Design of a configurable manufacturing system

摘要

In competitive markets a leading edge company needs to be able to transform itself into an open dynamic system capable of accepting customer driven product specifications and demand patterns. One way of achieving responsiveness is to implement configurable manufacturing systems (CMS) in which the resources are dynamically configured and reconfigured to change, without losing quality or increasing costs. This research aims to develop a manufacturing system that can be flexibly configured for product variety and to improve the utilisation of the facility as volumes and mixes fluctuate. The paper illustrates how CMS is related to earlier manufacturing research and then outlines recent developments. This research was carried out using a recognised system change methodology, with the analysis stage being explained in detail. Finally, the CMS was developed and applied at a computer assembly company (Synnex UK) who, with its principal customer, is overviewed.