Computer Integrated Manufactring (CIM)

Cell

Syed Raza Muhammad Shah, Ahmed Raza Mahmood, Ihtasham Ul Hassan, Muhammad Waqar Nawaz
Mechatronics & Control Engineering Department
University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Email: raza96538@gmail.com, Ahmedraza.cr7@gmail.com, ihtashammalik141@gmail.com,
waqarnawaz09@gmail.com
Abstract— In this advanced and digital era where people
are always looking for explicit and quick fixes, industries
are turning their faces toward computerized machines
and binary integration techniques to fulfill that urge in
manufacturing area. The technique under consideration
is broadly referred as COMPUTER INTEGRATED
MANUFACTURING (CIM). In CIM we plan, integrate
and implement automation for greater good. This CIM
project is a real life integration of CNC mill machine,
Pneumatic Robotic arm, Conveyor belt, Part feeder and
the optic sensor through PLC. Optic sensor gives signal
to the robotic arm on the detection of part in part feeder
tray then PLC dictates arm to pick and place the piece
under CNC mill, CNC machine performs functions on a
piece according to given program and after completion
the robotic arm once again pick and place but this time
from CNC mill to conveyor belt, hence completing the
task. The purpose of this project is to make this CIM
Cell functional for the Automation lab of Mechatronics
and Control Engineering so students perform different
experiments on this cell to develop and sharpen their
skills for the practical and automated industrial world.
Keywords—CIM, Part Feeder, CNC, Optic Sensor, Conveyor
Belt, Robotic Arm.
I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, the main problem in manufacturing is the
increase in the complexity of the product design and these
changes occur more rapidly than before. And these changes
occur not in product design but also in product life, the
increase in competition between different enterprises. So
due to this reason human is not able to satisfy and fulfill
people requirements according to their demands. Different
industries had been used different methods to minimize
these things but they weren’t able to fulfill demands
according to their requirement. So keeping all these things
in mind different researchers, authors and practitioners have
suggested that Computer integrated manufacturing will
improve product quality, reduces the error, make the system
faster and increases productivity. CIM system includes all
the useful areas of a manufacturing organization. CIM
consists of Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer
Aided process planning (CAPP), Production Planning and
Control (PPC) and others. [1]
Computer integrated manufacturing cell which is
also known as CIM cell is commonly used in many
industries. Basically, CIM cell is an access to use
computer integrated with automation plant. In these
kinds of integration, the information is exchanged
between processes so they can initiate next actions.
Through this kind of integration, we can create a faster
and error-less automation manufacturing system.[2]
Usually, CIM is based on closed-loop control process.
The history of CIM begun in the last part of the 1980s
when industries want to advance the manufacturing
method by introducing more computerized systems in
the manufacturing field. This idea of digital
manufacturing was sponsored by machine tool
manufacturers, Computer and Automated System
Association (CASA) and Society of Manufacturing
Engineers (SME).To improve and increase the
productivity the invention of CIM has been widely used
in engineering sectors such as automotive industries,
electronic component industries and many more.
A usual manufacturing plant may have many software
systems. But CIM system mostly used computer-aided
design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing
(CAM).[3]
CIM suggests that there are minimum of two computers
switching information, for example, the controller of an
arm robot and the micro-controller of a CNC machine
like in our system. Few factors that tends to perform the
CIM operation are the production volume and
involvement of the company.[4]
Simply, Computer-integrated manufacturing system
(CIM) is formed by many manufacturing functions and
then those functions are joined together through an
integrated network. The basic purpose of a computer
integrated manufacturing (CIM) cell is to allow
alterations to be made in the product design, due to this
the cost of correction can be reduced and increase the
production rate. [5]
A. Problem Statement
Basically, this CIM system is not in working condition
yet. Firstly the whole system is not integrated with the
PLC yet and the robotic arm, CNC and conveyor belt is
also not fully functional. Some parts are also damaged
which are needed to be replace with new ones. We have
been instructed troubleshoot the whole system and
make it completely functional as our Final year project
(FYP).
B. Objective
1. To study the CIM’s working principle
2. Integrate PLC with CNC, Conveyor belt,
sensors, and robotic arm.
II. METHODOLOGY
We divided the methodology of automatic manufacturing
process in three phases.
Phase I:
Phase I is detection phase. Different methods are used to
detect the piece. But we are using Photo-electric sensor to
detect the piece. Photo-electric sensor has two modes light
and dark mode. We are using dark mode of photo-electric
sensor which Means, when part comes at the top of the
sensor it gives zero signal to valve when there is no piece on
sensor it gives one to valve which actuate the prismatic
motion of pneumatic cylinder when comes at the top of the
sensor it gives signal to the PLC also for further process.
Phase II:
Phase II is actuation phase. In this phase when sensor gives
signal to the PLC then PLC actuate the pneumatic control
robotic arm according to the given program. Robotic arm
pick the piece from part feeder and take 180-revolution
place the piece on the bed of CNC machine.
Phase III:
This phase is milling phase. In this phase when robotic arm
place the piece on the bed of CNC then we actuate the CNC
through Computer using Mach3 software. CNC perform
function according to G-Code in Mach3. Different CNC
machines have different process but we are using lead screw
mechanism in our CNC machine.
After CNC complete its operation it again actuate the III. COMPONENTS
Robotic arm which again pick the piece from the bed of the
CNC and place it on the conveyor belt and when piece touch 1. CM-171M MILLING CENTRE
the limit switch conveyor belt stop and operation is This CM-171M mini cell we are using is an extremely
completed and at the end you have to collect the piece by compatible with PC. This CNC machine or CM-171M uses
yourself. G-codes. We are using Mach3 software for this CM-171M
system to send G-code to mill power supply to perform
Block Diagram: different functions.

2. B901-Pneumatic Control Robotic Arm

This B901has 4 axis. So we can also called 4-axis robotic
arm which has 5 degrees of freedom. We are using Allen
Bradley PLC to perform functions on Robotic arm. We set
program according to our requirement and perform the
given function or task.
3. CM-145M-Pneumatic parts feeder with sensor.
Different sensor is used to detect the part but we are using
photo-electric sensor in parts feeder to detect the part. The
part we are using is 2 inch wide and 3 inch long. We can
vary according to our requirement and adjust the part
according to the part size. So parts feeder is adjustable
according to the requirement.
4. MB650ML-Principles of Programmable Logic
Controllers
Basically, MB-650ML is a PLC training system which
consists of Allen Bradley PLC and Ports which we can use
other than this system. We uses RSLogix500 to program
different parts using PLC. Using this we can easily connect
and troubleshoot the system.
5. MB600-Principle of Industrial Sensors
Flow Chart: MB600 gives us the comprehensive knowledge about the
sensing devices. Like we are using Photo-electric Sensor to
detect the parts at the end of parts feeder to actuate the
robotic arm.
6. Conveyor belt
Conveyor belt is used to carry the part from place to place.
So the purpose of the conveyor is same in our system as it
carries the part to the final position.

IV. RESULTS
There is four different processes works together to make this
CIM Cell system to run effectively. Every system has its
own output and results. All these process combine to form
the final results.
In CM-145M Pneumatic Parts dispenser process the result is
to provide the unprocessed workpiece on the top of the fiber
optic sensor.
The result of B901 Pneumatic Robotic Arm process is to
place the unprocessed workpiece on CM-171M Minitech
CNC Mill Pneumatic vise (CNC bed) and also place
processed workpiece on Conveyor Belt.
The results for CM-171M Minitech CNC Mill process is to
perform milling on unprocessed workpiece.
Conveyor Belt take the processed workpiece on final
position and punch the number on workpiece.
So all these processes perform their function and give a final
result which is the processed workpiece reach at its final
position at the end of conveyor Belt with the help of all four
process and the number is stamped on the workpiece.
 Conclusion guidance, help and inspiration of our supervisor and co-
Due to increase in population there is increase in demand for advisor. They have provided us with academic counseling
products also increase according to the time. So to meet the and encouragement throughout the project. We would also
demands of people industries are moving towards like to thank all our beloved friends and family members,
automation. Automation plays a very important role in today for supporting and helping us when we need and always
industries. But countries like Pakistan who are in developing believing in us.
mode at this moment largely depend on labor and mostly
they are not able to provide or meet the demand on time and
the quality of product is not according to the demand. So to
overcome this problem the simple and most reliable solution REFERENCES
is Computer integrated Manufacturing (CIM) system. By 1. Al-Ahmari, Hussain Iftikhar and Abdulrahman M.
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So this system (CIM Cell) shows how two microcontroller USING AN EXPERT SYSTEM." The 6th Saudi
(PLC and Ardiuno) connect each other, serially Engineering Conference. Ed. Hussain Iftikhar Al-
communicate each other and provide a complete automation Ahmari and Abdulrahman M. Dhahran: KFUPM,
package. This system shows how part feeder send
2002. 521-524.
workpiece and give signal to PLC and PLC give signal to
Pneumatic Robotic Arm which collect the part and place it 2. A. K. Mohamed, "Automation and Computer
on the CNC machine pneumatic operating bed. CNC Integrated," Dublin City University, Dublin, 2003.
perform milling according to the Ardiuno commands and 3. ABDULLAH, MOHAMAD ZULHILMI BIN.
then Robotic Arm again pick the workpiece and place it on COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING
the conveyor belt. At the end of conveyor belt stamp punch (CIM) – DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORING
on the workpiece. SYSTEM . Melaka: FACULTY OF
MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING , 2011.
4. DAHLAN, FITSHAHMUDDIN BIN.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER
We would like to take this opportunity to express INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING (CIM).
our gratitude to all those who helped us during this project. Bachelor thesis. Pahang: Universiti Malaysia
First of all, we would like to give our gratitude towards Pahang , 2007. Document.
Allah Almighty. We would like to thank our supervisor 5. G. C. L. Sev V. Nagalingam, "CIM—still the
Engr. Usman Sheikh and co-adviser Engr. Armghan solution for manufacturing industry," Mawson
Mehmood for all guidance and advice during this project. Lakes Boulevard, Elsevier Ltd, 2008.
This project could not have been possible without the