Computer Impact in Manufacturing Computers are now widely used in product design and in automation of selected areas in factories. Within the next decade, the use of computers in the entire spectrum of manufacturing applications, from computer-aided design to computer-aided manufacturing and robotics, is expected to be practical and economically justified. Such widespread use of computers on the factory floor awaits further advances in computer capabilities, the emergence of systems that are adaptive to the workplace, and the development of interfaces to link islands of automation and to allow effective user communications. Computer based control systems can be combined with manufacturing technology, such as robots, machine tools, automated guided vehicles, to improve manufacturing operations. In this role, the computer can assist integrating these technologies into a lean and efficient factory capable of competing in world markets. Organizations such as All...