks that make planes, trains and automobiles), the advance of technology on their factory floors has been steady, but I argue not fast enough. The key here is that we need to make products faster, better, cheaper and more efficiently and to that end we need integrated technology to fill the productivity gap. In short, we need more of IT (Information Technology) on the factory floor.
Missing until recently has been a common IT device communication language. I am happy to report that we now have that in part with the recent adoption of MTConnect XML Schema V1.01 (check out http://www.mtconnect.org/). This web-based, self-describing language easily allows for dissimilar devices to talk over the LAN or WAN to applications (like Overall Equipment Effectiveness or OEE software) or to each other. Missing as of yet are file management and write capabilities - but that is now allowed as valid "extensions".
Everything will be connected sooner than you think - my goal in this blog is to chart the course of CIM coming back into the forefront. Is CIM boring, irrelevent or useless? I think not.
Keep posted and we will try our hand at "automating the automation". Also, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=674RpaMSYEw for a better insight.
Finally, welcome the "CIM Today" Blog ... we are up to something alright!
Tom Gaasenbeek
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