MPMEC19

COMPUTER INTEGRATED
MANUFACTURING

Unit-2
Flexible Manufacturing Systems
Dr. Andriya Narasimhulu
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Netaji Subhas University of Technology
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Unit – 2
• Flexible Manufacturing Systems : Shop floor control, phases factory
data collection system, automatics identification methods – Bar code
technology – automated data collection system, Components of FMS
work stations, Material Handling Systems, and Computer Control
system, FMS Layout configurations and benefits of FMS, Application
of CNC in FMS

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Block Diagram of FMS

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FMS Introduction
• The flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a type of machine cell to
implement cellular manufacturing.

• It is the most automated and technologically sophisticated of the

group-technology (GT) cells.

• An FMS typically possesses multiple automated stations and is

capable of variable routings among stations.
• Its flexibility allows it to cope with soft product variety
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An FMS integrates into one highly automated manufacturing system
including

• Flexible automation

• CNC machines, distributed computer control

• Automated material handling and storage, and

• Group technology
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 FMS technology can be applied in
production situations
• Presently the plant either produces parts in batches or uses manned GT
cells, and management wants to automate.
• It is possible to group a portion of the parts made in the plant into part
families, whose similarities permit them to be processed on the machines in
the flexible manufacturing system.

• Part similarities can be interpreted to mean that

(1) the parts belong to a common product and/or
(2) the parts possess similar geometries.
• In either case, the processing requirements of the parts must be sufficiently
similar to allow them to be made on the FMS.

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• The parts or products made by the facility are in the mid-volume, mid-
variety production range.

• The appropriate production volume range is 5,000–75,000 parts per year.

• If annual production is below this range, an FMS is likely to be an

expensive alternative.

• If production volume is above this range, then a more specialized

production system should probably be considered.

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The differences between installing a flexible manufacturing
system and implementing a manually operated machine cell
1. The FMS requires a significantly greater capital investment because
new equipment is being installed, whereas the manually operated
machine cell might only require existing equipment to be relocated,
and
2. The FMS is technologically more sophisticated for the human
resources who must make it work.

• However, the potential benefits are substantial. They include increased

machine utilization, reduced factory floor space, greater
responsiveness to change, lower inventory and manufacturing lead
times, and higher labor productivity
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 What is FMS?
• A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a highly automated GT machine
cell, consisting of one or more processing stations (usually CNC machine
tools), interconnected by an automated material handling and storage
system and 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 at the various workstations,
and the mix of part styles and quantities of production can be adjusted in
response to changing demand patterns.

• A more appropriate term for FMS would be flexible automated

manufacturing system.

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 Flexibility
1. The ability to identify the different incoming part or product styles
processed by the system,
2. Quick changeover of operating instructions, and
3. Quick changeover of physical setup.

• Flexibility is an attribute that applies to both manual and automated

systems.
• In manual systems, the human workers are often the enablers of the
system’s flexibility.
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Figure 1 Automated manufacturing cell with two machine tools and robot. Is it a flexible cell?

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 Qualification for Flexibility
To qualify as being flexible, an automated manufacturing system should
satisfy the following four tests of flexibility
1. Part-variety test.
• Can the system process different part or product styles in a mixed model (non-
batch) mode?
2. Schedule-change test.
• Can the system readily accept changes in production schedule, that is, changes in
part mix and/or production quantities?
3. Error-recovery test.
• Can the system recover gracefully from equipment malfunctions and
breakdowns, so that production is not completely disrupted?
4. New-part test.
• Can new part designs be introduced into the existing part mix with relative ease if
their features qualify them as being members of the part family for which the system
was designed? Also,
• can design changes be made in existing parts without undue challenge to the system?12
 Eligibility of Robotic work cell
1. Can machine different part configurations in a mix rather than in
batches;
2. Permits changes in production schedule (changes in part mix);
3. Is capable of continuing to operate even though one machine
experiences a breakdown (e.g., while repairs are being made on the
broken machine, its work is temporarily reassigned to the other
machine), and
4. Can accommodate new part designs if the NC part programs are
written off-line and then downloaded to the system for execution.

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 Types of FMs
• Flexible manufacturing systems can be distinguished according to the kinds of
operations they perform:
• processing operations or assembly operations.

• Other ways to classify flexible manufacturing systems are by number of machines

and level of flexibility
1. Single-machine cell,
2. Flexible manufacturing cell, and
3. Flexible manufacturing system.

• Level of Flexibility. Another way to classify flexible manufacturing systems is

according to the level of flexibility designed into the system. Two categories of
flexibility are discussed here:
1. Dedicated and
2. Random-order 14
A single-machine cell
• A single-machine cell consists of one CNC machining center combined with a
parts storage system for unattended operation
• Completed parts are periodically unloaded from the parts-storage unit, and raw
work parts are loaded into it.
• The cell can be designed to operate in a batch mode, a flexible mode, or a
combination of the two.
• When operated in a batch mode, the machine processes parts of a single style in
specified lot sizes and is then changed over to process a batch of the next part
style.
• When operated in a flexible mode, the system satisfies three of the four flexibility
tests.
• It is capable of
1. Processing different part styles,
2. Responding to changes in production schedule, and
3. Accepting new part introductions.
• Test (3), error recovery, cannot be satisfied because if the single machine breaks
down, production stops.
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Figure 2 Single-machine cell consisting of one CNC machining
center and parts storage unit.
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A flexible manufacturing cell (FMC)
• A flexible manufacturing cell (FMC) consists of two or three
processing workstations (typically CNC machining centers or turning
centers) plus a parts-handling system.

• The parts-handling system is connected to a load/unload station.

• The handling system usually includes a limited parts-storage capacity.

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A flexible manufacturing system (FMS)
• A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) has four or more processing
stations connected mechanically by a common parts-handling system
and electronically by a distributed computer system

• an important distinction between an FMS and an FMC is the number

of machines: an FMC has two or three machines, while an FMS has
four or more

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 FMC vs FMS
• An important distinction between an FMS and an FMC is the number of
machines: an FMC has two or three machines, while an FMS has four or
more

• One is that the FMS generally includes nonprocessing workstations that

support production but do not directly participate in it. These other stations
include part/pallet washing stations, inspection stations, and so on.

• The computer control system of an FMS is generally more sophisticated,

often including functions not always found in a cell, such as diagnostics and
tool monitoring.

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Figure 3 A flexible manufacturing cell consisting of three identical processing stations (CNC machining centers), a
load/unload station, and a parts-handling system. 20
Four Tests of Flexibility Applied to the Three
Types of Manufacturing Cells and Systems

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Dedicated FMS
• A dedicated FMS is designed to produce a limited variety of part styles, and
the complete population of parts is known in advance.

• The part family may be based on product commonality rather than

geometric similarity.

• The product design is considered stable, so the system can be designed with
a certain amount of process specialization to make the operations more
efficient.

• Instead of being general purpose, the machines can be designed for the
specific processes required to make the limited part family, thus increasing
the production rate of the system

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Random-order FMS
• A random-order FMS is more appropriate when the following circumstances
apply:
(1) The part family is large,
(2) There are substantial variations in part configurations,
(3) New part designs will be introduced into the system and engineering changes will be made to
parts currently produced, and
(4) The production schedule is subject to change from day-to-day.

• To accommodate these variations, the random-order FMS must be more flexible

than the dedicated FMS

• It is equipped with general-purpose machines to deal with the product variations

and is capable of processing parts in various sequences (random order). A more
sophisticated computer control system is required for this FMS type.

• The dedicated FMS is less flexible but capable of higher production rates. The
random-order FMS is more flexible but at the cost of lower production rates.
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Dedicated vs Random FMS

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FMC/FMS Components
• The three basic components of a flexible manufacturing system are
• workstations,
• material handling and storage system, and
• computer control system
• Functions typically performed by humans include
(1) loading raw work parts into the system,
(2) unloading finished parts (or assemblies) from the system,
(3) changing and setting tools,
(4) performing equipment maintenance and repair,
(5) performing NC part programming,
(6) programming and operating the computer system, and
(7) managing the system.

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FMC/FMS Components – Workstations
The types of workstations typically found in an FMS
1. Load/Unload Stations
2. Machining Stations
3. Assembly
4. Other stations and Equipment’s
• Inspection stations
• Forging stations
• Sheet metal processing, etc.

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 FMC/FMS Components – Material Handling and Storage
systems
Functions of the handling system
• Random independent movement of work parts between stations
• Handling a variety of work part configurations
• Temporary storage
• Convenient access for loading and unloading work parts
• Compatibility with computer control
Secondary Handling Systems
• Reorientation of the work part if necessary to present the surface that is to be
processed
• Buffer storage of parts to minimize work-change time and maximize station
utilization

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FMC/FMS Components –Computer Control
System
(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

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Application characteristics of FMS

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Flexible manufacturing system

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Different approaches to flexibility and
their meanings

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 Flexibility in Manufacturing
There are three levels of manufacturing flexibility
• Basic flexibilities
• System flexibilities
• Aggregate flexibilities

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 Basic flexibilities
• Machine flexibility: The ease with which a machine can process
various operations
• 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
• Operation flexibility: A measure of the ease with which alternative
operation sequences can be used for processing a part type

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 System flexibilities
• Volume flexibility: A measure of a system’s capability to be operated
profitably at different volumes of the existing part types
• Expansion flexibility: The ability to build a system and expand it
incrementally
• Routing flexibility: A measure of the alternative paths that a part can
effectively follow through a system for a given process plan
• Process flexibility: A measure of the volume of the set of part types
that a system can produce without incurring any setup
• Product flexibility: The volume of the set of part types that can be
manufactured in a system with minor setup

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 Aggregate flexibilities
• Program flexibility: The ability of a system to run for reasonably
long periods without external intervention
• Production flexibility: The volume of the set of part types that a
system can produce without major investment in capital equipment
• Market flexibility: The ability of a system to efficiently adapt to
changing market conditions

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 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FMS
• Sequential FMS
• Random FMS
• Dedicated FMS
• Engineered FMS
• Modular FMS

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• Sequential FMS: It manufactures one-piece part batch type and then
planning and preparation is carried out for the next piece part batch type to
be manufactured. It operates like a small batch flexible transfer line.
• Random FMS: It manufactures any random mix of piece part types at any
one time.
• Dedicated FMS: It continually manufactures, for extended periods, the
same but limited mix of piece part batch types.
• Engineered FMS: It manufactures the same mix of part types throughout
its lifetime.
• Modular FMS: A modular FMS, with a sophisticated FMS host, enables
and FMS user to expand their FMS capabilities in a stepwise fashion into
any of the previous four types of FMS

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 FMS Layout Configurations
1. Progressive or Line Type
2. Loop Type
3. Ladder Type
4. Open field type
5. Robot centered type

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Figure 4 FMS in-line layouts: (a) one-direction flow similar to a transfer line, (b) linear transfer system with secondary
parts-handling and storage system at each station to facilitate flow in two directions. Key: Load = parts loading station,
Unload = parts unloading station, Mach = machining station, Man = manual station, Auto = automated station
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Figure 5 FMS in-line layout with integrated part-storage system. Key: Load = parts loading station, Unload = parts
unloading station, Mach = machining station, Man = manual station, Auto = automated station.

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Figure 6 (a) FMS loop layout with secondary parts-handling system at each station to allow unobstructed flow on the loop,
and (b) rectangular layout for recirculation of empty pallets to the parts loading station. Key: Load = parts loading station,
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Unload = parts unloading station, Mach = machining station, Man = manual station, Auto = automated station.
 Progressive or Line type
• The machines and handling system are arranged in a line as shown in
the Fig. (a).

• 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 very similar to transfer type.

Work always flows in unidirectional path as shown in Fig. (a).

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43
 Open Field Type
• The configuration of the open field is as shown in Fig.(d). 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 AGV’s from one
substation to another.

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Figure 7 FMS open field layout. Key: Load = parts loading
station, Unload = parts unloading station, Mach = machining
station, Man = manual station, Aut = automated station, AGV =
automated guided vehicle, Rechg = AGV battery recharging
station, Clng = cleaning, Insp = inspection.

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 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 as
shown in Fig. (e). Industrial robots can be equipped with grippers that
make them well suited for handling of rotational parts

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48
 Material Handling Equipment Typically Used
as the Primary Handling System for FMS
Layouts
Layout Configuration Typical Material Handling System
In-line layout In-line transfer system
Conveyor system
Rail-guided vehicle system
Overhead raid-guided vehicle system with robotic part
handling
Loop layout Conveyor system
In-floor towline carts
Open field layout Automated guided vehicle system
In-floor towline carts
Robot-centered layout Industrial robot

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 Factors Influencing the FMS Layouts
• Availability of raw material
• Proximity to market
• Transport facilities
• Availability of efficient and cheap labor
• Availability of power, water and fuel
• Atmospheric and climatic condition
• Social and recreation facilities
• Business and economic conditions

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 OBJECTIVES OF AN FMS
• Decreased Lead Times
• Increased Through put
• Increased machine utilization
• Improved Due Date Reliability
• Decreased Store Inventors Levels
• Decreased Work in Progress
• Increased Quality

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 AIMS OF FMS
• To reduce costs
• Better utilization of the production equipment reduction of stocks (ex: Work in
progress— capital shorter through put times)
• Reduction of piece part unit costs.
• To increase Technical Performance:
• Increased production levels
• Greater product mixture
• Simultaneous product mixture manufacturing
• Integration of the production system into the factory’s logistical system
• Smaller batch sizes
• Shorter or zero change over or reset of times
• To improve Order Development:
• Shorter lead times/delivery times
• Determination of production capacities
• To assist future Corporate Security:
• Increased Competitiveness
• Increased Quality
• Improved Company Image
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 THE PRINCIPLE OBJECTIVES OF FMS

1. To improve operational control through:

• Reduction in the number of uncontrollable variables.
• Providing tools to recognize and react quickly to deviations in the
manufacturing plan
• Reducing the dependence of human communication.
2. To reduce direct labor:
• Removing operators from the machining site (their responsibilities activities
can be broadened).
• Eliminating dependence on highly skilled machines (their manufacturing
skills can be better utilized in manufacturing engineering functions).
• Providing a catalyst to introduce and support unattended or lightly attended
machining operation.
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THE PRINCIPLE OBJECTIVES OF FMS
3. To improve short run responsiveness consisting of:
• Engineering changes
• Processing changes
• Machining downtime or unavailability
• Cutting tool failure n Late material delivery
4. To improve long-run accommodations through quicker and easier assimilation of:
• Changing product volumes
• New product additions and introductions
• Differentiation part mixes
• Increase Machine Utilization by:
• Eliminating machine setup
• Utilizing automated features to replace manual intervention
• Providing quick transfer devices to keep machines in the cutting cycle n
• Reduce inventors by:
• Reducing lot sizes
• Improving inventors turn-over
• Providing the planning tools for JIT manufacturing
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 ADVANTAGES FMS IMPLEMENTATION
• Faster, lower-cost changes from one part to another which will
improve capital utilization n
• Lower direct labor cost, due to the reduction in number of workers
• Reduced inventory, due to the planning and programming precision
• Consistent and better quality, due to the automated control
• Lower cost/unit of output, due to the greater productivity using the
same number of workers
• Savings from the indirect labor, from reduced errors, rework, repairs
and rejects

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 DISADVANTAGES FMS IMPLEMENTATION

• 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)
• Substantial pre-planning activity
• Expensive, costing millions of dollars
• Technological problems of exact component positioning and precise
timing necessary to process a component
• Sophisticated manufacturing systems

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AREA OF APPLICATION OF A FMS IN INDUSTRY

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 VARIOUS EQUIPMENTS AND THEIR
FUNCTIONS REQUIRED FOR AN FMS
1. Primary equipment:
• It adds value to the piece parts being manufactured. It consists of work centers,
which physically machine a piece part, and process centers, which assemble,
check or wash, etc. the piece parts.

2. Secondary equipment:
• It is used to support the primary equipment in achieving this goal. It consists
of support stations such as pallet/fixture load-unload stations and tool
commissioning/setting area, etc.
• It also consists of support equipments such as robots, pallet/fixture/stillage
stores, pallet buffer stations, tool stores, raw material stores, transport system
(AGVs, RGVs, robots) for tooling and piece parts, etc.
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INNOVATIONS
THAT HAVE
ADVANCED THE
MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIES

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FMS Applications
• Flexible automation is applicable to a variety of manufacturing
operations.
• FMS technology is most widely applied in machining operations.
• Other applications include sheet metal press working and assembly

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 Flexible Machining systems
• Most of the applications of flexible machining systems have been in
milling and drilling operations (nonrotational parts), using CNC machining
centers.

• FMS applications for turning (rotational parts) were much less common
until recently, and the systems that are installed tend to consist of fewer
machines

For example, single-machine cells consisting of parts-storage units, parts-

loading robots, and CNC turning centers are widely used today, although not
always in a flexible mode.

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FMs planning and Implementation Issues
• Implementation of a flexible manufacturing system represents a major
investment and commitment by the user company.

• It is important that the installation of the system be preceded by a

thorough planning and design process, and that its operation be
characterized by good management of all resources: machines, tools,
pallets, parts, and people.

1. Planning and Design Issues

2. Operations and Management Issues

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 Planning and Design Issues
Factors in FMS Design
1. Part family considerations 1. Types of workstations
2. Processing requirements 2. Variations in process routing and FMS
3. Physical characteristics of the work parts layout
3. Material Handling Systems
4. Production volume
4. Work-in-process and storage capacity
5. Tooling
6. Pallet fixture

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Operations Management issues
• Once the FMS is installed, its resources must be optimized to meet
production requirements and achieve operational objectives related to
profit, quality, and customer satisfaction.
1. Scheduling and dispatching
2. Machine loading
3. Part routing
4. Part grouping
5. Tool management
6. Pallet and fixture allocation
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 FMS Benefits
1. Increased machine utilization
• 24 hr per day operation,
• automatic tool changing of machine tools,
• automatic pallet changing at workstations,
• queues of parts at stations, and
• dynamic scheduling of production that compensates for irregularities
2. Fewer machines required
3. Reduction in factory floor space
4. Greater responsiveness to change
5. Reduced inventory requirements
6. Lower manufacturing lead times
7. Reduced direct labor requirements and higher labor productivity
8. Opportunity for unattended production
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 Analysis of FMS
FMS analysis techniques can be classified into
1. Deterministic models:-useful in obtaining starting estimates of
system performance
2. Queueing models:- used to describe some of the dynamics not
accounted for in deterministic approaches
3. Discrete event simulation, and
4. Other approaches, including heuristics
Other techniques that have been applied to analyze FMS design and
operational problems include mathematical programming and
various heuristic approaches
1. Bottleneck Models Alternate Approaches to FMS
1. Mass customization,
2. Extended bottleneck Model 2. Reconfigurable manufacturing systems, and
3. Sizing the FMS 3. Agile manufacturing 66
 Bottleneck Model
• Important aspects of FMS performance can be mathematically described by a
deterministic model called the bottleneck model, developed by Solberg.

• It can be used to provide starting estimates of FMS design parameters such as

• production rate,
• number of workstations, and similar measures.

• The term bottleneck refers to the fact that the output of the production system has
an upper limit, given that the product mix flowing through the system is fixed.

• The model can be applied to any production system that possesses this bottleneck
feature, for example, a manually operated group technology cell or a production
job shop.

• It is not limited to flexible manufacturing systems 67

 Terminology in Bottleneck Model
• Part Mix
• Workstations and servers: Let si = the number of servers at workstation i, where i
= 1, 2,…….n
• Process routing: Let Tcijk = processing cycle time, which is the total time that a
production unit occupies a given workstation server, not counting any waiting time
at the station. the subscript i refers to the station, j refers to the part or product
style, and k refers to the sequence of operations in the process routing
• Part-handling system: Let sn+1 = the number of carriers in the part handling system
• Transport time: Let Tr = the mean transport time (repositioning time) required to
move a part from one workstation to the next station in the process routing
• Operation frequency: Let fijk = operation frequency for operation k in process plan
j at station i.

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Terminology and symbols in Bottleneck Model
Part mix.
• The mix of the various part or product styles produced by the system
is defined by pj,
where pj = the fraction of the total system output that is of style j.
The subscript j = 1, 2,….. nf,
where nf = the total number of different part styles (family members)
made in the FMS during the time period of interest.
The values of pj must sum to unity, that is,

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 FMS operational parameters
• The average workload for a given station is defined as the mean total
time spent at the station per part.
It is calculated a
where WLi = average workload for station i, min;
Tcijk = processing cycle time for operation k in process plan j at station i, min; and
fijk = operation frequency for operation k in part j at station i; and
pj = part-mix fraction for part j
• The workload of the handling system is the mean transport time multiplied by the average number of transports
required to complete the processing of a work part
• The average number of transports is equal to the mean number of operations in the process routing minus one. That
is

where nt = mean number of transports, and the other terms are defined earlier
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• The workload of the handling system can now be computed:

where WLn+1 = workload of the handling system, min;

nt = mean number of transports by Equation; and
Tr = mean transport time per move, min

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 FMS performance Metrics
Measures to assess performance of a flexible manufacturing system
include
• Production rate of all parts,
• Production rate of each part style,
• Utilization of the different workstations, and
• Number of busy servers at each workstation

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 Production rate of all parts
• The workload per server is

• The maximum production rate of all parts of the FMS can be

determined as

where Rp* = maximum production rate of all part styles produced by the system,
which is determined by the capacity of the bottleneck station, pc/min;
s* = number of servers at the bottleneck station, and
WL* = workload at the bottleneck station, min/pc.
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 Production rate of each part style

where Rpj* = maximum production rate of part style j, pc/min; and

pj = part-mix fraction for part style j.

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 Utilization of the different workstations
Where = overall FMS utilization,
si = number of servers at station i, and
Ui = utilization of station i.
The mean utilization of each workstation is the proportion of time that
the servers at the station are working and not idle. This can be
computed as

To obtain the average station utilization, simply

compute the average value for all stations,
including the transport system:

where Ui = utilization of station i;

WLi = workload of station i, min/pc;
si = number of servers at station i; and
Rp* = overall production rate, pc/min.
The utilization of the bottleneck station is 100% at Rp*.
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 Number of busy servers at each workstation
• All of the servers at the bottleneck station are busy at the maximum
production rate, but the servers at the other stations are idle some of
the time. The values can be calculated as

where BSi = number of busy servers on average at station i and

WLi = workload at station i.

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Example 1 Determining nt
• Consider a manufacturing system with two stations: (1) a load/unload
station and (2) a machining station. The system processes just one
part, part A, so the part-mix fraction pA = 1.0. The frequency of all
operations is fiAk = 1.0. The parts are loaded at station 1, routed to
station 2 for machining, and then sent back to station 1 for unloading
(three operations in the routing).

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Example 2 Bottleneck model
A flexible machining system consists of a load/unload station and two machining workstations. Station 1 is
the load/unload station with one server (human worker). Station 2 performs milling and consists of three
identical CNC milling machines. Station 3 performs drilling and consists of two identical CNC drill
presses. The stations are connected by a part-handling system that has two carriers. The mean transport
time is 2.5 min. The FMS produces three parts, A, B, and C. The part-mix fractions and process routings
for the three parts are presented in the table below. The operation frequency fijk = 1.0 for all i, j, and k.
Determine (a) maximum production rate of the FMS, (b) corresponding production rates of each product,
(c) utilization of each station, (d) average utilization of the processing stations, and (e) number of busy
servers at each station.

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Example 3
• A flexible manufacturing cell consists of two machining workstations plus a load/ unload station.
The load/unload station is station 1 with one server (human worker). Station 2 consists of one CNC
machining center. Station 3 has one CNC drill press. The three stations are connected by a part-
handling system that has one work carrier. The mean transport time is 2.0 min. The FMC produces
three parts, A, B, and C. The part-mix fractions and process routings for the three parts are
presented in the table below. The operation frequency is fijk = 1.0 for all operations. Determine (a)
maximum production rate of the FMC, (b) corresponding production rates of each product, (c)
utilization of each machine in the system, and (d) number of busy servers at each station. A
spreadsheet calculator is recommended for this problem.

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Alternative Approaches to FMS
• Mass customization
• Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems
• Agile Manufacturing

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 Mass customization
• Design of products that are customizable
• Soft product variety
• Design Modularity
• Postponement

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 Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems
• Customized flexibility
• Convertibility
• Scalability
• Modularity
• Integrate-ability
• Diagnostics-ability

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 Agile Manufacturing
• Organize to master change
• Leverage the impact of people and information
• Cooperate to enhance competitiveness
• Enrich the customer

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 Material Handling
• Material handling is defined by the Material Handling Industry of
America as “the movement, protection, storage and control of
materials and products throughout the process of manufacture and
distribution, consumption and disposal”.

• The handling of materials must be performed safely, efficiently, at low

cost, in a timely manner, accurately (the right materials in the right
quantities to the right locations), and without damage to the materials.

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Figure Material handling and identification in the production system.

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 Material handling equipment
• A great variety of material handling equipment is available
commercially. The equipment can be classified into five categories:
1. Transport equipment,
2. Positioning equipment,
3. Unit load formation equipment,
4. Storage equipment, and
5. Identification and control equipment.

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Figure 2 Examples of unit load containers for material handling:
(a) wooden pallet, (b) pallet box, and (c) tote box.

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 Transport equipment.
• Material transport equipment is used to move materials inside a
factory, warehouse, or other facility.
• The five main types of equipment are
1. Industrial trucks,
2. Automated guided vehicles,
3. Rail-guided vehicles,
4. Conveyors, and
5. Hoists and cranes.

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 Positioning equipment.
• This category consists of equipment used to handle parts and other
materials at a single location: for example, loading and unloading parts
from a production machine in a work cell.

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 Unit Load Formation equipment
• The term unitizing equipment refers to
(1) Containers used to hold individual items during handling and
(2) Equipment used to load and package the containers.
• Containers include pallets, tote pans, boxes, baskets, barrels, and
drums

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CIM TECHNOLOGY

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 HIERARCHY OF CIM
• The computer integrated manufacturing includes all of the engineering
functions of CAD/CAM along with firm’s business functions that are
related to manufacturing
• The activities in factory’s environment can be logically distributed into
a hierarchy to run on a data exchange network system.
• There are 5 levels of control or organization as shown Fig.

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93
CIM hierarchy
• Control functions are executed at Level 1 and 2 of the CIM hierarchy
consisting of CNC, NC, RC and PLC equipment's.
• Levels 3, 4 and 5 define the organizational levels such as FMS host,
area controller, plant control or MRP computer, etc.
• Level 1 of the hierarchy include the drives, motors, limit switches, etc.
of the production equipment.
• Level 2 includes the controllers, which enable a machine to achieve an
autonomous standalone capability. The CNCs, PLCs and
microcomputers enable the machine to which they are dedicated to run
unsupported from controllers on other hierarchy levels.
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 CIM hierarchy
• A production cell host computer can be installed above the stand-alone
machine to provide organization and monitoring of a group of such
machines.

• This is the level 3(a) where usually personal computers and minicomputers
are installed. It is often dependent upon the size of the system and
complexity, whether the manufacturing industries define these systems as
• Flexible manufacturing system (FMS)—Large systems
• Flexible manufacturing cells (FMC)—Small systems

• Level 3(b) is the one where the host computer is often known as a
coordination or master host.
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 CIM hierarchy
• Level 4 configures the control level for an area within a factory.

• The input and output of material into the area is planned at this level.

• The planning for a particular area involves an interactive dialogue

between the computer on this level and say FMS host, the computer is
termed as an area controller.

• If not and the planning is carried out without any feedback, the
computer at this level is open loop shop floor scheduling system.
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 CIM hierarchy
• If no planning is carried out by the computer, but only the collection
and evaluation of data from level 3, the computer is classed as a
management information system.

• The minicomputers and mainframes of level 5 provide the automation

of the factory wide or corporate functions.

• Such functions include CAP, CAD, MRP, finance, marketing, etc

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DIRECT REAL TIME SCHEDULE CONTROL

• Planned work is only allocated to a specific machine when the individual

piecepart has been setup in a fixture on a pallet and a machine is available,
with all its necessary equipment and programs, to process it.

• The object of the host is to keep the expensive capital equipment utilized by
supplying with it with work.

• This is best achieved when preparatory work is carried out simultaneously

whilst the machine is still working.

• The host organizes the preparation and transportation of the work so that it
is readily available to the machine when it next requests some work.

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The major functions of FMS host 99
Major Tasks of
FMS Hosts

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THANK YOU

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