This exploration of the technical and engineering aspects of automated production systems provides the most advanced, comprehensive, and balanced coverage of the subject of any text on the market. It covers all the major cutting-edge technologies of production automation and material handling, and how these technologies are used to construct modern manufacturing systems. Table of Contents 1. Introduction. 2. Manufacturing Operations. I. AUTOMATION AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES. 3. Introduction to Automation. 4. Industrial Control Systems. 5. Sensors, Actuators, and Other Control System Components. 6. Numerical Control. 6. Appendix: APT Word Definitions. 7. Industrial Robotics. 8. Discrete Control Using Programmable Logic Controllers and Personal Computers. II. MATERIAL HANDLING AND IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES. 9. Introduction to Material Handling. 10. Material Transport Systems. 11. Storage Systems. 12. Automatic Data Capture. III. MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS. 13. Introduction to Manufacturing Systems. 14. Single Station Manufacturing Cells. 15. Group Technology and Cellular Manufacturing. 16. Flexible Manufacturing Systems. 17. Manual Assembly Lines. 18. Transfer Lines and Similar Automated Manufacturing Systems. 19. Automated Assembly Systems. IV. QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEMS. 20. Introduction to Quality Assurance. 21. Statistical Process Control. 22. Inspection Principles and Practices. 23. Inspection Technologies. V. MANUFACTURING SUPPORT SYSTEMS. 24. Product Design and CAD/CAM in the Production System. 25. Process Planning and Concurrent Engineering. 26. Production Planning and Control Systems. 27. Lean Production and Agile Manufacturing. Features NEW - New five-part organization ????????I. Automation and control technologies (industrial computer control, control system components, numerical control [NC], industrial robotics, programmable logic controllers [PLCs]); II. Material handling technologies(conveyor systems, automated guided vehicle systems [AGVS], automated storage/retrieval systems [AS/RS], automatic identification and data capture; III. Manufacturing systems(group technology, flexible manufacturing systems, assembly lines, transfer lines); IV. Quality control systems(statistical process control, inspection principles and technologies); V. Manufacturing support systems(CAD/CAM, process planning, production planning and control, lean production and agile manufacturing). NEW - More emphasis on the importance of human resources. Shows students that virtually all manufacturing systems require human workers as a critical component in their operation. Ex.___ NEW - New chapters/ sections????????Introduction to manufacturing systems, single station manufacturing systems, mixed-model assembly line analysis, quality assurance and statistical process control, Taguchi methods, inspection principles and technologies, concurrent engineering, automatic identification and data collection, lean production and agile manufacturing. NEW - Expanded topics ????????Automation fundamentals, numerical control programming, group technology, flexible manufacturing systems, material handling and storage, quality control and inspection, inspection technologies, programmable logic controllers. NEW - Reorganized/revised chapters on control systems. Reflects a more modern approach to the subject. Ex.___ NEW - Consolidated three chapters into one on numerical control. NEW - Consolidated three chapters into one on industrial robotics. NEW - Expanded 4-chapter coverage of Quality ????????1) Quality Assurance, 2) Statistical Process Control, 3) Inspection Principles and Practices, and 4) Inspection Technologies. NEW - A new chapter on lean production and agile manufacturing. NEW - More (optional) quantitative and engineering content ????????With more equations and worked example problems. Includes ???????What the Equations Tell Us??????? sections following the mathematical derivations and engineering equations. Most of this content is located at the end of chapters. Provides students with concise lists of statements indicating the practical meanings of the equations and what guidelines they provide regarding applications. Allows instructors who do not want to have a high quantitative content in their courses to readily omit these quantitative sections. Ex.___ NEW - More quantitative problems on more topics ????????385 total. These are mostly quantitative engineering problems, not simply regurgitative as in most other texts on the subject. Requires students to think and analyze and calculate. Allows instructors to assign problems in class rather than design these problems themselves. Ex.___ NEW - Historical vignettes ????????Describe the development and historical background of many of the automation technologies. Enables instructors and students to learn the origins of the various technologies. Ex.___