Flexible Manufacturing

Systems (FMS)
• An FMS is a “reprogrammable” manufacturing
system capable of producing a variety of
products automatically. Conventional
manufacturing systems have been marked by
one of two distinct features:
– The capability of producing a variety of
different product types, but at a high
cost (e.g., job shops).
– The capability of producing large
volumes of a product at a lower cost,
but very inflexible in terms of the
product types which can be produced
(e.g., transfer lines). 1
 Definition of Flexible
Manufacturing System
•

Flexible Manufacturing System:



- “A system that consists of
numerous programmable machine
tools connected by an automated
material handling system”

2
Characteristics of FMS

• It is an attempt to solve
production problems of mid-
volume and mid-variety parts.
• It is designed to process several
parts in the given mix
simultaneously.
• It is equipped with
sophisticated flexible machine
tools.
3
Characteristics of FMS
(cont.)

• Parts are transferred from

machine to machine by a
computer controlled Material
Handling System (MHS).
• It consists of three sub-
systems: the machining
system, the material handling
system and the control 4
 Production Technology
Flexible Manufacturing Systems
General
purpose
1000
Work cells
CIM
Products

Flexible
100 Manufacturing
System
Focused
10 automation

Dedicated
automation
1
1 10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000

Volume
5
 How You Can Use FMS
• To reduce set up and queue times
• Improve efficiency
• Reduce time for product completion
• Utilize human workers better
• Improve product routing
• Produce a variety of Items under one roof
• Improve product quality
• Serve a variety of vendors simultaneously
• Produce more product more quickly
6

FMS Components

• Numerical Control (NC) machine tools

• Automated material handling system
(AMHS)
– Automated guided vehicles (AGV)
– Conveyors
– Automated storage and retrieval
systems (AS/RS)
• Industrial Robots
• Control Software
7
Flexible Manufacturing System
Computer
control
room
Tools

Conveyor

Machine Machine

Pallet

Load Unload

Terminal Finished 8
Parts
goods
Manufacturing
Technology
• Numerically controlled (NC)
machines
– controlled by punched tape
• Computer numerical controlled (CNC)
– controlled by attached computer
• Direct numerical control (DNC)
– several NC machines controlled
by single computer
9
Automated Material
Handling
• Conveyors
• Automated guided vehicle (AGV)
• Automated storage & retrieval
system (ASRS)

10
Robotics

• Programmable manipulators
• Follow specified path
• Better than humans with
respect to
– hostile environments
– long hours
– consistency
11
Robot Parts

• Controller
– hardware, software, power
source
• Manipulator
– robot arm
• End-effector
– “hand”
12
Production Technology
Robots

• Machines that
hold, move, or
grasp items
• Perform
monotonous or
dangerous
tasks © 1984-1994 T/Maker Co.

• Used when
speed, 13
Common Uses of Robots

• •
• Loading and •
unloading • Inspection
• •
• Spray painting • Machine Assembly
•
• Welding
•
• Material handling 14
•
 Production Technology
Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV)

• Material
handling © 1984-1994 T/Maker Co.

machines
• Used to move
parts &
equipment in
manufacturing
• May be used to
deliver mail & 15
Computer Integrated
Manufacturing

•
•
• CIM: “The Integration of the total
manufacturing enterprise through the use
of integrated systems and data
communications coupled with new
managerial philosophies that improve
organizational and personnel efficiency.”
(4)

16
 Components of CIM


•
• CAD Computer Aided Design
•
• CAM Computer Aided Manufacturing
•
• CAE Computer Aided Engineering
•

17
Challenges with FMS

•
• Determining if FMS is the best production
system for your company (economically
and socially)
•
• Possible expansion costs associated with
implementing FMS
•
• Day to day maintenance of FMS operations
18
Production Technology
Flexible Manufacturing
Systems (FMS)

• Using automated Auto Tool

machines (DNC) Chg.
& materials Machine 1
handling
Robot
equipment or AGV
together Computer
• Often connected to Auto Tool
centralized Chg.
computer Machine 2
19
• Also called
 Production Technology
FMS - Pros & Cons


• Advantages
– Faster, lower-cost changes from one
part to another
– Lower direct labor costs
– Reduced inventory
– Consistent, and perhaps better
quality
– FMS in a batch production system
offers several flexibilities, like:
machine flexibility, process 20

flexibility, product flexibility,

Production Technology
FMS - Pros & Cons

• Disadvantages
– Limited ability to adapt to
product or product mix
changes
– Requires substantial
preplanning and capital
expenditures
– Technological problems of
exact component positioning 21
and precise timing
Flexible Manufacturing

How Does It Work ?

22
Integration of FMS

23
Making FMS Work
–
– By implementing the
components of robotics,
manufacturing technology and
computer integrated
manufacturing in a correct
order one can achieve a
successful Flexible
Manufacturing System 24
A Real World Example

•

The

Ford

Motor
Company
25
Ford’s Problem

•
• At Ford Powertrain they faced
the following challenges



- outdated cell controller

- lack of flexibility because of
it
26

- causing loss of efficiency
Solution

•
• Implemented a cell
control based on an
open architecture,
commonly available
tools, and industry
standard hardware,
software, and protocols.
27
Benefits

•
• Enabled Ford to mix and match
machine tools from different
vendors
• Reduced the number of man-
years required to implement
the application
28
Benefits Continued

•
• The budget for the fully
automatic closed-loop
controller was less
• No formal training was required
for the floor shop operators

29
Computer-Integrated
Manufacturing

30
Summing Up (FMS)

• Programmable machine tools

• Controlled by common computer
network
• Combines flexibility with
efficiency
• Reduces setup & queue times

31
Manufacturing
Technology

• This part of FMS uses:

–
– NC Numerically Controlled Machine
–
– CNC Computer Controlled Machine
–
– DNC Direct Numerical Controlled
32
 Robots


Robots: Programmable Manipulators



― Can tolerate hostile environments

―
― Can work much longer hours than humans
―
― Can perform redundant jobs more
consistently (1)
33