14. Automated Assembly Systems 14.1 Unit Introduction 14.2 Unit Objectives 14.3 Fundamentals of Automated Assembly Systems 14.4 Parts Delivery at Workstations 14.5 Quantitative Analysis of Assembly Systems 14.6 Partial Automation 14.7 What the Equations Tell Us 14.8 Unit Review 14.9 Self Assessment Questions 14.10 Self Assessment Answers 14.1 Introduction Automated assembly refers to the use of mechanized and automated devices to perform the various assembly tasks in an assembly line or cell. The vast majority of automated assembly systems are designed to perform a fixed sequence of assembly steps on a specific product. Automated assembly is considered appropriate if it meets the following conditions: BULLETLIST High product demand—for products made in millions of units, or close to this range Stable product design—product design changes means changes in workstation tooling which can be expensive A limited number of components in the assembly—a maximum of a dozen parts Product designed for automated assembly ENDLIST Although automated assembly systems are considered expensive to create and implement, the capital investment required is not as great as for automated transfer lines, because work units produced on automated assembly systems are usually smaller, which means that the large mechanical forces and power requirements used for transfer line operations are not necessary. Automated assembly systems tend to be physically smaller than transfer lines, which usually reduces the cost of the system. KEYPOINT Automated assembly refers to the use of mechanized and automated devices to perform the various assembly tasks in an assembly line or cell. END KEYPOINT In this unit a general overview of automated assembly systems is offered, which examines both the fundamentals of automated assembly systems and quantitative analysis. 14.2 Learning Objectives After completing this unit you will be able to: BULLET LIST Describe automated assembly systems, and their associated sy