Reconfigurable manufacturing systems and their enabling technologies

13 years 4 months ago

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A reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) is designed for rapid adjustment of production capacity and functionality in response to new market conditions and new process technology. It has several distinct characteristics including: modularity, integrability, customization, convertibility, and diagnosability. There are a number of key interrelated technologies that should be developed and implemented to achieve these characteristics. This paper examines and identifies these technologies. After a brief description of the RMSs and their goals, aspects of reconfiguration (reconfigurable system, software, controller, machine, and process) are explained; this provides one with a better understanding of the enabling technologies of RMSs. Then some of the issues related to technology requirements of RMSs at the system and machine design levels, and ramp-up time reduction are explained. The paper is concluded with descriptions of some of the future research directions for RMSs.

Mostafa G. Mehrabi, A. Galip Ulsoy, Yoram Koren

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