7.3.2. Computer operating aids

Production processes are often, but by no means the only area of digital computers. Digital computers can be used as tools or aids in the various stages of the manufacturing process to help people to work better, faster and more productive. The production process is not only immediate production in which the most important role on-line computer systems, but also everything that precedes or follows the immediate production. Production cycle begins with the conception of a product and ends with the sale and maintenance.

Figure 7.3.5 Different stages of the production cycle.

Once the product is designed, when specified as it should be and with what characteristics, followed by development and construction. Depending on the type of product the second phase can have its sub-phases, such as simulation of behavior, modification, correction and more.

If it is then the development of complex products and structures require a lot of technical work, drawing, analysis and the like. For such businesses often lack the time or simply do not have the technical staff to do all the time. Therefore, various computational tools are very important for this part of the job. For this type of job aids have their names CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering). This is a special program support, basically very expensive, which is designed specifically to help in the production process. It's very sophisticated and often focused exclusively in one area such as construction, engineering and the like.

After the product development needs to prepare production. And for this stage there are various aids, but not as much as a commercial for the previous phase. The reason is the different approaches to the preparation of production and program support generally works made for production that is being planned.

In the production prevalent use of on-line computers, and the next phase where examined correctness, performance, or other parameters of the product, adjusts before ga denote completed (say label 'OK'). This is not a full on-line system because it allows the intervention of staff on the basis of data obtained from the system during the test product. To staff intervention would be effective in the computer is installed as an accessory expert system, which covers all the knowledge of several experts on the management of processes, and based on the parameters received during the test advises what to do in different situations where certain product characteristics are not the intended one. The power of this expert system will directly affect the increase in the quality of the production process especially when it comes to more complex manufacturing such as TV or DCS as an end product.

Offer customers includes technical and commercial aspects. Job aids that will be used for these purposes is of great importance. Let's end product of a general purpose PC containing from tens to hundreds of possible different components. Stacking of these components can not be arbitrary. Aid should include a complete base components that are available for making your PC and information on their mutual compatibility and matching rules. Any change in one component will automatically provide an adequate substitute for the other in respect of compliance. In this way it is possible to quickly offer customers computer line with his wishes and possibilities. Thus, computer aids for sale, or offer buyer also is an expert system is a computer-integrated knowledge of multiple experts who deal with assembly of individual components into a single PC. Such a tool is of great importance when using nonstandard unique systems. It can be found in boat manufacturers, builders and the like where the waist with a wide variety of world market competition should respond quickly. No time to be experts meet again and modified or expanded. To react immediately in a few minutes while the customer is there.

Repair and maintenance of the product can also be helped by working aids. In this case are similar devices in the testing phase of the product. But as the service and maintenance is often done on the field for this purpose will be better served laptops. Today, even the power of portable computers is not questionable. Will there be a working tool or laptop computer system which is also incorporated with some additional features depends on its designated for, the requirements for robustness or something else. As usual intervention on the field performing fewer professional staff working tool to be easier to use in some areas and stronger support in the analyzes. If his own resources are insufficient over the Internet or in any other way it can be connected to a host computer for maintenance, set somewhere in the workshop or factory, and to use his services.