Design and Analysis of Integrated Manufacturing Systems (1988) / Chapter Skim
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The Human Role in Advaced Manufacturing Systems
The Human Role in Advaced Manufacturing Systems
Pages 148-166
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From page 148... ...
A design methodology is presented that includes five major steps or phases: characterizing users' tasks, assessing demands of tasks, identifying approaches to support, determining likely obstacles, and anticipating user acceptance problems. This methodology is discussed in the context of its previous applications in aerospace and process control domains and its potential application in manufacturing.
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From page 149... ...
More technology packed in smaller Designers Hi/ Infuse Technology / ~ \ MaintaIners Overwhelmed by Complexity 1 Desl~ners Produce Technology "Fixes" Increased ATE \~ Performance/ Productivity Shortfall Technology " Opportunities" Managers Overwhelmed by Dam \ Increased M15 boxes in tighter spaces presents obvious difficulties in access and installation. Beyond these traditional maintainability problems, however, the complexity of advanced hardware and software requires that the troubleshooter have sophisticated knowledge and skills.
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From page 150... ...
BACKGROUND A review of the current state of the art in advanced manufacturing systems and the salient issues being debated in the manufacturing community provides a context for some of the earlier statements while also motivating many of the methodological issues that are discussed later. State of Me Art Twenty years ago, when an undergraduate student was provided the opportunity in a manufacturing course to program a numerically controlled (NC)
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From page 151... ...
, and the technology spiral appears to be functioning. Management Issues Aside from the incremental progress in technology, advanced manufacturing technology presents many other issues.
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From page 152... ...
The emphasis is therefore now shifting to using automation to cut overhead costs, including materials, which can account for 75 to 90 percent of the total cost (Dornheim, 1986; Lowndes, 1986~. The implication of this trend is that the roles of both white-collar and blue-collar workers are being affected by advanced manufacturing technology.
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From page 153... ...
Such data, unfortunately, are scarce for advanced manufacturing systems. Two studies of the use of computergenerated displays for FMS control concluded that the effects of the displays were much more subtle than anticipated (Mitchell and Miller, 1983; Sharit, 1984, 1985~.
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From page 154... ...
This terminology provides direct links to the next two conceptual elements, which relate to identifying means for enhancing human abilities and overcoming human limitations for the tasks of interest. The fourth and final element relates to fostering user acceptance of the means identified for enhancing abilities and overcoming limitations.
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From page 155... ...
First, it reflects the fact that the a priori situation and human stereotypical plans and expectations govern much of behavior. Most situations and subsequent behaviors are fairly routine and, fortunately, considering the effort involved, situation assessment as well as planning and commitment need not be invoked.
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From page 156... ...
The results of these two independent analyses for the process control example were virtually identical. Although the applicability of this task taxonomy to both aerospace systems and process control does not ensure its applicability to discrete parts manufacturing, my perception is that this taxonomy is applicable to advanced manufacturing systems.
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From page 157... ...
From Table 1, one can see that this lessens the relative demands for some of the more cognitive tasks, thereby increasing the requirements for manipulative and perceptual skills as contrasted with judgmental and creative abilities. It would appear, however, that the eventual role of the FMS operator will increase the demands on judgmental and creative abilities, in particular by shifting the emphasis to elements of planning and commitment (Ammons, 1985; Fraser, 1986; Mitchell et al., 1986~.
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From page 158... ...
Identifying Approaches to Support At this point in an analysis, Figure 5 and Table 1 have been used in conjunction with domain-specific knowledge to identify one or more tasks that appear most in need of support. The design team could now sit around a table and brainstorm to produce support concepts.
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From page 159... ...
0 Given feedback with regard to suggested alternatives, a support system might adapt Rs search strategy and/or tactics. EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES 159 o For a Gwen alternative, a support system might assess the alternatwe's a priori characteristics such as relevance, intorrnation content, and resource requirements.
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From page 160... ...
For alternatives involving multiple stages, locations, or the like, this optimization problem is less straightforward but can, nevertheless, be treated using standard control theory and operations research techniques. Although the techniques used to support selection among alternatives are important, experience suggests that identification of feasible alternatives and their likely consequences is often sufficient for decision makers to choose immediately without resorting to optimization.
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From page 161... ...
To summarize this discussion of identifying approaches to supporting users, all of the vast support system literature describes theories, design concepts, and evaluative results that relate to one or more of the capabilities summarized in Figures 6 and 7. Support concepts for selection and input are the most common; concepts for evaluation and output are not uncommon; and concepts for generation are fairly rare.
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From page 162... ...
Summary of Framework The user-centered design framework presented in this section is basically a structured approach for characterizing users' tasks, assessing relative demands, identifying approaches to support, determining Candidate functions 1 Front-end analysis Automation decisions ~ 1 Implementing change FIGURE 8 Fostering user acceptance.
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From page 163... ...
FIGURE 9 An approach for anticipating and avoiding user acceptance problems. likely obstacles, and anticipating user acceptance problems.
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From page 164... ...
ROUSE understanding and supporting the human role in advanced manufacturing systems. This paper has suggested a new way of looking at user-system problems, as well as a structured approach for resolving these problems.
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From page 165... ...
1986. Human Resource Practices for Implementing Advanced Manufacturing Technology.
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From page 166... ...
1985. Supervisory control of a flexible manufacturing system.
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