Lights out (manufacturing)
Encyclopedia
Lights out or lights-out manufacturing is a manufacturing methodology (or philosophy), rather than a specific process.
Factories that run lights out are fully automated and require no human presence on-site. Thus, these factories can be run with the lights off. Many factories are capable of lights-out production, but very few run exclusively lights-out. Typically, workers are necessary to set up tombstones
holding parts to be manufactured, and to remove the completed parts. As the technology necessary for lights-out production becomes increasingly available, many factories are beginning to utilize lights-out production between shifts (or as a separate shift) to meet increasing demand or to save money. An automatic factory is a place where raw materials enter and finished products leave with little or no human intervention.
One of the earliest descriptions of the automatic factory in fiction was the 1955 short story "Autofac
".
machine tools do not require continuous operator attention, and some models can and are run unattended. A few machine shops run unattended on nights and weekends.http://www.eurotechelite.com/LightsOut_Manufacturing_for_web2.htm. These include Chasco Machine and Manufacturing Company and Northern Manufacturing Company. http://www.northernmfg.com/SheetMetalInnovations/lightsout.htm However, Roger Smith
attempted completely automated manufacturing while serving as CEO of General Motors and the company experienced negative results and a decline in quality. One of the side effects of this was the permanent loss of 60000 jobs for General Motors in the area of Flint
, Michigan
. Although it was assumed that the company was facing hard times, they were actually making billions of dollars in profits and were looking for a reasonable excuse to ship the remaining manual labor jobs to Mexico.
company, has been operating a "lights out" factory for robots since 2001.
"Robots are building other robots at a rate of about 50 per 24-hour shift and can run unsupervised for as long as 30 days at a time. "Not only is it lights-out," says Fanuc vice president Gary Zywiol, "we turn off the air conditioning and heat too."
Factories that run lights out are fully automated and require no human presence on-site. Thus, these factories can be run with the lights off. Many factories are capable of lights-out production, but very few run exclusively lights-out. Typically, workers are necessary to set up tombstones
Tombstone (manufacturing)
A tombstone, also known as a pedestal-type fixture, tooling tower, tooling column or fixture block, is a fixture of two to six or more sides, onto which are mounted parts to be manufactured...
holding parts to be manufactured, and to remove the completed parts. As the technology necessary for lights-out production becomes increasingly available, many factories are beginning to utilize lights-out production between shifts (or as a separate shift) to meet increasing demand or to save money. An automatic factory is a place where raw materials enter and finished products leave with little or no human intervention.
One of the earliest descriptions of the automatic factory in fiction was the 1955 short story "Autofac
Autofac
"Autofac" is a 1955 science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick that features one of the earliest treatments of self-replicating machines. It is set some years after an apocalyptic world war has devastated Earth's civilizations, leaving only a network of hardened robot "autofacs" in operation to...
".
"Lights out" CNC machining
CNCNumerical control
Numerical control refers to the automation of machine tools that are operated by abstractly programmed commands encoded on a storage medium, as opposed to controlled manually via handwheels or levers, or mechanically automated via cams alone...
machine tools do not require continuous operator attention, and some models can and are run unattended. A few machine shops run unattended on nights and weekends.http://www.eurotechelite.com/LightsOut_Manufacturing_for_web2.htm. These include Chasco Machine and Manufacturing Company and Northern Manufacturing Company. http://www.northernmfg.com/SheetMetalInnovations/lightsout.htm However, Roger Smith
Roger Smith
Roger Smith may refer to:* Roger Smith , American television and film actor and screenwriter* Roger Smith , English soccer player* Roger Smith , Bahamian tour tennis player...
attempted completely automated manufacturing while serving as CEO of General Motors and the company experienced negative results and a decline in quality. One of the side effects of this was the permanent loss of 60000 jobs for General Motors in the area of Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Although it was assumed that the company was facing hard times, they were actually making billions of dollars in profits and were looking for a reasonable excuse to ship the remaining manual labor jobs to Mexico.
Existing "lights-out factories"
FANUC, the Japanese roboticsRobotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
company, has been operating a "lights out" factory for robots since 2001.
"Robots are building other robots at a rate of about 50 per 24-hour shift and can run unsupervised for as long as 30 days at a time. "Not only is it lights-out," says Fanuc vice president Gary Zywiol, "we turn off the air conditioning and heat too."