Question

1. Work-in-process (WIP) is the quantity of parts or products currently located in the factory that are either being processed or are between processing operations. 2. The work volume of a robot manipulator is the envelope or three-dimensional space within which the robot can manipulate the end of its wrist. 3. An actuator is a device used to convert a series of pulses into a digital value. 4. Cellular manufacturing is an application of group technology in which dissimilar machines or processes have been aggregated into cells, each of which is dedicated to the production of a part or product family or a limited group of families. 5. A single station automated cell is a fully-automated machine capable of unattended operation for a time period longer than one machine cycle. 6. DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. 7. A control chart is a graphical technique in which statistics computed from measured values of a certain process output characteristic are plotted over time to determine if the process remains in statistical control. 8. A pulse counter is a hardware device that converts a controller command signal into a change in a physical parameter. 9. Production capacity is the maximum rate of output that a production facility (or production line, work center, or group of work centers) is able to produce under a given set of assumed operating conditions. 10. A sensor is a device that produces a series of electrical pulses whose total number and frequency are determined and sent by the control computer. 11. Minimum rational work element is a small amount of work that has a specific limited objective, such as adding a component to the base part or joining two components. 12. Six Sigma is a quality-focused program that utilizes worker teams to accomplish projects aimed at improving an organization's operational performance. 13. An industrial robot is "an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes, which may be either fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation applications." 14. An end effector is the special tool that is attached to the robot's wrist that enables the robot to perform a given task. 15. The transfer function of a sensor is the relationship between the value of the physical stimulus and the value of the signal produced by the sensor in response to the stimulus. It is the input/output relationship of the sensor. 16. Kaizen means continuous improvement. 17. The 5 S system is a set of procedures that is used to organize work areas in the plant. 18. A dial-indexing machine is an automated manufacturing system consisting of multiple workstations that process workparts attached to fixtures around the periphery of a circular worktable, and the table is indexed (rotated in fixed angular amounts) to position the parts at the stations. 19. A pulse generator is a device that converts a physical stimulus or variable of interest (such as temperature, force, pressure, or displacement) into a more convenient form (usually an electrical quantity such as voltage) for the purpose of measuring the stimulus. 20. An optical encoder is a device for measuring rotational speed that consists of a light source and a photodetector on either side of a disk. 21. A collaborative robot is an industrial robot designed to perform a task together with a human worker. 22. Utilization is defined as the proportion of time that a productive resource, such as a manufacturing plant, is used relative to the time available under the definition of plant capacity.

Answer 1

1. Work-in-process (WIP) refers to the parts or products that are currently in the factory and are either being worked on or are waiting between processing operations. For example, if a car is being assembled in a factory, the WIP would include all the partially assembled parts of the car that are still being worked on or are waiting to be processed further.

2. The work volume of a robot manipulator is the space within which the robot can move and manipulate objects with its wrist. Imagine a robot arm that can rotate, extend, and bend at different angles. The work volume would be the three-dimensional space that the robot arm can reach and manipulate objects within.

3. An actuator is a device that converts a series of pulses into a digital value. For instance, in a control system, an actuator can receive a series of electrical pulses and convert them into a digital signal that controls the movement or operation of a device. This allows the actuator to perform specific actions based on the input it receives.

4. Cellular manufacturing is a manufacturing approach that groups together different machines or processes into cells. Each cell is dedicated to producing a specific part or product family. By grouping similar machines and processes together, cellular manufacturing improves efficiency and reduces production time.

5. A single station automated cell is a machine that can operate without human intervention for a period longer than one machine cycle. In other words, it is a fully automated machine that can perform its tasks without the need for constant human monitoring or intervention.

6. DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. It is a problem-solving methodology used in Six Sigma projects. The DMAIC process helps organizations identify, analyze, and improve processes by defining the problem, measuring the current state, analyzing the root causes, implementing improvements, and establishing control measures to sustain the improvements.

7. A control chart is a graphical tool used to monitor and analyze process performance over time. It involves plotting statistics computed from measured values of a process output characteristic on a chart. By monitoring the control chart, we can determine if a process remains in statistical control or if there are any significant deviations or variations that need to be addressed.

8. A pulse counter is a hardware device that converts a command signal from a controller into a change in a physical parameter. For example, in a manufacturing process, a pulse counter can receive signals from a controller and increment a counter each time it receives a pulse. This can be used to track the number of parts produced or the distance traveled by a conveyor belt.

9. Production capacity refers to the maximum rate at which a production facility, such as a production line or a group of work centers, can produce output under specific operating conditions. It takes into account factors such as available resources, equipment, and workforce to determine the maximum achievable production rate.

10. A sensor is a device that detects and responds to physical stimuli, such as temperature, pressure, or light, by producing electrical pulses. These electrical pulses are then processed by a control computer to obtain information about the physical stimulus. For example, a temperature sensor can measure the temperature of a room and convert it into electrical pulses that can be used by a control system to regulate the temperature.

These definitions provide a clear understanding of the key terms mentioned in the question. Let me know if you have any more questions!