Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) is manufacturing supported by computers. It is the total integration of Computer Aided Design / Manufacturing and also other business operations and databases.

In the 80s, Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) became the key concept in future company strategy.

CIM (for "Computer Integrated Manufacturing"), is the acronym used to describe the complete automation of a manufacturing plant, with all processes running under computer control and digital information tying them together. Computer Integrated Manufacturing was promoted by machine tool manufacturers in the 1980's and the Society for Manufacturing Engineers (CASA/SME). It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Backronym and Apronym (Discuss) Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations, such as NATO, laser, and ABC, written as the initial letter or letters of words, and pronounced on the basis of this abbreviated written form. ...

Quite often CIM was mistaken for the concept of a "lights out" factory. It includes CAD/CAM (Computer-aided design/Computer-aided manufacturing), CAPP, (Computer-aided process planning), ERP (Enterprise resource planning), CNC, computer numerical control machine tools, DNC, direct numerical control machine tools, FMS, flexible machining systems, ASRS, automated storage and retrieval systems, AGV, automated guided vehicles, use of robotics and automated conveyance, computerized scheduling and production control, CAQ (Computer-aided quality assurance) and a business system integrated by a common data base. Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of a wide range of computer-based tools that assist engineers, architects and other design professionals in their design activities. ... Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) refers to the software used to generate the instruction codes for a CNC machine in order for it to cut out a shape designed in a computer-aided design (CAD) system. ... the various system modules. ... Computer Aided Quality assurance or CAQ is the engineering application of computers and computer controlled machines for the definition and inspection of the quality of products. ...

Definition according to the Computer and Automated Systems Association of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers: "CIM is the integration of total manufacturing enterprise by using integrated systems and data communication coupled with new managerial philosophies that improve organizational and personnel efficiency."

Another definition is:

A computer-automated system in which individual engineering, production, marketing, and support functions of a manufacturing enterprise are organized; functional areas such as design, analysis, planning, purchasing, cost accounting, inventory control, and distribution are linked through the computer with factory floor functions such as materials handling and management, providing direct control and monitoring of all process operations. Manufacturing, a branch of industry which accounts for about one-quarter of the worlds economic activity, is the application of tools and a processing medium to the transformation of raw materials into finished goods for sale. ...

In 1993 the European Union ESPRIT programme carried out an investigation on how the trade-off between manual labour and automation affects the quality of the resultant products. Esprit Holdings Limited European Strategic Program on Research in Information Technology Lotus Esprit - A sports car This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ...