Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) Variable Mission Manufacturing (VMM) Computerized Manufacturing System (CMS) Computer Integrated Manufacturing

System (CIMS)

Manufacturing industries are striving to achieve flexibility, quality, efficient delivery and customer satisfaction through automation, robotics and other innovative concepts such as just-in-time (JIT), Production planning and control (PPC), enterprise resource planning (ERP) etc. The issues such as reduction of inventories and market-response time to meet customer demands, flexibility to adapt to changes in the market, reducing the cost of products and services to grab more market shares, etc have made it almost obligatory to many firms to switch over to flexible manufacturing systems The term flexible manufacturing system, or FMS, refers to a highly automated machine cell, consisting of a group of computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools and supporting workstations, interconnected by an automated material handling and storage system, and all controlled by a distributed computer system. The reason, the FMS is called flexible, is that it is capable of processing a variety of different part styles simultaneously with the quick tooling and instruction changeovers. Also, quantities of productions can be adjusted easily to changing demand patterns. FMS is a manufacturing technology. Secondly, FMS is a philosophy. System is the key word. Philosophically, FMS incorporates a system view of manufacturing. The buzzword for todays manufacturer is agility. An agile manufacturer is one who is the fastest to the market, operates with the lowest total cost and has the greatest ability to delight its customers. FMS is simply one way that manufacturers are able to achieve this agility

Transfer Lines Very efficient for high production rates, large volumes, inflexible, can not tolerate variations in part design, A change in part design requires the line to be shut down and retooled Stand alone NC Machines Variation in work part configuration, appropriate for job shop and small batch productions because conveniently reprogrammed to deal with product changeovers and part design changes The solution to this mid volume production problem is Flexible Manufacturing System Flexibility is an attribute that allows a mixed model manufacturing system to cope up with a certain level of variations in part or product style, without having any interruption in production due to changeovers between models.

Types of Manufacturing Systems: (Computer Integrated) (a) Special Manufacturing System (b) Manufacturing Cell (Cellular System) (c) Flexible Manufacturing system (FMS) (a) Special Manufacturing system: Special purpose computer controlled machine tools, rigid computer controlled material conveying system, suitable for high production rates, high volumes but less varieties of products, suitable for identical products (b) Manufacturing Cell: Highly flexible for variety of products, Consists of several separate NC machines without an interconnecting materials handling system, Suitable for low volumes Cellular Manufacturing is a model for workplace design, and has become an integral part of lean manufacturing systems. Cellular Manufacturing is based upon the principals of Group Technology, which seeks to take full advantage of the similarity between parts, through standardization and common processing. In Functional Manufacturing similar machines are placed closer together (e.g. lathes, millers, drills etc.). Functional layouts are more robust to machine breakdowns, have common jigs and fixtures in the same area and supports high levels of demarcation. In Cellular Manufacturing systems machines are grouped together according to the families of parts produced. The major advantage is that material flow is significantly improved, which reduces the distance travelled by materials, inventory and cumulative lead times. Cellular Manufacturing employs setup reduction and gives the workers the tools to be multiprocess, operating multiple processes, and multifunctional, owning quality improvements, waste reduction, and simple machine maintenance. This allows workers to easily self-balance within the cell while reducing lead times, resulting in the ability for companies to manufacture high quality products at a low cost, on time, and in a flexible way. (c) Flexible Manufacturing System: Contains number of CNC machines (general purpose), computerized material handling system, Inspection unit, Centralized material loading and unloading, Suitable for mid volumes and varieties

FMS

Basic Components of FMS: 1. Workstations 2. Automated Material Handling and Storage System 3. Computer Control System (1) Workstations Workstations are typically computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools that perform machining operation on families of parts. Flexible manufacturing systems are being designed with other type of processing equipments including inspection stations, assembly works and sheet metal presses. The various workstations are (i) Machining centers (ii) Load and unload stations (iii) Assembly work stations (iv) Inspection stations (v) Forging stations (vi) Sheet metal processing, etc. (2) Automated Material Handling and Storage System The various automated material handling systems are used to transport work parts and subassembly parts between the processing stations, sometimes incorporating storage into function. The various functions of automated material handling and storage system are (i) Random and independent movement of work parts between workstations (ii) Handling of a variety of work part configurations (iii) Temporary storage

(iv) Convenient access for loading and unloading of work parts (v) Compatible with computer control (3) Computer Control System It is used to coordinate the activities of the processing stations and the material handling system in the FMS. The various functions of computer control system are: (i) Control of each work station (ii) Distribution of control instruction to work station (iii) Production control (vi) Traffic control (v) Shuttle control

(vi) Work handling system and monitoring (vii) System performance monitoring and reporting Objectives of FMS: (1) Increased machine utilization (2) Reduced direct and indirect labour (3) Reduced manufacturing lead times (4) Lower in-process inventory (5) Scheduling flexibility Types of FMS: (1) Depending upon kind of operation (a) Processing operation Such operation transforms a work material from one state to another moving towards the final desired part or product. It adds value by changing the geometry, properties or appearance of the starting materials (b) Assembly operation It involves joining of two or more component to create a new entity which is called an assembly/subassembly. Permanent joining processes include welding, brazing, soldering , adhesive bonding, rivets, press fitting, and expansion fits (2) Depending upon number of machines (a) Single machine cell (SMC) It consists of a fully automated machine capable of unattended operations for a time period longer than one machine cycle. It is capable of processing different part styles, responding to changes in production schedule, and accepting new part introductions. In this case processing is sequential not simultaneous (b) Flexible manufacturing cell (FMC) It consists of two or three processing workstation and a part handling system. The part handling system is connected to a load/unload station. It is capable of simultaneous production of different parts

(c) Flexible manufacturing system (FMS) It has four or more processing work stations

(typically CNC machining centers or turning centers) connected mechanically by a common part handling system and automatically by a distributed computer system. It also includes non-processing work stations that support production but do not directly participate in it. e.g. part / pallet washing stations, co-ordinate measuring machines. These features significantly differentiate it from Flexible manufacturing cell (FMC)
(3) Depending upon level of flexibility (a) Dedicated FMS It is designed to produce a particular variety of part styles. The product design is considered fixed. So, the system can be designed with a certain amount of process specialization to make the operation more efficient

(b) Random order FMS It is able to handle the substantial variations in part configurations. To accommodate these variations, a random order FMS must be more flexible than the dedicated FMS. A random order FMS is capable of processing parts that have a higher degree of complexity. Thus, to deal with these kinds of complexity, sophisticated computer control system is used for this FMS type Types of FMS Layouts: (1) Progressive or Line Type It is most appropriate for a system in which the part progress from one workstation to the next in a well defined sequence with no back flow. The operation of this type of system is similar to transfer type. (2) Loop Type The parts usually move in one direction around the loop, with the capability to stop and be transferred to any station. The loading and unloading station are typically located at one end of the loop (3) Ladder Type The loading and unloading station is typically located at the same end. The sequence to the operation/transfer of parts from one machine tool to another is in the form of ladder steps (4) Open Field Type The loading and unloading station is typically located at the same end. The parts will go through all the substations, such as CNC machines, coordinate measuring machines and wash station by the help of AGVs from one substation to another

(5) Robot Centered Type Robot centered cell is a relatively new form of flexible system in which one or more robots are used as the material handling systems. Industrial robots can be equipped with grippers that make them well suited for handling of rotational parts Aims of FMS: (1) To reduce costs (2) Better utilization of the production equipment reduction of stocks (ex: Work in progress capital shorter through put times) (3) Reduction of piece part unit costs. (4) To increase Technical Performance: (a) Increased production levels (b) Greater product mixture (c) Simultaneous product mixture manufacturing (d) Integration of the production system into the factorys logistical system (e) Smaller batch sizes (f) Shorter or zero change over or reset of times (4) To improve Order Development: (a) Shorter lead times/delivery times (b) Determination of production capacities (5) To assist future Corporate Security: (a) Increased Competitiveness (b) Increased Quality (c) Improved Company Image Advantages and disadvantages of FMS Implementation Advantages: (1) Faster, lower-cost changes from one part to another which will improve capital utilization (2) Lower direct labor cost, due to the reduction in number of workers (3) Reduced inventory, due to the planning and programming precision (4) Consistent and better quality, due to the automated control (5) Lower cost/unit of output, due to the greater productivity using the same number of workers (6) Savings from the indirect labor, from reduced errors, rework, repairs and rejects

Disadvantages: (1) Limited ability to adapt to changes in product or product mix (ex. machines are of limited capacity and the tooling necessary for products, even of the same family, is not always feasible in a given FMS) (2) Substantial pre-planning activity (3) Expensive, costing millions of dollars (4) Technological problems of exact component positioning and precise timing necessary to process a component (5) Sophisticated manufacturing systems Types of Data Files: (1) Part program file Contains all the part programs of parts processed on the system (2) Routing file Contains list of all the workstations through which each work part must be processed. It also contains alternate routings for the parts. If a machine in the primary routing is down for repairs or there is a large backlog of work waiting for the machine, the computer will select an alternate routing for the part to follow (3) Part production file A file of production parameters is maintained for each work part. It contains data relative to production rates for the various machines in the routing, inspections required etc (4) Pallet reference file A given pallet may be fixtured only for certain parts. The pallet reference file is used to maintain a record of the parts that each pallet can accept (5) Station tool file A file is kept for each workstation, identifying the codes of the cutting tools stored at that station (6) Tool life file This data file keeps the tool life value for each cutting tool in the system. The cumulative machining time is compared to its life for each cutting tool to replace the tool before its complete failure System Reports: (1) Utilization reports The reports summarize the utilization of individual work station and the average utilization of the complete system (2) Production reports Daily and weekly production reports with production schedule (3) Status reports Can be used for supervision of the system. Indicates status data on work parts, machine utilization, pallets and other operating parameters (4) Tool reports Used for tool control. List of missing tools at a work station, tool life status report at the end of each shift

Types of Flexibilities in Manufacturing Systems: (a) Basic flexibilities (1) Machine flexibility: The ease with which a machine can process various operations (2) Material handling flexibility: A measure of the ease with which different part types can be transported and properly positioned at the various machine tools in a system (3) Operation flexibility: A measure of the ease with which alternative operation sequences can be used for processing a part type (b) System flexibilities (1) Volume flexibility: A measure of a systems capability to be operated profitably at different volumes of the existing part types (2) Expansion flexibility: The ability to build a system and expand it incrementally (3) Routing flexibility: A measure of the alternative paths that a part can effectively follow through a system for a given process plan (4) Process flexibility: A measure of the volume of the set of part types that a system can produce without incurring any setup (5) Product flexibility: The volume of the set of part types that can be manufactured in a system with minor setup (c) Aggregate flexibilities (1) Program flexibility: The ability of a system to run for reasonably long periods without external intervention (2) Production flexibility: The volume of the set of part types that a system can produce without major investment in capital equipment (3) Market flexibility: The ability of a system to efficiently adapt to changing market conditions RECENT TRENDS
Depending upon the problem environment, many new trends have been accommodated with FMS to accord with the requirements of highly customized production, high flexibility, low production cost, and low lead time. 1) Production planning and control (PPC)

It includes the details of what and how many products to produce and when to obtain the raw materials, parts and resources to produce those products

2) Master production schedule (MPS)

It is a list of the product to be manufactured, when they should be completed and delivered, and in what quantities. The master schedule must be based on an accurate of demand and realistic assessment of the companys production capacity

3) Material requirements planning (MRP)

It is a planning technique, usually implemented by computer, that translates the MPS of end products into a detailed scheduled for the raw materials and parts used in those end products. MRP is often thought of as a method of inventory control

4) Just in time (JIT)

It refers to a scheduling discipline in which materials and parts are delivered to the next production line station just prior to their being used. In this type of discipline tends to reduce inventory and other kinds of waste manufacturing. The ideal JIT production system produces and delivers exactly the required number of each component to the down stream operation in the manufacturing sequence just at the time when that component is needed

5) Manufacturing resource planning (MRP II)

It is defined as a computer based system for planning, scheduling, and controlling the materials, resources, and supporting activities needed to meet the MPS. The recent generations of MRP II such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing execution system (MES), customer oriented manufacturing management systems (COMMS) etc have found great applications in the areas of quality control, maintenance management, customer field service, supply chain management, and product data management