Manufacturing Systems To study about Flexible Manufacturing System

EXPERIMENT NO: 3
AIM: To study about Flexible Manufacturing System

 INTRODUCTION TO FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM (FMS)

A Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) is an integrated approach to automating a production
system with a view to accommodate fast response to product changes. The primary nature of an FMS
is that it is a computer-controlled manufacturing system that ties together storage, manufacturing
machines, inspection, tooling and materials handling equipment. The FMS is designed to be flexible so
that it can manufacture a variety of products at relatively low volumes, with minimum lead time
between product changes.

Intense competition in the global market for mechanical parts manufactured on machine tools
and other metal working equipment has compelled manufacturers to reduce delivery times and quote
competitive prices even for relatively small orders. In many situations, manufacturers have to deliver
customized products to the consumers. The batch size is ever-decreasing, and the need to meet
specific customer needs calls for considerable flexibility in the working of the manufacturing system. In
this situation, the requirements that a modern manufacturing facility has to meet can be detailed as
follows:

• High productivity for all batch sizes, large or small

• Shorter throughput times

• Lower storage costs
• Reduced handling
• Flexible production system to incorporate product changes at short notice to meet
Customer’s specific requirements
• Sensing and taking care of such eventualities like tool breakage.

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Table 3.1 machine utilization based on the general trend in the industries

Machine
Automation
Utilization
Basic CNC: Manual tool and work loading. 40%

Basic CNC with automatic work holding and work piece storage, manual 60%
loading.

Complete machine automation: Automatic work and tool handling, tool 75%
monitoring, work piece inspection, work and tool storage.

Integration of group machines similar to that shown in third type. 80%

Flexible Manufacturing System: Automated Work piece Movement between 90%

machines.

 COMPONENTS OF FMS
The components of a FMS are:

 Workstations
The workstations vary according to the type of part being produced. In metal cutting systems, the
machines are usually computer numerically controlled (CNC) horizontal spindle machining centers, if
prismatic work pieces are to be produced, or turning centers if rotational work pieces. Some systems
consist of both types of machines, when work pieces involving both types of operation are required.
Other systems include single-purpose machines, as opposed to machining centers which are designed
to perform a range of processes. In addition to metal working machines, there may also be gauging
machines or other types of inspection machines. There are systems for sheet-metal operations, P.C.B
manufacture and assembly operations.

 Load and unload stations

Parts have to be introduced into the system at some point and there are usually load-unload
stations, where parts are placed on pallets, usually by human operators. In some cases, parts may be
supplied by an orienting device and loaded by robot. Unloading is usually done at the same stations,
but there may be separated unload stations

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 Work pieces transport equipment

Work pieces must be transported from the load positions to the production equipment and back
for unloading. Three types of equipment are in common use, namely conveyors, vehicles and robots.
There are loop-lines in conveyor systems for each workstation. Conveyor systems are less popular.
There are several types of vehicles: Railcars and AGVs. There are several types of mobile floor-mounted
robots, which can be used for work piece transport. Overhead gantry-robots are popular for both work
pieces and tool handling.

 Pallets
Work pieces are normally held in pallets of some sort for transport and locating on machine tables.
Two types are common: one type of pallet serves just as a carrier for a batch of small parts, to facilitate
and reduce the frequency of movements, perhaps by a robot. This type is common in systems which
use conveyors and gantry robots, but are also used in AGV systems. The other type of pallet is one on
which one or more parts are accurately located and which is itself moved onto the machine table and
held in position while machining operations are performed on the parts.

 Fixtures
Fixtures are used to locate parts precisely on pallets. They are usually specific to one type of part so
that each part requires a different fixture. In some cases, however, several types of part may be
sufficiently similar to make use of the same fixture. The fixtures may be permanently bolted on the
pallets, or they may be removed from the pallet when a part requiring a deferent fixture is to be
produced into the system and placed on the pallet.

 Tools.
Most operations require some form of tooling specific to the particular operation being performed
typically cutting tools in machining centers. Machining centers have tool magazines in which a set of
tools can be held so that any operation on a range of work pieces can be performed. Tools have to be
changed, because of their tool life or because the part to be worked requires tools which are not
currently in the tool magazine.

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 NEED OF FMS
The key objective in manufacturing is to get the right raw materials or parts to the right
machines at the right time. Too much or too soon creates backed up excess in-process inventory. Too
little or too late causes delayed work schedules and idle machines. The result in many cases is a poor
use of capital, in the form of excess in-process inventory and/or underutilization of equipment.
In any single calendar year, there are 8760 hours available to the manufacturing operation, as can be
seen in Figure 3.1. Statistics have shown that about 44 percent of the total time available is lost due to
incomplete use of second and third shifts. The skilled, experienced people required to operate and set
up machines are either not available or disinterested in working "unsocial" hours, and the problem is
going to get worse. The long-term trend is firmly established that a declining percentage of people
entering the work force will choose careers in manufacturing.

Thirty-four percent of the total time is lost due to vacations and holidays. Twelve percent is lost
while machines are being set up for the next operation or parts are being loaded or unloaded. About 4
percent of the time is lost due to process difficulties or unforeseen material, tooling, or quality-control
problems.

This leaves only 6 percent of the total time for actual production. The batch manufacturer's
capital investment for equipment and facilities is working, trying to pay for itself, less than one hour in
seventeen.

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Fig 3.1 Breakdown of 8760 available hours in a calendar year to manufacturing operation

 OBJECTIVES OF FMS
The principal objectives of FMS are:

1. Improve operational control through:

a) Reduction in the number of uncontrollable variables
b) Providing tools to recognize and react quickly to deviations in the manufacturing plan
c) Reducing dependence on human communication

2. Reduce direct labor through:

a) Removing operators from the machining site (their responsibilities and activities can be
broadened)
b) Eliminating dependence on highly skilled machinists (their manufacturing skills can be better
utilized in manufacturing engineering functions)
c) Providing a catalyst to introduce and support unattended or lightly attended machine operation
3. Improve short-run responsiveness consisting of:
a) Engineering changes
b) Processing changes
c) Machine downtime or unavailability
d) Cutting tool failure
e) Late material delivery
4. Improve long-run accommodations through quicker and easier assimilation of:
a) Changing product volumes
b) New product additions and introductions
c) Different part mixes
5. Increase machine utilization by:
a) Eliminating machine setup
b) Utilizing automated features to replace manual intervention
c) Providing quick transfer devices to keep machines in the cutting cycles

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6. Reduce inventory by:

a) Reducing lot sizes
b) Improving inventory turnovers
c) Providing the planning tools for just-in-time manufacturing

 CELLULAR VERSUS FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING

CELL FMS
Low Flexibility High Flexibility

Small stored part program inventory and Large stored part program
accessibility inventory and accessibility

Limited on-line computing power and High on-line computing power and
decision-making software decision-making software

Low to moderate equipment and resource High equipment and resource costs
costs

Limited flexibility and variety of parts High flexibility and variety of parts
produced produced

Low to medium preparation and High preparation and

implementation requirements implementation requirements

Benefits narrow but easily identified and Benefits broad but hard to identify
quantified and quantify

Moderate justification complexity and Difficult and complex justification

difficulty with mid-management approval process with high-level approval
required required

Moderate level of management High level of management

commitment and support required commitment and support required

Low staffing and training impact High staffing and training impact

Moderate effect on other internal High effect on other internal

operations and organizations operations and organizations

Low to moderate risk and complexity, High risk and complexity, many
minimal facility changes facility changes or new facility

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required

Short planning to implementation cycle Long planning to implementation

cycle

 JIT APPLIED TO FMS

The stockless production concept of just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing, originally pioneered by
the Japanese, is about inventory, but it is much more than inventory reduction. It is about organizing
the production process so that usable parts, both purchased and manufactured, are available on the
shop floor when they are needed- not too late and not too soon.

Ideally, well-implemented and operational JIT techniques should be a prerequisite to FMS and
be in place before a flexible cell or system is installed in order to follow the "simplify before you
automate" rule. Unfortunately, this is not the case in most companies, as adding cells and systems
usually precedes major material flow and inventory reductions.

 GT APPLIED TO FMS
The classification and coding associated with GT provides a means by which parts may be easily
selected to load a cell or FMS, if the part classification and coding system is available and operational at
the time cell or system planning begins. In many instances, however, this is not the case and the part
selection process is done manually. When planning for a cell or system, you are essentially doing a
portion of group technology simply by determining equipment requirements, deciding which parts go
into the cell or FMS, and grouping them accordingly.

 TYPES OF FMS SYSTEMS

There are various ways to classify flexible manufacturing systems. One classification that is
sometimes made in FMS terminology is the difference between a flexible manufacturing system and a
manufacturing cell.

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Term cell can be used to refer to a machine grouping that consists of either manually operated
or automated machines or combinations of the two. The cell may or may not include automated
material handling and it may or may not be computer controlled.

The term flexible manufacturing system generally means a fully automated system consisting of
automated workstations, automated materials handling and computer control.

 Flexible manufacturing cells (FMC)

Flexible manufacturing cells consist of one or more CNC machine tools, general purpose or of
special design interfaced with automated material handling and tool changers. FMCs are capable of
automatically machine a wide range of different work pieces.

A turning centre fitted with a gantry loading and unloading system and pallets for storing work
pieces and finished parts is a typical flexible turning cell. Automatic tool changers, tool magazines,
block tooling, automatic tool offset measurement, automatic chuck change and chuck jaw change
make the cell more productive. One or two horizontal machining centers with modular fixturing,
multiple pallets, advanced tool management system, robots or other material handling systems to
facilitate access of the jobs to the machine is a flexible machining cell.

 Flexible transfer lines (FTL)

Flexible transfer lines are designed for high volume production wherein a part undergoes different
types of operations. As each operation is assigned to and performed on only one machine, there is a
fixed route for each part through the system. The material handling system is usually a pallet or
conveyor. It also consists of SPMs and robots. In FTL, a number of different work pieces manufactured
as the scheduling is easier and the resetting procedure is automatic.

 Flexible machining systems

Flexible machining system consists of several flexible automated machine tools of universal or
special type which are flexible interlinked by an automatic work piece flow system so that the different
work pieces can be machined at the same time. Different machining times at the individual stations are
compensated for by central or decentralized work piece buffer stores. Flexibility is applied by usage of

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CNC control, flexible transport system and by adapting to changes in the volumes in the product mix,
machining process and sequences.

Fig 3.2 flexibility volume vs. variety

 ADVANTAGES OF FMS
1. Flexible Manufacturing Systems are regarded as one of the most efficient methods to employ in
reducing or eliminating problems in manufacturing industries.
2. FMS brings flexibility and responsiveness to the manufacturing floor.
3. FMS enables manufacturers to machine a wide variety of workpieces on few machines with low
staffing levels, productively, reliably and predictably.
4. A true FMS can handle a wide variety of parts, producing them one at a time in random order.
5. Machine tools in many manufacturing industries are woefully underutilized due to equipment not
being used in the second and third shifts, a decreasing availability of skilled personnel, and day-to-day
disturbances.
6. FMS shortens the manufacturing process through improved operational control, round-the-clock
availability of automated equipment, increased machine utilization and responsiveness, and reduction
of human intervention.
7. Better competitive advantage.
8. Lower work in process inventories
9. Reduced throughput time and its variability.
10. Improved manufacturing control.
11. Improved quality and reduced scrap rate.
12. Reduction of floor space used.

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13. Better status monitor of machines, tools and material handling devices.
14. Improves the short run response time to the problems on the shop floor such as:
 Demand variations,
 Design and process changes that can be easily adjusted by changing the CNC part program, which is
generally developed by a CAD/CAM system as part of the design change,
 Machine unavailability can be taken care of by the FMS control system which can automatically
transfer the part to another machine that is available, and
 Cutting tool failures can be detected by sensors and stop the machine thereby reducing catastrophic
failures. Then the control system can initiate steps to repair and replace the failed cutting tool.
15. Improve the long term cost effectiveness of the system by supporting:

 Changing product volumes,

 Allowing different part mixes, and
 Allowing new parts to be added.

 FMS LAYOUTS
The broad categories of layouts that have been used are

 In-line Layout:
All the machine tools are kept along a straight line as shown in Figure 3.3. This is the simplest form
and is generally used for smaller number of machines in a system. The parts move in well defined
sequences and the workflow is generally in both the directions. The part handling at the individual
workstations is performed by the transport vehicle, which will have the necessary pallet changer. Often
the machine tools used in such a system are identical, so that the part routing will not be a problem.

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Figure 3.3 In-line FMS Layout

 Loop Layout
In this system the workstations are arranged in a loop as shown in Fig. 3.4. Parts generally move in
a single direction in the loop similar to a conveyor, with the ability to stop at defined positions for
transferring the parts to the workstation. For the purpose of moving parts from the conveyor to the
workstation may have to be carried by means of a secondary part exchange system such as a pallet
changer as shown in Figure.3.4. An alternative form of the loop could be rectangular.

Figure 3.4 FMS Loop Layout

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 Ladder Layout
In this system the workstations are arranged in a loop with rungs as shown in Figure 3.5. The rungs
help in reducing the congestion and allow for smooth part flow between machines.

 Open Field Layout

Figure 3.5 FMS Ladder Layout Figure 3.6 Open Field FMS Layout

In this system there are multiple loops for appropriate arrangement of all the facilities as shown in
Figure 3.6. This type of system is generally suitable for a large group of parts to be machined. The
facilities may consist of a number of workstations with different varieties. The material handling is
provided with AGVs along the guide path.

 AUTOMATIC GUIDED VEHICLES

An Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is a programmable mobile vehicle without human
intervention. The Material Handling Institute defines it as "An AGV is a vehicle equipped with
automatic guidance equipment, either electromagnetic or optical. Such a vehicle is capable of

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following prescribed guide paths and may be equipped for vehicle programming and stop selection,
blocking and any other special functions required by the system."

A typical Automated Guided Vehicle System AGVS with a pallet and work piece mounted is shown
in Figure 3.7. These are basically driver less vehicles and work generally in fixed routes that are laid on
the factory floor. The AGVS are used for work piece distribution and transferring from stores to
shop/assembly line. They are sometimes also called as robocarts. The main components of an AGV
based material handling system are:

Figure 3.7 The Automated Guided Vehicle System (AGVS) with a Work Piece

 The vehicle, which is to support and used move the material from one point to the other without the
help of a driver or operator. The main parts of an AGV are
a) Structure
b) Drive system
c) Steering mechanism
d) Power source, battery
e) Onboard computer for control
 The guide path, the actual path through which the vehicle moves
 Traffic management, that manages the maximum load movement through the system avoiding other
vehicles and collisions

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 Load transfer, is the pickup and delivery method used for interfacing with other parts of the system
such as conveyors, or CNC machine tools.
 AGV TYPES
A number of AGV types are available to cater to the variety of functions. They are
a) AGVS Towing vehicles
b) AGVS Unit load vehicles
c) AGVS Pallet trucks
d) AGVS Fork trucks
e) Light load vehicles
f) AGVS Assembly line vehicles
Schematic representation of these vehicles is shown in Figure 3.8. Over the years, the developments in
AGVS have made them very versatile in view of the very large applications for which these are used.

 GUIDANCE
AGV is operated with onboard batteries and moves generally in a fixed path. One of the
important elements in the AGV is the guidance control. The various guiding principles used in AGV
control are given in Table. The actual use of a particular guidance method mainly dependent upon
application, environment and need. The wire guidance is the most commonly used method in the
manufacturing shops.

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Figure 3.8 Various Types of Automated Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS)

 ADVANTAGES OF AGVS
The main advantages derived from the use of AGVs in manufacturing environment are:

(1) Dispatching, tracking and monitoring under real time computer control. This helps in planned
delivery, on line interface to production and inventory control systems, and management
information on vehicle and workstation production.
(2) Better resource utilization. Most AGVs can be justified economically in three years or less.
(3) Increased control over material flow and movement
(4) Reduced product damage and less material movement noise
(5) Routing consistency with flexibility
(6) Operational reliability in hazardous and special environment
(7) Ability to interface with various peripheral systems such as machine tools, robots and conveyor
systems
(8) Increased throughput because of dependable on-time delivery
(9) High location and positional accuracy
(10) Improved cost savings through reduction in floor space, WIP and direct labour.

 AUTOMATED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

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In large manufacturing establishments, the volume of items to be stored and retrieved

becomes so large that the manual means of doing so becomes extremely unreliable and time
consuming. The large volumes also call for proper information management procedures in order to
reduce the duplication and reduction of inventory costs.

Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) play a central role in the automated factory.
The AS/RS not only control inventories, but also keep track of parts and materials in process or transit.
In other words, the AS/RS has the ability to know where everything is, on a real time basis, even as the
material moves within the factory. The importance of it for management to make manufacturing
decisions based on accurate real time information, can be understood from the fact that in-process
materials rarely spend more than 5% of their time being worked on, and that the remaining 95% is
spent in transit or storage. Thus, it becomes easier to visualize the role of materials handling and
storage system within an automated factory.

An AS/RS sometimes also referred to as automated warehouse, is a combination of equipment

and controls, which handles the stores and retrieves material faster and with greater safety and
efficiency than conventional material handling and storage systems. It contains several rows of storage
racks and storage and retrieval devices (stacker cranes). The system can be linked to other external
devices such or Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) for transferring material (in trays or pallets) to the
shop floor or palletizing stations. Typical AS/RS is shown in Figure 3.9.

 ADVATAGES OF AS/RS
o Better space utilization
o Less direct and indirect labour
o Reduced inventories
o Less energy consumption
o Reduced pilferage
o Less product damage
o Improved working conditions
o Easier housekeeping

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Figure 3.9 Typical AS/RS with its Component Parts

The incoming items are first sorted and assigned to pallets. The pallet loads are then routed
through weighing and sizing stations to ensure that they are within the load and size limits. The
accepted ones are transported to the pick up and delivery (P and D) stations, with the details of the
pallet contents communicated to the central computer. This computer assigns the pallet a storage
location in the rack and stores the location in its memory. The pallet is moved from P and D station to
storage by storage and retrieval machines (S/R machines), or stacker crane. Upon receipt of a request
for an item, the computer will search its memory for storage location and direct the stacker crane to
retrieve the pallet. The supporting transportation will transport the pallets from P and D station to its
destination. The major components of an AS/RS are:

(i) Storage and Retrieval machine (shuttle crane or stacker crane),

(ii) Storage structures,
(iii) Transport devices (AGV, Conveyor, etc.), and
(iv) Controls

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