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Threads: 1,107
Joined: Jul 2011
Flexible Manufacturing Systems
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An FMS is a “reprogrammable” manufacturing system capable of producing a variety of products automatically. Conventional manufacturing systems have been marked by one of two distinct features:
-The capability of producing a variety of different product types, but at a high cost (e.g., job shops).
-The capability of producing large volumes of a product at a lower cost, but very inflexible in terms of the product types which can be produced (e.g., transfer lines).
An FMS is designed to provide both of these features.
FMS Components
.Numerical Control (NC) machine tools
.Automated material handling system (AMHS)
-Automated guided vehicles (AGV)
-Conveyors
-Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS)
.Industrial Robots
.Control Software
Information Technology
.Management information system (MIS)
move large amounts of data
.Decision support system (DSS)
add decision making support
.Expert system
recommend decision based on expert knowledge
Posts: 4,190
Threads: 817
Joined: Feb 2012
Flexible Manufacturing Systems
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Where to Apply FMS Technology
The plant presently either:
Produces parts in batches or
Uses manned GT cells and management wants to
automate the cells
It must be possible to group a portion of the parts
made in the plant into part families
The part similarities allow them to be processed
on the FMS workstations
Parts and products are in the mid-volume, mid-variety
production range
Flexible Manufacturing System - Defined
“A highly automated GT machine cell, consisting of a
group of processing stations (usually CNC machine tools),
interconnected by an automated material handling and
storage system, and controlled by an integrated computer
system”
The FMS relies on the principles of GT
No manufacturing system can produce an unlimited
range of products
An FMS is capable of producing a single part family or
a limited range of part families
Flexibility Tests in an Automated Manufacturing System
To qualify as being flexible, a manufacturing system
should satisfy the following criteria (“yes” answer for
each question):
1. Can it process different part styles in a non-batch
mode?
2. Can it accept changes in production schedule?
3. Can it respond gracefully to equipment malfunctions
and breakdowns?
4. Can it accommodate introduction of new part
designs?
