CIM

What it does:
Allows a product to be designed on a computer, manufactured on the production floor and shipped to the customer - all seamlessly, with a minimum of human involvement after the design is complete.

CIM integrates computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) with other computerized processes to approach full computer integration in all phases of manufacturing.

Its other names:
Computer Integrated Manufacturing

Where it comes from:
More than 30 years ago, manufacturing engineers at Purdue University and other advanced engineering laboratories began to design products on computers (CAD). Next they began to use computers to directly control machining and assembly using industrial robots and other machines (CAM). Finally these processes were integrated to become first CAD/CAM and then CIM, which can be defined as the full integration of design and manufacturing processes.

Summary:
A fully integrated CIM system uses computers to monitor and control some or all of the following processes:
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD) of new products.
- Ordering of raw materials and components to be used in production processes.
- Delivering those materials and components to the production line when and where they are needed.
- Controlling machining and assembly equipment.
- Monitoring inventory.
- Picking up and shipping of orders..

What else you need to know:
CIM goes hand in hand with JIT (Just In Time) manufacturing systems. See Trump Management Briefing on that topic too.