Towards an assessment criterion of reconfigurable manufacturing systems within the automotive industry

Reconfigurable Manufacturing: A Classification of Elements Enabling Convertibility and Scalability

“…Indeed, as it allows information exchanges, from the perspective of supporting information systems, it should be defined and supported at every individual manufacturing level [27]. Information may simplify the adaption of operators and/or machines to eventual new requirements in terms of implemented functionalities [20], [28]. Connectivity may certainly simplify ST reconfigurations (e.g.…”

“…4) Ability to identify and manage problems related to reliability and/or to produc-tion quality: this element may be defined at both WL and SL. It includes both PE, such as devices for detection and diagnosis of reliability/quality-related problems [18], [20], and ME such as problem-solving methodologies and related IT support [32]. PE should be defined especially at WL and ME should be defined (and support-ed by adequate information systems) especially at SL.…”

“…In this case, they would be oriented at avoiding problems related to human mistakes during reconfigurations and/or after reconfigurations, thus allowing more frequent reconfigurations by contributing to the reduction of reconfiguration ramp-up times [30]. At WL these might be mechanisms to detect the usage of right tool and right components for a certain task (poka yoke) [20].…”

“…At SL, the universality of workstations may allow accomplishing incremental changes, for example the possibility to share and or swap functional units among stations. [3], [18], [20]. Moreover, features of the material handling system, such as the level of automation of its devices and the possible movements of these systems, impact on the incrementality of changes too [20].…”

“…In addressing this research question, "elements" enabling scalability and converti-bility are defined as concrete constituents of such characteristics. Moreover, focus is limited to the factory and lower manufacturing levels, where previous research on manufacturing "elements", "enablers" or "assessment criteria" (enabling specific characteristics of reconfigurability and/or enabling reconfigurability as a capability in itself [3], [18]- [20]) has been considered. For this purpose, criteria have been defined for analyzing previous research and ensure coverage of reconfigurability as a multi-dimensional capability and in turn create a basis for future research based on case studies.…”