From JIT to the introduction of a CIM supported by human based systems

Japanese manufacturers have seen the market swing from a sellers' market to a buyers' market by dint of changes in the economic environment. Therefore, they have found the need to establish a production system in which products can be manufactured at the speed at which they are being sold and which achieve a competitive advantage. FA activity in Japan today has begun to change from local automation to totally integrated automation. This paper introduces a bottom to top based JIT-FA system and describes how to approach and introduce a CIM supported by human based systems. A fully automated CIM system is not only flexible but also rigid. However we can realize a flexible production line system by partially introducing human based systems including a decision support system.