Skill Based Automated Manufacturing - Lessons Learned from a Workshop

Abstract

This paper is a summary of the main statements and results from the IFAC Workshop on Skill Based Automated Manufacturing. Based on 22 presented papers, the Workshop addressed such items as skill based flexible manufacturing and assembly systems, work concepts for the technical office and the steel industry, policies for automated production. It provided ample opportunity for the 46 experts from 11 European countries, Australia and USA for profound exchange of ideas. There is broad empirical evidence that we are in a situation of choice with strategic options for future production systems (regarding organization, technology, skills). The range of this choice can be characterized by the key words "unmanned factory" versus skill based manufacturing. Profound changes on world markets require more flexibility, higher quality and, at the same time, high productivity and low costs by reduced lead time and less work in progress. These requirements make production concepts based on human abilities rather than machine artefacts more likely to be the superior choice. In order to find efficient production structures, appropriate decisions on work organization, on the division of functions and on the forms of interaction between man and machine have to be made. Consequently, users have to be involved in the design process, and skill formation has to become part of the development task. Encouraging examples for this demonstrate the need for new orientation of and improved methods for work organization, systems design and skill formation