IT tools to improve the performance of metalworking SMEs

The small manufacturing enterprise is typically recognized as a company that is heavily reliant on its human constituents, namely the skilled manufacturing operators who accept a high level of responsibility for the parts they produce, and also have a major influence on the existence of the company. The significant reduction in costs of IT technology and software tools over recent years has enabled the SME to use hardware and software systems that were previously only available to larger companies. This paper investigates the use of modern IT tools and their application within a metalworking SME. The work is based on a number of major research areas, namely the holonic manufacturing paradigm, distributed planning and control, and open controllers for CNC control. The major emphasis of the paper is the design of appropriate IT tools tailored for the requirements of 'human-centred manufacturing systems' based on holonic concepts to support an autonomous cooperative working environment.