Manufacturing Paradigms in 2010

Abstract

Manufacturing is defined as the act of converting raw materials into finished products by using manual or mechanized transformational techniques. The purpose of such activities is to add value to achieve targeted objectives, which do not preclude society’s overall interests. Modern day ethical dispositions value dimensions of safety and environment more than quality and productivity. Evidently manufacturing is contemplated to improve the quality of life, which follows the basic tenets of the existence of the fact of ‘life’. The paradigm of Manufacturing therefore is the genesis of the factoring of customer requirements to yield high-quality low-cost products efficiently and productively to meet exacting schedules and priorities. The methods employed should be kind on raw materials and other resources, inputs impacting environment including energy, forest-wood, mined products etc. The net manufacturing competence is thus a trade off between the results in trans-formation obtained and the costs of achieving requisite gains. This paper attempts to highlight the direction our Manufacturing technology will steer to, and anticipate how these endeavours should integrate in producing a system of manufacturing excellence. Because the process of change duly set-in, in motion, in last few years confirms the benefits of increasing quality – productivity and environmental awareness, the trend is likely to sustain with attendant inputs in technology, improvements in methodology, culture and system conscientiousness.