To be successful in the competitive global environment, manufacturers must be able to respond quickly to changes in the manufacturing environment. Automation technology makes it possible for manufacturers to have this essential capability. A conceptualized information system that integrates the programmable design of a product and its manufacture with both planning activities and the manufacturing process will be described in this chapter. The information system integrates the programmable automation technologies used in computer-integrated manufacturing with engineering and business databases. The computer-integrated manufacturing concept is expanded to the concept of a computer-integrated economy. The technological difficulties that arise when implementing a computer-integrated economy will be considered.
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