This module follows on from the teaching and learning of manufacturing in the first year. While the first year manufacturing topics primarily focussed on individual specific processes often viewed in isolation, this module now approaches manufacturing engineering from a higher level perspective. In particular, this module is concerned with the consideration of manufacturing processes as constitutive elements of production lines within coherent manufacturing systems. In this context, the module will provide you with insights into the world of production processes and will enable you to solve manufacturing management problems involved in the design and operation of manufacturing systems.  

1. Identify the features of a manufacturing system. 
2. Design outline manufacturing system designs. 
3. Recommend appropriate design strategies to suit individual manufacturing system requirements. 
4. Apply approaches to manufacturing system design to simulate production processes. 

The module will be delivered through a blend of face-to-face teaching (such as lectures, guided study, tutorials, and formative feedback sessions), and online learning material (such as recorded lectures, quizzes, numerical examples and sample tutorial problems). These are used to explain and demonstrate the principles of manufacturing systems design identified within the learning outcomes of the module. Industrial case studies are reviewed in class sessions to support this understanding. 

Throughout the module, you will develop graduate attributes in a number of areas: 

• Environmental awareness. You will need to: 

• Identify and compare levels of waste arising from alternative production lines. 

• Commercial awareness. You will need to: 

• Define and calculate suitable measures that can be applied to assess the efficiency of production lines. 

You will also develop your subject-specific knowledge in: 

• Independent and critical thinking. You will need to: 

• Analyse manufacturing systems 

• Select appropriate solutions based on manufacturing system simulation methods. 

This module is assessed through two summative components. 

• A 30-minute class test. The class test is held in the middle of the Autumn semester and is worth 10% of the module mark. The class test is computer-based and is designed to allow you to demonstrate progress in relation to LO 1. Answers to the test are provided and reviewed afterwards to reinforce this learning outcome. 

• A two-hour examination (LO 1-4). The examination is held at the end of the Autumn semester and is worth 90% of the module mark. The examination consists of three compulsory questions. 

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REASSESSMENT IN THIS MODULE: 

The re-assessment for this module will consist in a 2-hour written examination, worth 100%. 

Opportunities for re-assessment is only permitted provided you have not failed more credit than in the resit rule adopted by your programme.  If the amount of credit you have failed is more than permitted by the relevant resit rule, you may be permitted to repeat study if you are within the threshold set for the Repeat rule adopted by your programme.  You will be notified of your eligibility to resit/repeat any modules after the Examining Board in the Summer period.  

All resit assessments will be held in the Resit Examination period, prior to the start of the following academic session. 

• Types of production demand: continuous, mass, batch single part 

• Techniques in facility design 

• Approaches to manufacturing system design: flow lines, Group Technology cells etc. 

• Work organisation and analysis 

• Japanese based manufacturing systems 

• Scheduling and despatching 

• Evolution of production systems 

• Computer-aided manufacturing and numerical control 

• Computer-integrated manufacturing and AI