Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1990
Degree Name
Master of Science in Industrial Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
First Advisor
Sanchoy K. Das
Second Advisor
Layek Abdel-Malek
Third Advisor
Golgen Bengu
Fourth Advisor
Xiuli Chao
Abstract
Manufacturing flexibility has been a major topic of research in recent years. Researchers and managers are concerned about the role of flexibility in manufacturing performance. The strategic and economic impact of flexibility is of vital importance for managers in today's competitive industry.
This thesis initially provides an in-depth.perception of the prior research conducted in the area of manufacturing flexibility. Manufacturing flexibility, in this study, has been classified into four major types. Simple definitions and operational measures are provided for each of these primary types. The different factors effecting these flexibilities are identified. A new concept called the Cause-Effect-Flexibility-Technology diagrams based on the conventional cause-effect diagrams are introduced. The effect of routing, processing and product flexibilities on manufacturing performance has been studied. A simulation approach ia employed in the experimentation part and an animated model of a generic manufacturing system is built for this purpose. Various sets of experiments are designed to study the impact of different flexibilities on manufacturing performance. These experiments are conducted on the computer model and the results are analyzed to obtain important conclusions.
The primary concern of this study is to support managers and designers in identifying the potential impact of flexibility on their operations. Further, it helps in identifying the causes of uncertainties which can be managed by different types of flexibility, and then suggests technological solutions to implement these flexibilities.
Some of the major insights obtained in this thesis are as follows:
1. A FMS,.as opposed to an automated manufacturing facility, is only to provide further benefits if there exists a wide range of processing requirements which change with time.
2. Both routing and processing flexibilities are able to significantly reduce the flow time and WIP inventory within the FMS. These reductions are more pronounced. at higher levels of flexibility.
3. Where reduction of inventory is the prime objective, processing flexibility is preferred to routing flexibility. Where flow time minimization is the objective, routing flexibility is preferred.
4. In the use of routing flexibility there is a zone of avoidance. In this zone, performance rapidly deteriorates due to the high degree of routing imbalance.
5. When considering an FMS embedded within a larger facility, the benefits of the FMS may disappear at the exit point. Further studies will determine a critical proportion of FMS technology in the plant, in order to realize these benefits at the plant level. Several other results and analysis are stated during the course of the thesis.
Recommended Citation
Nagendra, Prashanth B., "A study of the effect of flexibility on manufacturing performance" (1990). Theses. 2881.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/2881
