By Nigel R Greenwood
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Few would deny that the decline of many industrial organisations, and possibly even nations, has been stimulated (if not caused) by their failure to develop and use effective automation strategies. General Electric was determined not to allow itself to fall into this category, but to take advantage of the possibilities offered by the substantial advances being made in automation technology. For example, when in 1979 a market survey showed that there would be a substantial increase in the USA locomotive market during the mid 1980s, the management of GE's Transportation Department in Erie, Pennsylvania, took the decision to embark upon an ambitious automation plan in order to be able to secure a substantial proportion of the forecast market.
Instead the robot only needs to travel between the buffer stores and the machines. This minimises the idle time imposed on the machine-tool while it waits for a new part to be loaded. Having separate load and unload pallets means that while material passes through a bay, the majority of the parts will be transferred from one pallet (unload) to the pallet in front (load). However, this does not apply to the two parts in the buffer stores. This is because the pallets are 'moved up' when the unload pallet is empty- that is, the load pallet is returned to the main conveyor and the now empty unload pallet is moved up to become the new load pallet.
If GE was not able to automate effectively, not only GE's automation business would suffer but also its other businesses. The common factors to the following automation success stories are clear: management commitment, long-term strategies and, above all, enthusiastic and competent people. Few would deny that the decline of many industrial organisations, and possibly even nations, has been stimulated (if not caused) by their failure to develop and use effective automation strategies. General Electric was determined not to allow itself to fall into this category, but to take advantage of the possibilities offered by the substantial advances being made in automation technology.