Quality information feedback within a contemporary metalworking smaller manufacturing enterprise

This paper reports ongoing research into a workshop-oriented PC-based machi ning and inspection and analysis facility within a contemporary metalworkin g smaller manufacturing enterprise (SME). It identifies a novel manufacturi ng and inspection framework, which is supported by the use of information m odels. A major feature of the framework is the ability to produce rapid man ufacturing control through feedback data from both the inspection and produ ction data analysis activities in order to influence the responsiveness to manufacturing disturbances experienced through the machining of discrete pr ismatic components. The major contribution of this paper explores a product ion data analysis (PDA) concept, which forms the basis of a prototype facil ity that closes the manufacturing feedback loop void that exists in the met alworking SME. The paper outlines the three major constituents of the proto type PDA facility, namely machine and inspection planning, comparative tole rance analysis and manufacturing data analysis and the information resource s contained within a quality information feedback model (QIFM).