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Human-robot collaboration (HRC) applications have been slowly making their path in the industry. Although the required hardware and the methods for the planning and development of collaborative robotic applications are mostly already developed, some industrial branches still struggle to implement HRC. This is the case in motorcycle production, where, unlike car production, the assembly line has been optimized for manual work. Based on the use case described above, this paper identifies new requirements of HRC for automated screwing assembly operations in flexible production environments. In order to compensate deviations in the position of the tool relative to the workpiece, a screwing strategy based on force control is proposed. Parameter sensitivity is considered and supported experimentally with a screwing task performed by a cobot, where a method for contact detection between the nutrunner and the screw head is analyzed. This paper brings a guideline for experts from the manufacturing system engineering to implement HRC in highly dynamic assembly environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In industry, the use of temperature sensors is paramount, with real-time sensors being crucial for temperature fluctuations. However, such sensing systems may fail due to environmental or technical factors such as corrosion, sensor body fault, or wire fault in the assembly line. Therefore, a reliable sensor on that infrastructure is required to complete the process efficiently. In this context, this paper introduces Data Prediction and Early Detection of Errors in Temperature Sensors (DPEDETS), a method which helps the digital monitoring of sensor health conditions of a temperature system for stool monitoring DPEDETS. The methodology involves the autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA) the mathematical concept test method to initiate a tentative assessment of sensory variation. Then, it detects and distinguishes confusion in the continuous transmission of sensory data, detecting premature sensory failure. The proposed DPEDETS method provides a reliable measurement of the time sensing data for the duration of sensing failure or temperature monitoring systems. The DPEDETS method has been tested on the temperature data collected from different types of temperature sensors. The results illustrate effectiveness of the DPEDETS process and sensory function of temperature monitoring on suites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is about the implementation of the introduction of assignment slots to optimize the double-sided assembly line. This research was performed using hybrid Artificial Bee Colony and Semi-greedy algorithms. The main objective is to get the most optimal value. The introduction of this assignment slots is shown in detail in this paper with a total of 4 main cycles and P24 with CT = 18 as an example. Several tasks set with P9, P16, P24, P44 and P65 were tested with the same cycle time setting in the previous study. From the previous study, the partial fitness method has been tested and the results have been compared with this method. The results show that the introduction of this assignment slot is more effective to get the optimal value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crack in any structure is a destructive phenomenon. It can cause the early failure of any structure or component. It may lead to severe accidents and may harm humans too. So, it is very essential to detect these cracks effectively and do the required measures to avoid failure or accidents. Previously, this was done by skilled inspectors but it is relatively difficult for them to observe inaccessible areas like walls of dams or to observe every component on the assembly line, etc. So, a reliable and automated method of crack detection is required. In this paper, a method using MATLAB software and with the help of image processing techniques like thresholding, morphological operation proper detection of crack is proposed. The edge detection technique is used for extracting the crack boundaries and for better visualisation of cracks, these extracted boundaries are superimposed on the original image. The parameter of the crack-like percentage area of the crack is also determined. Also, as the thresholding value is calculated automatically for every sample, the system developed can be used for all similar kinds of samples without altering the parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, small scale and large scale production with quickly reconfigurable equipment integrated into a single technological complex prevails. The scale production without an assembly production line performs several operations at each workplace, so going from one operation to another during a change-over of equipment causes downtime. An assembly production line offers higher labour productivity, lower production costs, sh orter production cycle times, and more efficient use of space. Being designed for a complex product, the assembly process is suitable for any product in this group using minor adjustments. When performing the assembling for each specific rear axle of the group, any operation unnecessary for this product is disregarded. For a representative product, the Rear Axle of the PAZ - 4234 bus was selected. This study deals with designing a universal assembly line for commercial car rear axle assembly in two modifications. This paper considers profitability of introducing innovations for a new conveyor into production. The pre-design calculation presents the line with a modified surface conveyor. The final calculation proposes to take the annual economic effect into account. As a result, comprehensive production-related technical & economic calculations are submitted using the KAAZ plant as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production efficiency is among the most important for the success of the companies. The more efficient production lines are in the companies, the more products with higher quantity and quality would come out of them. When Lean approach is applied even during the design and development phase of the assembly line, this will lead to less need for subsequent optimizations of this line when it is in serial production. And in this way time and money will be saved, i.e. cost will be minimized. The combination of Lean practices and Industry 4.0 technologies could be called Lean 4.0. The productivity would be even higher when using Lean 4.0. The main goal of this paper is to analyze how semi-automated automotive industry assembly line to be designed implementing Lean 4.0 approach. In order to achieve it, Lean analysis was performed for the elements of the most important KPI of the assembly lines – the overall equipment effectiveness. Based on it, Lean 4.0 technologies which would eliminate the negative impact over each element were selected. In the conclusion, few assembly line design recommendations for the automotive industry were given, such as incorporating smart sensors, adjustable actuators, internet connection, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's fashion trends has growth and impact to manufacturing footwear industry competitive especially for Make-to-Order (MTO) companies. For MTO companies order scheduling are driven by customer orders and production resources availability. Successfull order scheduling can responsive to fulfill customer demand based on due date. In literature, order scheduling in multi mixed-model production environment some companies has assign fix model to each assembly line which will make the result trapped in local optimization. So, in this paper we purpose order scheduling which assign flexible model to each assembly line in order to get global optimization in the final order schedule. A flexible order scheduling in footwear industry concurrently need to considered production resource share between production line include tooling and machine share because company has limited resources. Finally, practical case problem of flexible order scheduling in footwear industry is solved with the proposed scheduling model development by design multi objective function consist of minimizing penalty cost, minimizing makespan, maximizing line efficiency and minimizing total frequency of model changeover with the consideration of production resources availability. Result of order scheduling model development is order allocation and order sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrete event simulation (DES) is a powerful tool for better decision-making. Its application can be found in almost every sector ranging from industrial to services. However, the cost of commercial DES tools sometimes makes them unaffordable for small and medium enterprises. On the other hand, the open-source DES requires good programming knowledge for model customization. This paper presents the development of the DES tool specifically for production and assembly line simulation. The developed tool known as Discrete Event Simulation for Assembly Line (DESIMAL) is flexible enough to support different types of the assembly line. Testing and validation have been conducted using an industrial case study. The result indicated that the developed DESIMAL has similar output with a small error margin (1.08% – 3.60%) compared with commercial DES software. In comparison with real problem output, DESIMAL obtained the result with an error of less than 5%. Therefore, the developed DESIMAL has been validated as an acceptable tool for assembly line simulation. The main contribution of this work is an establishment of DES tool for assembly line simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design and configuration analysis of 11 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) dual robotic arm. The analysis is via Denavit Hartenberg approach. The design is built to solve the current challenges faced by industry in term of workspace optimization and cost reduction with respect to the complexity of tasks required. These particular parts are performed by human labours in production assembly nowadays in industry due to the higher accuracy and better performance of human labour in term of speed which is required due to the nature of the tasks performed. The structural design is built using SolidWorks and then the frame structure and configuration is performed using Robotics Toolbox (RTB) in MATLAB, followed by the analysis of the workspace. The analysed results shown an improvement in term of performed tasks' complexity and optimization in workspace required by 43.4% minimization in term of horizontal area, in addition to significant reduction in collision chances between arms. In general, the project provided a suitable replacement for two single robotic articulated arms in assembly line in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper includes an approach that concentrate on optimizing the plant layout and assembly line. The simulation studies in the industries have helped through a wide range of applications. Wire harness is a set of cables grouped together leading towards little bit complexity in the assembly line at the plant. Discrete event simulation is a tool to model the complex and large manufacturing systems consisting of resources and products like robots, machines, operators, storage device, which are logically and physically linked. This study has been carried out at the small-scale electrical industry in tier-2 city Hubballi, Karnataka, India. The analysis was conducted using the simulation software and the attached results have been obtained from the simulation experiment. The bottlenecks and the loopholes were identified in the plant layout and the main aim was to improve the throughput and reduce the work in progress. These results were on the basis to propose a change in the existing plant layout and workstation station time reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of green manufacturing process in food industries is currently a hot research topic in the multidisciplinary area of applied chemistry, biology and technology. Several process such as freezing, cutting, drying, tempering, bleaching, sterilization, extraction and filtering have been applied efficiency in the food industry. Due to the rapid development of food and peripheral technology, the use of new physical processing or auxiliary processing methods can maintain food inherent nutrients, texture, color and freshness and also reduce environmental pollution and energy consumption in food processing. Hence, this review paper will study and summarize the effects of green manufacturing process in food industries in term of waste reduction, materials and sustainability manufacturing. In any case, All the food processing equipment must comply with strict standards and regulation, this action will ensure the securing the food quality and safety of food products to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some automobile factories have segmented mixed-model production lines into shorter sub-lines according to part group, such as engine, trim, and powertrain. The effects of splitting a line into sub-lines have been reported from the standpoints of worker motivation, productivity improvement, and autonomy based on risk spreading. There has been no mention of the possibility of shortening the line length by altering the product sequence using sub-lines. The purpose of the present paper is to determine the conditions under which sub-lines reduce the line length and the degree to which the line length may be shortened. The line lengths for a non-split line and a line that has been split into sub-lines are compared using three methods for determining the working area, the standard closed boundary, the optimized open boundary, and real-life constant-length stations. The results are discussed by analyzing the upper and lower bounds of the line length. Based on these results, a procedure for deciding whether or not to split a production line is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result from the ever increasing demand to produce lighter vehicles, more and more advanced high-strength materials are used in automotive industry. Focusing on sheet metal cold forming processes, these materials require high pressing forces and exhibit large springback after forming. Due to the high pressing forces deformations occur in the tooling geometry, introducing dimensional inaccuracies in the blank and potentially impact the final springback behavior. As a result the tool deformations can have an impact on the final assembly or introduce cosmetic defects. Often several iterations are required in try-out to obtain the required tolerances, with costs going up to as much as 30% of the entire product development cost. To investigate the sheet metal part feasibility and quality, in automotive industry CAE tools are widely used. However, in current practice the influence of the tool deformations on the final part quality is generally neglected and simulations are carried out with rigid tools to avoid drastically increased calculation times. If the tool deformation is analyzed through simulation it is normally done at the end of the drawing prosses, when contact conditions are mapped on the die structure and a static analysis is performed to check the deflections of the tool. But this method does not predict the influence of these deflections on the final quality of the part. In order to take tool deformations into account during drawing simulations, ESI has developed the ability to couple solvers efficiently in a way the tool deformations can be real-time included in the drawing simulation without high increase in simulation time compared to simulations with rigid tools. In this paper a study will be presented which demonstrates the effect of tool deformations on the final part quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation is a technique which allows for the transfer of reality into the computer, through the creation of a model that reliably mirrors the behavior of a process (already existent or in its project phase). The work presented in this paper consists of the development of a decision-making support system, based on a real problem, with the purpose of optimizing the operation of an automobile assembly line with a four closed-loop network configuration. This layout system reflects one of the most common configurations of automobile assembly and preassembly lines formed by conveyors. A simulation model in an Arena environment was developed, which allowed for an analysis of the important aspects not yet studied in specialized literature, namely the assessment of the impact of the production sequence on the automobile assembly line. Various sequence rules were analyzed and the performance of each of the corresponding simulation models was registered. An experiment technique design was used in order to obtain the functions that describe the assembly system's behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work presented in this paper consists of the development of a decision-making support system, based on discrete-event simulation models, of an automobile assembly line which was implemented within an Arena simulation environment and focused at a very specific class of production lines with a four closed-loop network configuration. This layout system reflects one of the most common configurations of automobile assembly and preassembly lines formed by conveyors. The sum of the number of pallets on the intermediate buffers, remains constant, except for the fourth closed-loop, which depends on the four-door car ratio (x) implemented between the door disassembly and assembly stations of the car body. Some governing equations of the four closed-loops are not compatible with the capacities of several intermediate buffers for certain values of variable x. This incompatibility shows how the assembly line cannot operate in practice for x< 0,37 and for x>0,97 in a stationary regime, due to the starvation phenomenon or the failure of supply to the machines on the production line. We have evaluated the impact of the pallet numbers circulating on the first closed-loop on the performance of the production line, translated into the number of cars produced/hour, in order to improve the availability of the entire manufacturing system for any value of x. Until the present date, these facts have not been presented in specialized literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The well established benefits of composite materials are driving a significant shift in design and manufacture strategies for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Thermoplastic composites have advantages over the traditional thermosetting materials with regards to sustainability and environmental impact, features which are becoming increasingly pertinent in the aerospace arena. However, when sustainability and environmental impact are considered as design drivers, integrated methods for part design and product development must be developed so that any benefits of sustainable composite material systems can be assessed during the design process. These methods must include mechanisms to account for process induced part variation and techniques related to re-forming, recycling and decommissioning, which are in their infancy. It is proposed in this paper that predictive techniques related to material specification, part processing and product cost of thermoplastic composite components, be integrated within a Through Life Management (TLM) product development methodology as part of a larger strategy of product system modeling to improve disciplinary concurrency, realistic part performance, and to place sustainability at the heart of the design process. This paper reports the enhancement of digital manufacturing tools as a means of drawing simulated part manufacturing scenarios, real time costing mechanisms, and broader lifecycle performance data capture into the design cycle. The work demonstrates predictive processes for sustainable composite product manufacture and how a Product-Process-Resource (PPR) structure can be customised and enhanced to include design intent driven by 'Real' part geometry and consequent assembly. your paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new generalization of the distributed parallel machine and assembly scheduling problem (DPMASP) with eligibility constraints referred to as the modified distributed parallel machine and assembly scheduling problem (MDPMASP) with eligibility constraints. Within this generalization, we assume that there are a set non-identical factories or production lines, each one with a set unrelated parallel machine with different speeds in processing them disposed to a single assembly machine in series. A set of different products that are manufactured through an assembly program of a set of components (jobs) according to the requested demand. Each product requires several kinds of jobs with different sizes. Beside that we also consider to the multi-objective problem (MOP) of minimizing mean flow time and the number of tardy products simultaneously. This is known to be NP-Hard problem, is important to practice, as the former criterions to reflect the customer's demand and manufacturer's perspective. This is a realistic and complex problem with wide range of possible solutions, we propose four simple heuristics and two metaheuristics to solve it. Various parameters of the proposed metaheuristic algorithms are discussed and calibrated by means of Taguchi technique. All proposed algorithms are tested by Matlab software. Our computational experiments indicate that the proposed problem and fourth proposed algorithms are able to be implemented and can be used to solve moderately-sized instances, and giving efficient solutions, which are close to optimum in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates a case study on simulation, modelling and analysis for X1 Motorcycles Model. In this research, a motorcycle assembly plant has been selected as a main place of research study. Simulation techniques by using Witness software were applied to evaluate the performance of the existing manufacturing system. The main objective is to validate the data and find out the significant impact on the overall performance of the system for future improvement. The process of validation starts when the layout of the assembly line was identified. All components are evaluated to validate whether the data is significance for future improvement. Machine and labor statistics are among the parameters that were evaluated for process improvement. Average total cycle time for given workstations is used as criterion for comparison of possible variants. From the simulation process, the data used are appropriate and meet the criteria for two-sided assembly line problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welding robots are extensively applied in the automotive assemblies and 'Spot Welding' is the most common welding application found in the auto stamping assembly manufacturing. Every manufacturing process is subject to variations - with resistance welding, these include; part fit up, part thickness variations, misaligned electrodes, variations in coating materials or thickness, sealers, weld force variations, shunting, machine tooling degradation; and slag and spatter damage. All welding gun tips undergo wear; an elemental part of the process. Though adaptive resistance welding control automatically compensates to keep production and quality up to the levels needed as gun tips undergo wear so that the welds remain reliable; the system cannot compensate for deterioration caused by the slag and spatter on the part holding fixtures, sensors, and gun tips. To cleanse welding robots of slag and spatter, dry-ice blasting has proven to be an effective remedy. This paper describes Spot welding process, analyses the slag and spatter formation during robotic welding of stamping assemblies, and concludes that the dry ice blasting process's utility in cleansing of welding robots in auto stamping plant operations is paramount and exigent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient ergonomic optimization can lead to a significant improvement in production performance and a considerable reduction of costs. In the present paper new model for ergonomic optimization is proposed. The new approach is based on the criteria defined by National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and, adapted to Italian legislation. The proposed model provides an ergonomic optimization, by analyzing ergonomic relations between manual work in correct conditions. The model includes a schematic and systematic analysis method of the operations, and identifies all possible ergonomic aspects to be evaluated. The proposed approach has been applied to an automotive assembly line, where the operation repeatability makes the optimization fundamental. The proposed application clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the new approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of a line balancing problem is to assign the individual work elements to workstations so that all workers have an equal amount of work while simultaneously achieving the specified production rate of the line. This paper presents the implementation of assembly line balancing techniques to enhance the throughput of a hose assembly line. Various assembly line models such as Single Model Line (SML), Multi-Model Parallel Line (MMPL) and Mixed Model Line (MML) are compared and the most efficient model is implemented. Standard time, idle time and line efficiency were calculated considering scenarios of the above three models. It was found that mixed model assembly line was the most effective when compared to the other models. The standard time for the mixed model assembly line was calculated to be 593.59 seconds. Mixed model assembly line had an efficiency of 88% which would lead to enhanced productivity. It was recommended to set-up a new assembly line based on mixed model assembly line principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usefulness of the module optical analyzer when identifying module defects on production line is presented in this paper. Two different case studies performed with two different kind of CPV modules are presented to show the use of MOA both in IES-UPM and Daido Steel facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometric variability arising from composite part forming or processing conditions can cause problems during assembly as the 'as manufactured' part forms can differ from the geometry used for any computer aided design (CAD) based, simulated build validation. In this paper finite element (FE) simulation methods are integrated with a digital manufacturing framework to illustrate how the current gap between part design and final assembly simulation can be covered for composite components and assemblies. A simple application example based on L shaped stiffeners, demonstrates the limitations of traditional assembly simulation using nominally sized, as designed CAD geometry to represent composite parts and how this can be overcome by enhancing a digital manufacturing simulation platform by using predicted, more realistic part forms. The main benefit of the method presented is that assembly process planning for composite products can be verified before any real part is manufactured thereby minimising the risk of non conformances as the material system, tooling geometry and processing conditions can be tailored to suit the required design geometry. The advantages of both digital manufacturing and advanced composite materials can be exploited using this approach resulting in a reduction in the learning curve as the application of advanced composite materials increases in future transport applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents CIMLIB with its two main characteristics: an Object Oriented Program and a fully parallel code. CIMLIB aims at providing a set of components that can be organized to build numerical simulation of a certain process. We describe two components: one treats the complex task of parallel remeshing, the other puts the focus on the Finite Element modeling. In a second part, we present some parallel performances and an example of a very large simulation (over a mesh of 25 millions nodes) that begins with the mesh generation and ends up writing results files, all done using 88 processors. © 2007 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key characteristic of the aircraft assembly is to maintain assembly accuracy, and the measurement system employs a vital role to maintain the assembly characteristics. There are lots of measuring techniques, among them indoor global positioning system (iGPS) measuring is more efficient for aircraft assembly technology due to its high precision technique. In this research, the system configuration of the iGPS is discussed firstly. Then working principle and performance of the indoor GPS measurement system are reviewed. Based on the indoor global positioning measurement system and processes, the measurement error is analyzed qualitatively. At the same time, the application of indoor GPS measurement systems in aircraft assembly is discussed briefly. A systematic mechanism of indoor GPS has been introduced in this research that helps the aircraft assembly technician to use iGPS effectively. This research has practical value to determine the aircraft component/product position in the assembly line of the modern aviation industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current scenario of competitive world, the industries are trying to make strategies at the operational level in order to increase the productivity of the plant. There is no system in the world that can go deep into the operations of the machineries and give the output as same as the real time data. When we talk about the success of any business, then, long-term planning, design, process, re-engineering, productivity etc., play a major role. The next and obvious option is the "simulation" of existing process. The simulation systems (software) can be used to perform the simulations. Each of the simulation software have their own advantages and drawbacks. The analyst or the company should understand their need for the simulation and select the software accordingly. Many experts have been upheld the need of simulations and its study in the upliftment of the existing production lines. In order to analyse the above said research problem, a motor assembly line in one of the top electrical company unit at Hubballi, Karnataka, INDIA was considered for the study. The aim of this study is to maximize the productivity of the assembly line by identifying the bottlenecks at different stages by proposing a different scenario without modifying the existing facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining tandem lines are widely used in industries to meet the high variety of customer demands. A novel flexible machining line named automated flexible machining line (AFML) based on a case company is introduced. AFML consists of several consecutive sectors and each sector is composed of multiple cells, and each cell is formed by one robot and multiple identical CNC (computer numerical control) machines. Mathematic model is represented with the objective to minimize the line cycle time. Branch and bound (B&B) algorithm is used to solve the automated flexible machining line balancing problem. Several test problems with different sizes are made, and solved by the proposed B&B. The results show the CPU time of B&B is increased when the size of the problem is increased, and B&B gives the same and stable result in ten times experimental runs of the same test problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decision to design and build a new aircraft is preceded by years of research and study. Different disciplines work together throughout the lifecycle to ensure not only a complete functional definition of the product, but also a complete industrialization, a marketing plan, a maintenance plan, etc. This case study focuses on the conceptual design phase. During this phase, the design solutions that will meet the functional and industrial requirements are defined, i.e.: the basic requirements of industrialization. During this phase, several alternatives are studied, and the most attractive in terms of performance and cost requirements is selected. As a result of the study of these alternatives, it is possible to define an early conceptual design of the assembly line and its basic parameters. The plant needs, long cycle jigs & tools or industrial means and human resources with the necessary skills can be determined in advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automotive industry uses real-time digital radiography for inspection on the assembly line. We have described a new measure, mutual information, which can improve image registration used in automated defect recognition systems used in the inspection. We have compared this metric with the more conventional registration technique that uses the Fourier-Mellin transform. © 2007 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Freescale automatic fault detection and classification (FDC) system has logged data from over 3.5 million implants in the past two years. The Freescale FDC system is a low cost system which collects summary implant statistics at the conclusion of each implant run. The data is collected by either downloading implant data log files from the implant tool workstation, or by exporting summary implant statistics through the tool’s automation interface. Compared to the traditional FDC systems which gather trace data from sensors on the tool as the implant proceeds, the Freescale FDC system cannot prevent scrap when a fault initially occurs, since the data is collected after the implant concludes. However, the system can prevent catastrophic scrap events due to faults which are not detected for days or weeks, leading to the loss of hundreds or thousands of wafers. At the Freescale ATMC facility, the practical applications of the FD system fall into two categories: PM trigger rules which monitor tool signals such as ion gauges and charge control signals, and scrap prevention rules which are designed to detect specific failure modes that have been correlated to yield loss and scrap. PM trigger rules are designed to detect shifts in tool signals which indicate normal aging of tool systems. For example, charging parameters gradually shift as flood gun assemblies age, and when charge control rules start to fail a flood gun PM is performed. Scrap prevention rules are deployed to detect events such as particle bursts and excessive beam noise, events which have been correlated to yield loss. The FDC system does have tool log-down capability, and scrap prevention rules often use this capability to automatically log the tool into a maintenance state while simultaneously paging the sustaining technician for data review and disposition of the affected product. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]