Flexible Manufacturing

Systems

Flexible Manufacturing Systems

• Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) is an automated workshop.

• Automation means – automated processing,– automated transportation,– automated storing.

Decision Making in FMS

• Decision means– what,– when,– how,– with what

to process/transport/store.

• Decision making is still a research topic in the forefront.

History of FMS

• First FMS in 1960’s in England.

• System 24: ever working workshop.

• Huge majority of FMSs is working in Japan.

Technical Development of Automated Processing 1.

• NC: Numeric Control– punch tape + dedicated input device– origin: textile industry used circuits of

punch cards.

Technical Development of Automated Processing 2.

• CNC: Computer Numeric Control– A mainframe computer directed the

production manchines used in the production.

– What is mainframe computer?– World record: one computer controled

more than 200 machines.

Technical Development of Automated Processing 3.

• DNC: Direct Numeric Control. The machine has its own PC.

• Since 1980’s.

DNC Machine

Machine Related Resources

• The capacity of the machine. Measured in time.• The capacity of the tool magazine. Measured in number of

places.

•Buffer capacity

Transportation System

• AGV: Automated Guided Vehicle

AGV Transports a Palette

•

Path is Coded into the Floor

•

Industrial Robot

•

Arm

Hand

The Moves of an Industrial Robot

• Arm:– forwards/backwards– up and down– rotation around a vertical axis

• Hand:– up and down– rotation around a vertical axis– rotation around a horizontal axis

Robot as Transportation Device

•

Robot as Production Device

• Painter robot

• Welding robot– They are more expensive

• Assembly robot

Welding Robot

•

Assembly Robot 1.

•

Assembly Robot 2: The Case of Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

•

Conveyor

•

Conveyor on Assembly Line

•

Traditional Conveyor

•

Automated Storing System

•

Positions

Robot of the

storing

system

Advanteges of FMS

• High precision of NC machines.

• Flexible change among technological alternatives.

• Low level of workforce.

• Small batches.

• High productivity.

• Reduced set-up times.

Scientific Problems

• Avoiding deadlock

• Optimal schedule of production, transportation and storing simultanuously.– Exact models are too large.– Rule of thumb ↔ Heuristics

A Modern Layout

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Sources of Pictures and Videos

• http://www.cncmachinesinmotion.com/Images/3VK_cnc_machine.jpg

• http://www.biesse.it/dati/files/246_510_intermac_stone_master_30_tool_change.jpg

• http://www.fke.utm.my/lab/robotics/image/fmsp10.JPG

• http://www.robot-welding.com/images/robotwelding.jpg

• http://www.aw-systems.com/images/gsa_products/conveyor.jpg

• http://www.imps4ever.info/linwood/factory/main_assembly_conveyor.jpg

• http://www.pacline.com/images/conveyor_for_assembly_of_pl.jpg

• Thank you for your attention