Industrial And Commerical Practice Flashcards
Email - ADVANTAGES
Quick Easy Widespread Exchanges kept as a record Documents can be attached
Email - DISADVANTAGES?
Impersonal (misinterpreted)
Spam increases time to read inbox
Security issues
Size limit
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)?
Transfer files through a computer network rather than by post
Requires both sender and receiver to agree on document format and standards
Electronic Data Interchange - ADVANTAGES?
Saves money - less paper and postage costs
Quick - transferred digitally instantly
Secure - financial information sent
Improved customer service – fewer errors and faster turnaround times (expands customer base)
Large files - CAD data
Electronic Data Interchange - DISADVANTAGES?
Incompatibility (different standards - regularly updated cause problems)
Expensive to set up
Can only trade with EDI companies
Broadband?
Internet accessed while using phone without ‘busy’ tone - more than one user can connect
Greater speeds
Always on line service
Don’t dial a number to get connected
No call up charges when using the internet
Integrated Services Digital Network?
Information transferred over the phone line
Beeping noise when Internet in use
Local Area Network?
Internet accessed over small area (eg office)
Connects devices together
Local Area Network - DISADVANTAGES?
Faults - data loss, apps stop working
Work is dependent on network
Security issues - hackers
Resources – scanners and printer located too far from users
Local Area Network - ADVANTAGES?
Speed - sharing files very quick
Cost - networkable software is cheaper
Security - password protected
Centralised software management - update app only once
Resource sharing - printers, CNC machines etc
Workgroup computing - collaborate on files (eg CAD)
Flexible – files accessed from any computer
Global network (Internet)?
Companies keep in touch with the world
Information passed around instantly
Design completed around the world
Global network - ADVANTAGES?
Fast and reliable
Lots of information - easy to access and find (search engines)
Services - banking, reservations, shopping
Technical support available
Global network - DISADVANTAGES?
Hackers - identity theft, steel credit cards
Spam
Virus - damage computer
Theft of information
Videoconferencing
FaceTime virtual conference
Videoconferencing - ADVANTAGES?
Save travel money and time
Training of staff
Quick decision making - presentation made to several people at once
Visual information can be communicated as part of conversation
Remote diagnostics available with tech support in other countries able to solve problems
Videoconferencing - DISADVANTAGES?
Different time zones
Unreliable connection
No eye contact
Camera shyness
Market analysis - ADVANTAGES?
Fast data transmission/ collection so business is working with up to date data / reduces lead time / enables QRM .
Data collected is accurate providing the basis for good decision making / allowing accurate prediction of future trends /increasing competitiveness
Costs of information gathering are reduced as fewer personnel are needed / less postage costs.
More detailed information can be collected allowing businesses to better match products to market needs.
Allows large volume of data to be quickly analysed or interrogated in different ways (quantative, qualative, trend) identifying patterns upon which immediate action can be taken.
Efficient storage of data so minimal space needed / makes archiving and retrieval easier
Market Analysis?
Investigate the market to plan for future Influence how product is marketed Estimate sales Create specification Questionnaire used to gather data
Electronic information handling / Market Analysis?
Investigate the market to plan for future Influence how product is marketed Estimate sales Create specification Questionnaire used to gather data
Used to handle market analysis which is used for company future planning
Helps to produce decisions for future development
Often able to process lots of lots of raw data about a market quickly and sort data usefully for companies to interpret.
Essential to ensure that new products have a competitive edge over the competition.
Specification development?
Parameters defended using anthropometric data, material limitations and market research
Electronic information handling can be used in Specification development – in complex design can be used to define all parameters in the design and use all information e.g. anthropometric data, material limitations, component availability and sizes to establish specifications.
Reduces time and gives a big advantage in getting the product to market more quickly.
Design specification – set parameters of what is to be designed, most based on market research. Computer aided market analysis (CAMA) can be interrogated in a number of ways. Provide focus area for design spec.
Manufacturing specification – could be working scale drawings that have all the information required to manufacture the product. Computer Aided specification of Products (CASP) draws on artificial intelligence expert systems to suggest modifications and alterations to the design based on its knowledge of materials, available components, ease of assembly etc.
Just in time?
Storing stock is both expensive (requires floor area to be stored) and is money sitting around doing nothing. If it is not being used to make a product it is not making profit.
Just in time relies on excellent communication with suppliers to ensure that stock to make the pro.
Reduces costs through efficiency
Only manufacturing when product is needed
New stock ordered when order level is reached
Less money tied up in raw materials
Increase efficiency – ethos is that stock not being used to produce goods is wasted money and not producing profit. Indeed, this stock requires space to store which means the building has to be larger and also this represents wasted money.
For this to happen – stock control has to be perfect, stock arrives as required and is ordered only as needed for a job. The stock and components also have to arrive at the correct stage in the manufacturing process. Not just as simple as all the stock turns up in one delivery. The bits have to make it to the right part of the production line. Entire factories can often be designed to met the movement of components around the assembly line.
Problems arise if the stock does not reach the plant on time – should a major accident hold up materials in a lorry on a motorway, the lack of materials can then be difficult to compensate for.
Generally turnover r is rapid and the factory has some flexibility in being able to produce more or less of a product easily.
Production scheduling?
Sequences of tasks must be allocated correctly for efficient production
Computer based production makes process smooth and solves issues when they occur
In short ensuring the right components and the right bit of stock arrive on time and get to the right parts. This can get very complex on some designs – cars have thousands of components and computer modelling can be used to produce production schedules and model the most efficient way of getting materials around the factory floor. Also allows the company to work out in advance whether a delivery promise can be met, based on lead times and the likely modelled length of production.
It can also generate production plans for workers so the have complete understanding of the order of work and what should be done so that productivity is maximised.
