Rationale for Flexible Manufacturing

In manufacturing there have always been trade-offs between production rates and flexibility

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At one end of the spectrum are transfer lines capable of high production rates, but low flexibility. At the other end of the spectrum are independent CNC machines that offer maximum flexibility, but are only capable of low production rates (Fig. 11.2). Note from the figure that flexible manufacturing falls in the middle of the continuum.

There has always been a need in manufacturing for a system that could produce higher volume and production runs than could independent machines while still maintaining flexibility.

Transfer lines are capable of producing large volumes of parts at high production rates. The line takes a great deal of setup, but can turn out identical parts in large quantities.

Its chief shortcoming is that even minor design changes in a part can cause the entire line to be shut down and reconfigured. This is a critical weakness because it means that transfer lines cannot produce different parts, even parts from within the same family, without costly and time-consuming shutdown and reconfiguration.

Traditionally, CNC machines have been used to produce small volumes of parts that differ slightly in design. Such machines are ideal for this purpose because they can be quickly reprogrammed to accommodate minor or even major design changes.

However, as independent machines, they cannot produce parts in large volumes or at high production rates.

An FMS can handle higher volumes and production rates than independent CNC machines. They cannot quite match such machines for flexibility, but they come close.

What is particularly significant about the middle ground capabilities of flexible manufacturing is that most manufacturing situations require medium production rates to produce medium volumes with enough flexibility to quickly reconfigure to produce another part or product. Flexible manufacturing fills this long-standing void in manufacturing.

Flexible manufacturing, with its middle ground capabilities, offers a number of advantages for manufacturers:

(1) Flexibility within a family of parts;

(2) Random feeding of parts;

(3) Simultaneous production of different parts;

(4) Decreased setup times/lead time;

(5) Efficient machine usage;

(6) Decreased direct and indirect labor costs;

(7) Ability to handle different materials;

(8) Ability to continue some production if one machine breaks down.

Rationale for Flexible Manufacturing

By: endeavor

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