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