EFFICIENT ENGINEERING OF FLEXIBLE ASSEMBLY LINES IN DISCRETE MANUFACTURING

摘要

This contribution proposes a modular architecture of assembly lines which consistently handles mechanical, electrical and control requirements in order to allow flexible manufacturing of discrete products. Smaller lot sizes and an increasing number of variants require assembly lines to be designed as flexible lines, able to be adapted quickly and cost efficiently to changing requirements. Modular, component-based designs and standardized interfaces are key concepts for such lines. While mechanical and electrical engineering has adapted these concepts already in practice, modularization and standardization of control systems is still less mature. To adapt assembly lines to changing requirements, additional control system engineering and re-engineering effort is usually required. The concept described in this contribution is based on a joint modularisation of mechanical, electrical and control aspects of assembly line components and thus allows an efficient engineering of assembly lines.