Microfactory

A microfactory either refers to a capital-light facility used for the local assembly of a complex product or system[1] or a small (normally automated) factory for producing small quantities of products. The term was proposed by the Mechanical Engineer Laboratory (MEL) of Japan in 1990 and has recently been used to describe the approach of manufacturers like Local Motors and Arrival.[2][1]

A microfactory can also refer to a factory designed for flexible small batch production that can produce a wide variety of products as opposed to a single monolithic mass production type approach. Typically the manufacturing processes of microfactories take advantage of digital fabrication technology such as 3D printing and CNC machines in order to accomplish this. For example, Local Motors had microfactories in Phoenix, Ariz. and Knoxville, Tenn.[3] The company built products, like the Rally Fighter prerunner sports car, in its microfactories.

At least one proposed microfactory is being designed to make many of its own parts, i.e., a partially self-replicating machine.[4]

Advantages

The microfactory's main advantages are saving a substantial amount of space, energy, materials, time, and upfront capital costs.[5]

Due to their reduced dimensions, microfactories are normally highly automated. They might contain automatic machine tools, assembly systems, quality inspection systems, material feed systems, waste elimination systems, a system to evaluate tool deterioration and a system to replace tools.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Arrival Investor Presentation".
  2. ^ Makoto Tanaka, Development of desktop machining microfactory. Riken Review N. 34 Focused on Advances on Micro-mechanical Fabrication Techniques, April, 2001. Available on the web at "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-03-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Microfactories - Local Motors". Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  4. ^ Koch, Michael D. "Utilizing emergent web-based software tools as an effective method for increasing collaboration and knowledge sharing in collocated student design teams". 2010. p. 39: Cubespawn.
  5. ^ Yuichi Okazaki, Nozomu Mishima, and Kiwamu Ashida. Microfactory - concept, history, and developments. Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, pages 837–844, 2004. Available on the web at http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=JMSEFK000126000004000837000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes
  6. ^ Ernst Kussul et al. Development of micromachine tool prototypes for microfactories, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, V. 12. N. 6. November 2002. pp.795-812. Available on the web at http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0960-1317/12/6/311


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