Glossary · Manufacturing systems
Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM)
Also known as: CIM
German: Computerintegrierte Fertigung (CIM)
In manufacturing, computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) is the concept of integrating all computer-supported functions of a company, from design and planning to production control and quality, through shared data and communication.
- Manufacturing systems
In one sentence
Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) integrates design, planning, production and quality functions through shared data.
Example
The plant's CIM concept of the 1980s linked CAD, production planning and the NC machines through a central database.
How it applies
- History: CIM was a leading concept from the 1970s to the 1990s. Many projects struggled with complexity and missing standards, but the idea shaped later architectures such as the automation pyramid and ISA-95.
- Today: The goals of CIM live on in Smart manufacturing, the Digital thread and MES/ERP integration, now supported by standard Information models and communication technologies.
- Documentation: When older documentation or customer requirements refer to CIM, map the term to the current system landscape rather than reusing it as is. A glossary entry that explains the historical term prevents misunderstandings in tender and legacy documents.
CIM vs. smart manufacturing
CIM focused on central integration of computer functions. Smart manufacturing adds networked devices, data analytics and AI, and usually a more distributed architecture.