A survey on changeability of machine tools

摘要

This paper focuses on the actual state of machine tool changeability as a basis for implementing a changeability strategy as a competitive advance. The recent crisis shows a lack of scalability and reconfigurability in order to handle changes in production volumes or switches to the production of other products. Due to this circumstance the strategy of implementing agile production systems is gaining more and more importance. The question dealt with in this paper is how nowadays machine tools can support this vision of a changeable and agile production strategy.