Details

27 mins, 2004

This film looks at the key systems used in a factory. It focuses on two case studies: the Glaxo Smith Kline toothpaste factory and plastic injection moulding company, Time RPS. How do they compare?

TYPES OF PRODUCTION: GSK is an example of continuous flow production: they make a million tubes of toothpaste a day. Time RPS mostly does lower volume, batch production. The film follows one product from design stage to final production, in the process explaining how computer-aided design feeds through to computer-aided manufacture.

STOCK CONTROL: Key to production is ordering the right amounts of raw materials to fulfil orders. At the toothpaste factory this is achieved by two main systems: materials requirement planning and scheduling. Quality is an essential factor in both factories, which is underpinned by quality systems and the quality standard, ISO 9000.

ROBOTS: What work do robots do? How are they controlled and what are the benefits? We use examples from both factories. Cleanliness and efficiency inside the factory is one thing – but what about the pollution caused by transporting things to and from the factory?

Key Topics

• Production
• ICT
• Robots
• CAD-CAM