Service-oriented information systems
Such information systems provide support for the
operations or services that organizations perform for
society. The systems are vertically oriented to specific
sectors and industries (e.g., manufacturing,
financial services, publishing, education, health, and
entertainment). Rather than addressing management and
administrative functions, they support activities and
processes that are the reason for an organization's
existence--in most cases, some kind of manufacturing
activity or the rendering of services. Systems of this
kind vary greatly, but they tend to fall into three main
types: manufacturing, transaction, and expert systems.
Computer-integrated manufacturing
The conceptual goal of modern factories is computer-integrated
manufacturing (CIM). The phrase denotes data-driven
automation that affects all components of the
manufacturing enterprise: design and development
engineering, manufacturing, marketing and sales, and
field support and service. Computer-aided design
(CAD) systems were first applied in the electronics
industry. Today they feature three-dimensional modeling
techniques for drafting and manipulating solid objects
on the screen and for deriving specifications for
programs to drive numerical-control machines. Once a
product is designed, its production process can be
outlined using computer-aided process planning (CAPP)
systems that help to select sequences of operations and
machining conditions. Models of the manufacturing system
can be simulated by computers before they are built. The
basic manufacturing functions--machining, forming,
joining, assembly, and inspection--are supported by
computer-aided
manufacturing (CAM) systems and automated
materials-handling systems. Inventory control systems
seek to maintain an optimal stock of parts and materials
by tracking inventory movement, forecasting
requirements, and initiating procurement orders.
The technological sophistication of manufacturing
information systems is impressive, and it increasingly
includes applications of robotics, computer
vision, and expert systems . The core of the CIM concept
is an integrated database that supports the
manufacturing enterprise and is linked with other
administrative databases.
|