Manufacturing Automation

By Prof. Sounak Kumar Choudhury | IIT Kanpur

Learners enrolled: 2417

The course will basically deal with the following topics:

1. Introduction: Definition; Types of automation; Reasons for automating; Automation strategies.

2. Detroit type automation : Automated flow lines: types and their selection; Methods of workpart transport; Transfer mechanisms; Controlling of automated flow lines.

3. Analysis of automated flow lines: System aspects of designing and running the line; Average production time and production rate; Line efficiency; Analysis of transfer lines without storage – upper bound and lower bound approach; Partial automation.

4. Automated assembly systems: Historical developments of the assembly process; Choice of assembly methods; Design for automated assembly; Transfer systems; Vibratory bowl feeders – its analysis; Non-vibratory feeders and their analysis; Analysis and design of part orienting devices, feed tracks and part placing mechanisms.

5. Orientation of parts in automatic assembly: In-Bowl and Out-of-Bowl Toolings; Typical Orienting Systems: Wiper Blade, Pressure Break, slot in the track; Analysis of Part Orienting Systems; Examples of Out-of-Bowl Toolings; Feed Tracks: Analysis of Horizontal Delivery Feed Track; “ON-OFF” Sensors; Reliability of Feeding.

INTENDED AUDIENCE : Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, Aerospace Engineering, Production Engineering

PREREQUISITES : Basic Engineering Courses

INDUSTRY SUPPORT : All Manufacturing industries, Machine tool manufacturing industries, Automobile Industries and aeronautical assembly industries

Summary

Course Status :	Completed
Course Type :	Elective
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	4 weeks
Category :	Mechanical Engineering
Credit Points :	1
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	24 Jan 2022
End Date :	18 Feb 2022
Enrollment Ends :	07 Feb 2022
Exam Date :	27 Mar 2022 IST

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1 :
Definition; Discussion on Pros and Cons of Automation;
Benefits of Automation; Types of automation: Fixed automation, programmable automation, and Flexible automation- Typical Features and examples;
Reasons for automating; Automation strategies; Automated flow lines: the objectives of the use of flow line automation;
General forms of Work Flow – criteria for selection;
Methods of work part transport: Continuous, intermittent and asynchronous: types and their selection;
Transfer Mechanisms; Examples of transfer mechanisms for linear travel and rotary transfer mechanisms; Buffer Storage;

Week 2 :
Flow line Performance Analysis: Average production time and production rate;
Mean time per cycle when machine breakdown occurs; Flow line
Performance Analysis: Line efficiency; Cost per item produced;
Partial automation:Reasons for using, Advantages and drawbacks;
Production and Throughput: Examples; Effect of machine Jamming; Component Quality Control;
Choice of assembly methods: Cost, Production Rate, Availability of Labour, and Market Life of the Product;
Advantages of Automatic Assembly; Design for automated assembly; Components of automatic Assembly Machines;

Week 3 :
Transfer systems; Assembly Machines: In-Line, Rotary; Continuous and Intermittent Transfer;
Indexing Machines:Factors affecting the choice; Various Indexing Mechanisms;
Vibratory bowl feeders: Mechanics of Vibratory Conveying - its analysis;
Effect of Frequency, Track Acceleration and Vibration Angle; Effect of Track Angle and Coefficient of Friction;
Summary of Bowl Feeder Design; Spiral Elevators; General Requirements of Part Feeders;
Non-vibratory feeders : Reciprocating Tube Hopper Feeder – its analysis;
General Features. Centerboard Hopper Feeder: Analysis: Maximum Track Inclination, Total Cycle Time, Mean Feed Rate;

Week 4 :
Reciprocating Tube Hopper Feeder: Principle of Operation;
External Gate Hopper Feeder: Its Analysis: Maximum Peripheral Velocity, Mean Feed rate;
Rotary Disk Feeder: Indexing and Rotary Disk Feeder with continuous drive and their analysis:
Load sensitivity, Efficiency and Mean Feed Rate;
Orientation of Parts in Automatic Assembly:In-Bowl and Out-of-Bowl Toolings;
Typical Orienting Systems: Wiper Blade, Pressure Break, slot in the track; Analysis of Part Orienting Systems;
Examples of Out-of-Bowl Toolings; Feed Tracks: Analysis of Horizontal Delivery Feed Track;
“ON-OFF” Sensors; Reliability of Feeding.

Books and references

1. M.P. Groover – “Automation, production systems and computer-integrated manufacturing”; Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, 1989.

2. G. Boothroyd, C. Poli and L.E. Murch – “Automatic Assembly”; Marcel Dekker Inc., New York and Basel, 1982.

3. G. Boothroyd – “Assembly Automation and Product Design”, Second Edition, Taylor & Francis, First Indian Edition - 2010

Instructor bio

Prof. Sounak Kumar Choudhury

IIT Kanpur

I have completed my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Moscow, Russia in 1985 followed by post-doctoral at the same university till 1986. From 1986 I am involved in teaching and research in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. My areas of specialization are conventional and non-conventional machining, automatic control, hydraulic control, machine tools and manufacturing automation.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.
The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Date and Time of Exams: 27 March 2022 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.
Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 3 assignments out of the total 4 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Kanpur .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team

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