How cars are made?

How cars are made??? Most of the Engineers (F...k Engineers for enhancing Polution) in this world own at least a car...But they really don't know how his/her car is made...though many of them are not bothered about it...but if you are really interested in knowing about it then lets talk about it....

Every car manufacturing company has its own manufacturing process...but generally they all follow same workflow...

The repairing itself is a big process...as shown in the picture below:

The simulation process is as follows:

A. Conceptualization:

No need to explain this I guess!!

B. Computer Manufacturing Model [LR]

The computer manufacturing model differs from the automobile model with regards to detail, layout, and input data. Less detailed than the automobile manufacturing model in terms of specifying individual operations in the assembly stage, the computer manufacturing model simulates five main stages in assembling and testing computers. These processes are:

1. Assembly
2. Electrical testing
3. Software loading
4. Final testing and inspection
5. Packaging

Rather than having a single flow line as in the automobile model, the layout of the computer model consists of two repetitive parallel lines, each line consisting of the five main stages as shown in the following figure:

Parallel Lines in Computer Manufacturing Model

Each line is analagous to a work cell in that material flows continuously through each stage with minimal in-process inventories. A complete product is manufactured at each cell, which uses equipment for each stage of the production process.

As described in the Manufacturing Team's web site, a typical manufacturing plant consists of four main components:

• Receiving
• Production Processing
• Packaging, and
• Shipping

These components are incorporated in the computer manufacturing model in the following manner:

Receiving

Orders of varying sizes arrive in intervals and are processed as first-in-first-out. For simplification, all requested computers in a particular order have the same configuration. The configuration consists of processor type, number of boards, and monitor type. The model specifies three types of processors, two types of boards, and two types of monitors. These attributes are probalistically assigned to each order with 12 configurations possible. Orders are sent to the least busy line but wait to be filled until the assembly stage is free. The model assumes that all raw materials for the assembly stage are readily available and are sufficient to fill each order. The logic for order processing in Arena is shown below.

Order Processing Logic in Computer Manufacturing Model

Production Processing and Packaging

As mentioned previously, the production layout consists of two repetitive parallel lines. Orders are fed to each line, which consists of five stages. The processing times for each stage are: assembly - 12 minutes, electrical wiring test - 5 minutes, load software - 15 minutes, final test and inspection - 5 minutes, and packaging - 5 minutes. The utilization rate of the assembly stage is driven by the nature of the orders arriving: the size of each order and the time between orders. Queue formations and potential bottlenecks may occur at the assembly and loading software stages, where the processing times are high. These problems may be addressed by increasing the capacity of the resources, such as adding a third assembly stage or loading software for multiple computers at a time. Packaging involves selecting the appropriate monitor for the order and sending the packages to the shipping area.

Shipping

Although the computer model does not specifically simulate shipping activities, the model is flexible enough to have this component included at a later date. One consideration may involve combining packaging and shipping activities into one area.

The input data for the computer manufacturing model was not obtained from actual existing data from any particular computer manufacturer. Instead educated guesses were made for order sizes and processing times. Although one of the tenets in developing any simulation model involves obtaining actual data, this requirement was lifted in order to show a simple manufacturing model that utilizes parallel manufacturing cells, and how the sizes, arrival, and number of orders affect assembly utilization rates.

 C. Automobile Manufacturing Model [AB]

The automobile is perhaps the most important invention second only to electricity in the 20th century. It has changed life of man in a way unimaginable before its invention. "The world travels on wheels" is the buzzword of the 20th century. The manufacturing of these automobiles is both a fascinating and challenging task. The simulation team has simulated the manufacturing process of wagons, sedans and convertibles in a Toyota car plant.

The following is the step by step procedure for the manufacturing of cars in the "Toyota Production System":

1. The manufacturing process begins with the chassis assembly. The chassis is the skeleton of the car. It is the part on which the car is built.
2. Axle and tires are fitted to the chassis assembly.
3. In the next stage, the engine is fitted to the chassis. The engine is the power-producing component of the car. The power produced in the engine is use to propel the car. Engines are mostly of the internal combustion type.
4. The gearbox is then fitted into the chassis. The gearbox is the component that is used to change the speed supplied to the wheels.
5. The next stage involves the fitting of the radiator into the engine. The radiator helps in cooling the engine, transmitting the excess heat to the surrounding by conduction.
6. The seats are then fitted to the car in the next stage.
7. The battery is then fitted and electrical connections are carried out. The electrical connections connect the various components of the car to the battery.
8. The body of the car is then fitted on the chassis.
9. The windshield, doors, and wipers are fitted to the car along with the bonnet.
10. The finishing touches are carried out on the car.
11. The car is then sent for inspection and testing after which it is taken to the parking lot and kept ready for shipping.

Below is a block diagram describing the manufacturing flow.

U-Flow in Automobile Manufacturing

The student version of the model limited the number of blocks to be used. The challenge was to use the limited number of blocks available without simplifying the process. For this purpose Sets were used along withAttributes such as "Work time" and "Op time." Given below is a brief explanation of attributes, variables, sets and counters used in the model.

Attributes

1. Worktime: If the job arriving at the workstation is a Hardtop or a Wagon it is delayed by the duration given in the work time attribute of the delay block.
2. Optime (operation time): If the job arriving at the workstation is a Sedan it is delayed by the duration given in the Op time attribute of the delay block.
3. Setindex: Corresponds to a specific workstation in the set of stations.
4. Timein (time in): Denotes the time at which a job arrived in the system.
5. Jobtype (type of job): Denotes that the type of job is a hardtop, wagon or sedan.

Sets

1. Queueset: Signifies all the queues along the main assembly line, which are sequentially visited by the job.
2. Stationset: Corresponds to all the stations along the main assembly line, which are sequentially attended by the job.
3. Resourceset: Denotes all the resources along the main assembly line, which are sequentially attended by the job.

Counters

1. Wagons: Number of wagons produced
2. Hardtops: Number of hardtops produced
3. Sedans: Number of Sedans produced
4. Total cars: Total number of cars produced

Variables

Every job is delayed at the workstation for a specific duration. This is obtained by fitting the historical data in the input analyzer. In the manufacturing model case the duration of the delay is LOGNORMAL with a mean and standard deviation. Since there are three different types of jobs with different delays, a variable array is defined with constants for the distribution. Each constant in the array signifies a part of the operand for a specific job in the delay block. The following three constants have been defined:

1. Mean
2. C
3. Std

 D. Transportation Model [AT]

For any organization having several manufacturing facilities, and a huge and spread market, transportation remains an inevitable part of its total system. The transportation model developed by the simulation team serves as a guideline to study how automobiles manufactured at a particular facility are transported to various places.

Following is a brief procedure on how this transportation takes place:

1. At first all the cars are accumulated in a huge parking lot, which also serves as a loading area for the trucks that carry these cars.
2. Once the specified number of cars is available, they are loaded on to the trucks as per the capacity of the trucks.
3. These trucks then transport the vehicles to the specified destination, such as a dock, where all these trucks are then handed over to a distributor.
4. At the dock, the vehicles are unloaded from the trucks, and then loaded onto a ship.
5. Once the ship is loaded to its capacity, it is then directed to its destination, which may be other countries, or within the nation, but to different states.

The block diagram below, explains how the flow of the automobiles takes place once manufactured, to the time they are delivered to their final destination.

Transportation of Manufactured Cars

The attributes, variables, sequences, etc. that are used in the model are explained below:

Attributes: Time-In is the only attribute used in the model, which determines what time the car entered the system, for how long it was in the system.

Schedules: This element describes the schedules for the resources, when they are available and when they are not.

Counters: Counts the total number cars that are transported during the specified time.

Transporters: There are two types of transporters, Trucks and Ship, which are being used in this model.

How mobile is made?

Now lets start talking about how things are made...I am starting with Mobile phones...Because we are really crazy about seeing how mobiles are made.....

1. Concept and Prototyping

   • All cell phone manufacturer's start the process in the conceptual phase. Several sketches and wireframes are created using different designs, features, and interface options, such as keypad only and touchscreen. These sketches also determine the phone's weight, scale, size and portability. Because the goal of most phones is to be compact and portable, this phase is the most intensive. During this process, a team decides what designs will become prototypes. Once a list is determined, several prototypes are created. These models are usually non-functional and only for visual purposes. Prototypes are constructed from plastic, Styrofoam and other re-usable materials. Once a final design is created, the concept is pushed to engineers, who decide what electronics are necessary.

   Parts and Software

   • The key part of every cell phone is its electronics. The electronics control everything from the way the phone displays information, places calls, sends location information and more. Depending on the features determined during the conceptual phase, different electronics can be used. For most cell phones, there are three key components: a printed circuit that controls the keypad and signal reception, a battery, and screen. In addition to the hardware, software is also required for the phone to operate. Almost all cell phone manufacturer's use proprietary software for their phones. The software is designed by a series of programmers that develop the design of the interface, the phone's basic/advanced operations, and other features. By default, most modern cell phones are programmed with basic features like text messaging, calendar and clock. After these components and software are determined, the phone moves on to final construction.

   Construction and Fabrication

   • Each piece of the cell phone is created separately. First, the casing for the phone is made. Most cell phones use a simple plastic that is created using a process known as injection molding. Once the casing is created, the printed circuit board is made and loaded with the necessary software/operating system. The circuit board is then placed in the casing, using a series of eyeglass screws. Next, the other components of the phone are added: screen, keypad, antenna, microphone and speaker. After the phone is constructed, it is moved on to testing. During the testing phase, the battery for the phone is added and a worker checks the phone for power, button functionality and reception. Finally, the necessary documentation for the phone is produced and sent to be packaged with the phone. Once all of these components are verified, the phone is packaged and shipped to retail outlets.

Branches of Engineering from Wikipedia

I liked this wikipedia description of Engineering Branches....

Chemical engineering

Chemical engineering comprises the application of physical and biological sciences to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms.

Subdiscipline	Scope	Major specialties
Biomolecular engineering	Focuses on the manufacturing of biomolecules.
Materials engineering	Involves properties of matter (material) and its applications to engineering	Metallurgical engineering, studies metals and their applications Ceramic engineering, the theory and processing of raw oxide material (e.g. alumina oxide), and advanced material that are polymorphic, polycrystalline, oxide, and non-oxide ceramics Polymer engineering, studies polymer materials and their applications Crystal engineering, the design and synthesis of molecular solid-state structures
Molecular engineering	Focuses on the manufacturing of molecules.
Process engineering	Focuses on the design, operation, control, and optimization of chemical processes	Petroleum refinery engineering, the design of processes related to the manufacture of refined products Plastics engineering, the design of the production process of plastics products Paper engineering, the design of the production process of paper products

Civil engineering

Civil engineering comprises the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and natural built environments.

Subdiscipline	Scope	Major specialties
Environmental engineering	The application of engineering to the improvement and protection of the environment	Ecological engineering, the design, monitoring and construction of ecosystems Fire protection engineering, the application of engineering to protect people and environments from fire and smoke Sanitary engineering, the application of engineering methods to improve sanitation of human communities Municipal or urban engineering, civil engineering applied to municipal issues such as water and waste management, transportation networks, subdivisions, communications, hydrology, hydraulics, etc.
Geotechnical engineering	Concerned with the behavior of geological materials at the site of a civil engineering project	Mining engineering, the exploration, extraction and processing of raw materials from the Earth Foundation (engineering), the engineering of below ground foundations that support superstructures
Structural engineering	The engineering of structures that support or resist structural loads	Earthquake engineering, the behaviour of structures subject to seismic loading Wind engineering, the analysis of wind and its effects on the built environment Architectural engineering, application of engineering principles to building design and construction Ocean engineering, the design of offshore structures
Transport engineering	The use of engineering to ensure safe and efficient transportation of people and goods	Traffic engineering, a branch of transportation engineering focusing on the infrastructure necessary for transportation Highway engineering a branch of engineering that deals with major roadways and transportation systems involving automobiles. Highway engineering usually involves the construction and design of highways Railway systems engineering
Water resources engineering	Prediction, planning, development and management of water resources	Hydraulic engineering, concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water; intimately related to the design of pipelines, water supply network, drainage facilities (including bridges, dams, levees, channels, culverts, storm sewers), and canals. River engineering is the process of planned human intervention in the course, characteristics, or flow of a river with the intention of producing some defined benefit—to manage the water resources, to protect against flooding, or to make passage along or across rivers easier. Coastal engineering, the study of the processes ongoing at the shoreline and construction within the coastal zone, often directed at combating erosion of coasts or providing navigational access. Groundwater engineering involves the analysis, monitoring and often modelling of groundwater source to better understand how much remains and if the water can be used for e.g. recharging reservoirs and irrigation.

Electrical engineering

Electrical engineering comprises the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.

Subdiscipline	Scope	Major specialties
Computer engineering	The design and control of computing devices with the application of electrical systems.	Software engineering: the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering and computer science to software. Hardware engineering: designing, developing, and testing various computer equipment. Can range from circuit boards and microprocessors to routers. Network engineering: designing, deploying and maintaining computer networks, such as corporate networks or the Internet.
Electronic engineering	The design of circuits that use the electromagnetic properties of electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes and transistors to achieve a particular functionality.	Control engineering, focuses on the modeling of dynamic systems and the design ofcontrollers using electrical circuits, digital signal processors and microcontrollers Telecommunications engineering
Optical engineering	The design of instruments and systems that utilize the properties of electromagnetic radiation.
Power engineering	The generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, and the design of devices such as transformers, electric generators, electric motors, high-voltage engineering, and power electronics.

Mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering comprises the design, analysis and usage of heat and mechanical power for the operation of machines and mechanical systems.

Subdiscipline	Scope	Major specialties
Acoustical engineering	Concerns the manipulation and control of vibration, especially vibration isolation and the reduction of unwanted sounds
Manufacturing engineering	Concerns dealing with different manufacturing practices and the research and development of systems, processes, machines, tools and equipment.
Thermal engineering	Concerns heating or cooling of processes, equipment, or enclosed environments
Vehicle engineering	The design, manufacture and operation of the systems and equipment that propel and control vehicles	Automotive engineering, the design, manufacture and operation of motorcycles, automobiles, buses and trucks Naval architecture, the design, construction, operation and support of marine vehicles and structures Aerospace engineering, the application of engineering principles to aerospace systems such as aircraft and spacecraft

Systems engineering

Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how to design and manage complex engineering projects over their life cycles. Issues such as reliability, logistics, coordination of different teams (requirements management), evaluation measurements, and other disciplines become more difficult when dealing with large or complex projects. Systems engineering deals with work-processes, optimization methods, and risk management tools in such projects. It overlaps technical and human-centered disciplines such as control engineering, industrial engineering, organizational studies, and project management. Systems Engineering ensures that all likely aspects of a project or system are considered, and integrated into a whole.

Interdisciplinary[edit]

Discipline	Scope	Major specialties
Aerospace engineering	The application of engineering principles to aerospace systems such as aircraft,spacecraft, and ground control systems. Formerly known as aeronautical engineering, concerns the design, construction, and science of both air and space vehicles, primarily on the systems level. Further concerned with the science of force and physics that are particular only to performance in Earth's atmosphere and the expanse of space. Often placed within Vehicle engineering	Aeronautics, the design and development of aircraft and air traffic control systems Astronautics, the design and development of spacecraft with an emphasis on spacecraft systems, the design of ground control systems for spacecraft, and the design of orbital mechanics for spacecraft missions
Agricultural engineering	The application of engineering principles to agricultural fields such as farm power and machinery, biological material process, bioenergy, farm structures, and agricultural natural resources	Bioprocess engineering, the design and development of equipment and processes for the manufacturing of products from biological materials Food engineering, concerns food processing, food machinery, packaging, ingredient manufacturing, instrumentation, and control. Aquaculture engineering, the study of cultured aquatic species and the production systems used in their culture.
Applied engineering	The field concerned with the application of management, design, and technical skills for the design and integration of systems, the execution of new product designs, the improvement of manufacturing processes, and the management and direction of physical and/or technical functions of a firm or organization. Applied engineering degreed programs typically include instruction in basic engineering principles, project management, industrial processes, systems integration and control, quality control, andstatistics.[2]	Automation/control systems/mechatronics/robotics Computer-aided drawing and design (CADD) Construction Electronics General Graphics Nanotechnology
Biological engineering	The application of engineering principles to the fields of biology and medicine.	Biomedical engineering, the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical and biological sciences Genetic engineering, the design and development of techniques to directly manipulate an organism's genes Biochemical engineering, the design and construction of unit processes that involve biological organisms or molecules Tissue engineering Protein engineering, the development of useful or valuable proteins
Building services engineering	Building services engineering, technical building services, architectural engineering, or building engineering is the engineering of the internal environment and environmental impact of a building. It essentially brings buildings and structures to life.	Mechanical engineering, HVAC: heating, ventilation and air conditioning Refrigeration Plumbing or public health (MEP) engineering: Water services,drainage and plumbing Electrical engineering, Artificial lighting and emergency lighting, ICT: Communication lines, telephones and IT networks Low voltage (LV) systems, containment, distribution,distribution boards and switchgear Lightning protection Security, CCTV, and alarm systems Vertical transportation: escalators and lifts Fire engineering, including fire detection and fire protection Natural lighting design Building facades engineering Energy supply – gas, electricity and renewable sources
Energy engineering	Energy engineering is a broad field of engineering dealing with energy efficiency, energy services, facility management, plant engineering, environmental compliance and alternative energy technologies. The domain of energy-engineering expertise combines selective subjects from the fields chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering. It is an interdisciplinary program which has relativity with electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering	Solar engineering, solar energy engineering includes designing and building services based on solar energy, solar energy product development, solar PV systems, Solar Product Manufacturing and Solar Systems Integration. Wind engineering, Wind engineering analyzes effects of wind in the natural and the built environment and studies the possible damage, inconvenience or benefits which may result from wind. In the field of structural engineering it includes strong winds, which may cause discomfort, as well as extreme winds, such as in a tornado, hurricane or heavy storm, which may cause widespread destruction
Industrial engineering	The design and analysis of logistical and resource systems.	Manufacturing engineering, the ability to plan the practices of manufacturing, to research and develop the tool, processes, machines and equipment, and to integrate the facilities and systems for producing quality products with optimal expenditure. Component engineering, the process of assuring the availability of suitable components required to manufacture a product. Systems engineering, focuses on issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, automatic control of machinery for complex engineering projects Construction engineering, the planning and management of construction projects Textile engineering, The design and analysis of logistical and resource systems, product design, and development. Safety engineering, assuring that a life-critical system behaves as needed even when pieces fail Reliability engineering, optimising asset maintenance to minimise whole of life cost
Mechatronics	A hybrid of mechanical and electrical engineering, Commonly intended to examine the design of automation systems.	Robotics Instrumentation engineering Avionics, the design of electronics and systems on board an aircraft or spacecraft
Nanoengineering	The practice of engineering on the nanoscopic scale
Nuclear engineering	The application of nuclear processes to engineering
Petroleum engineering	The application of engineering principles to drilling for and producing crude oil and natural gas	Reservoir engineering, the application of scientific principles to study the flow of fluids in underground reservoirs so as to obtain a high economic recovery. Drilling engineering, the design and application of equipment and techniques to drill wells. Production engineering, the design and application of equipment and techniques to bring well fluids to the surface and then separate out the various components.