Flexible Manufacturing systems

A Bottleneck
A. B l k Model
M d l
Lec 4

Dr. Mirza Jahanzaib

 Where to Apply FMS Technology
• The plant presently either:
– Produces parts in batches or
– Uses manned GT cells and management wants to
automate the cells
• It must be possible to group a portion of the
parts made in the p
p plant into part
p families
– The part similarities allow them to be processed on
the FMS workstations
• Parts and products are in the mid-volume,
mid-variety
mid variety production range
 Definition
A highly automated GT machine cell, consisting
of a ggroup
p of pprocessing
g stations ((usually
y
CNC machine tools), interconnected by an
automated material handling and storage
system, and d controlled
ll d by
b an integrated
i
computer system
• The
h FMS S relies
li on the
h principles
i i l off GTG
– No manufacturing system can produce an
unlimited range of products
– An FMS is capable of producing a single part
family or a limited range of part families
 Flexibility Tests in an Automated
M
Manufacturing
f t i System
S t
To qualify as being flexible, a manufacturing
system should satisfy the following criteria
((“yes”
y answer for each qquestion):
)
1. Can it process different part styles in a
non-batch mode?
2. Can it accept changes in production schedule?
3. Can it respond gracefully to equipment
malf nctions and breakdowns?
malfunctions breakdo ns?
4. Can it accommodate introduction of new part
designs?
 Automated Manufacturing Cell

Automated manufacturing cell with two machine

tools and robot. Is it a flexible cell?
 Is the Robotic Work Cell Flexible?

1 Part
1. P t variety
i t test
t t
– Can it machine different part configurations in a
mix
i rather
th than
th ini batches?
b t h ?
2. Schedule change test
– Can production schedule and part mix be
changed?
3 Error recovery test
3.
– Can it operate if one machine breaks down?
• Example:
E ample: while
hile repairs are being made on the broken
machine, can its work be temporarily reassigned to the
other machine?
4. New part test
– Ass new
ew pa
partt designs
des g s aaree deve
developed,
oped, can
ca NC part
pa t
programs be written off-line and then
downloaded to the system for execution?
 Types of FMS
• Kinds of operations
– Processing vs
vs. assembly
– Type of processing
• If machining,
machining rotational vs.
vs non-rotational
non rotational
• Number of machines (workstations):
1. Si
1 Single
l machine
hi cellll (n
( = 1)
2. Flexible manufacturing cell (n = 2 or 3)
3. Flexible manufacturing system (n = 4 or more)
Single-Machine Manufacturing Cell
Flexible Manufacturing Cell
A two-machine flexible manufacturing cell for machining (photo
courtesyy of Cincinnati Milacron))
A five-machine flexible manufacturing system for machining
(photo courtesy of Cincinnati Milacron)
Features of the Three Categories
g
 FMS Types
Level of Flexibility
1. Dedicated FMS
– Designed to produce a limited variety of part styles
– The complete universe of parts to be made on the
system is known in advance
– Part family likely based on product commonality
rather than geometric similarity
2. Random-order FMS
– Appropriate for large part families
– New part designs will be introduced
– Production schedule is subject
j to daily
y changes
g
Dedicated vs. Random-Order FMSs
 FMS Components
1. Workstations
2
2. Material handling and storage system
3. Computer control system
4. Human labor
 Workstations
• Load and unload station(s)
– Factory interface with FMS
– Manual or automated
– Includes communication interface with worker to
specify parts to load, fixtures needed, etc.
• CNC machine tools in a machining type system
– CNC machining centers
– Millingg machine modules
– Turning modules
• Assembly machines
 Material Handling and Storage
• Functions:
– Random,, independent
p movement of pparts between
stations
– Capability
p y to handle a varietyy of ppart styles
y
• Standard pallet fixture base
• Work holding fixture can be adapted
– Temporary storage
– Convenient access for loading and unloading
– Compatibility with computer control
 Material Handling
g Equipment
q p
• Primary handling system establishes basic
FMS layout
• Secondary handling system - functions:
– Transfers work from primary handling system to
workstations
– Position and locate part with sufficient accuracy
and repeatability for the operation
– Reorient part to present correct surface for
processing
– Buffer storage to maximize machine utilization
 Five Types
yp of FMS Layouts
y
• The layout of the FMS is established by the
material handling system
s stem
• Five basic types of FMS layouts
1. In-line
2. Loop
3. Ladder
4. Open field
5. Robot-centered cell
 FMS In-Line Layout
y

•Straight
St i ht line
li flow,
fl well-defined
ll d fi d processing
i sequence
similar for all work units
•Work flow is from left to right through the same
workstations
•No secondaryy handling g system
y
Linear transfer system with secondary parts handling
system at each workstation to facilitate flow in two
directions
 FMS Loop
p Layout
y

•One direction flow,

flow but variations in processing
sequence possible for different part types
•Secondary
Secondary handling system at each workstation
 FMS Rectangular Layout

Rectangular layout allows recirculation of pallets back

to the first station in the sequence after unloading at
the final station
 FMS Ladder
Layout
• Loop with rungs to
allow greater variation
in processing sequence
FMS Open
Field Layout

• Multiple loops
and ladders
ladders,
suitable for
large part
families
 Robot-Centered Cell

• S
Suited
it d to
t the
th
handling of
rotational
t ti l partst andd
turning operations
FMS at Chance-Vought Aircraft
(courtesy of Cincinnati Milacron)
FMS for Sheet Metal Fabrication
 FMS Benefits
• Increased machine utilization
– Reasons:
R
• 24 hour operation likely to justify investment
• Automatic tool changing
• Automatic pallet changing at stations
• Queues of parts at stations to maximize utilization
• Dynamic scheduling of production to account for
changes in demand
• Fewer machines required
• Reduction in factory floor space required
• Greater responsiveness to change
• Reduced inventory requirements
– Different parts produced continuously rather than
in batches
• Lower manufacturing lead times
• R d d labor
Reduced l b requirements
i t
• Higher productivity
• Opportunity for unattended production
– Machines run overnight
g (("lights
g out operation")
p )
 FMS Planning and Design Issues
• Part family considerations
– Defining the part family of families to be
processed
• Based on ppart similarityy
• Based on product commonality
• Processing
g requirements
q
– Determine types of processing equipment required
• Physical characteristics of work parts
– Size and weight determine size of processing
equipment and material handling equipment
• Production volume
– Annual qquantities determined number of machines
required
• Types of workstations
• Variations in process routings
• W ki
Work-in-process and
d storage
t capacity
it
• Tooling
• Pallet fixtures
 FMS Operational
p Issues
• Scheduling and dispatching
– Launching parts into the system at appropriate
times
• Machine loading
– Deciding what operations and associated tooling
at each workstation
• Part routing
– Selecting routes to be followed by each part
• Part grouping
– Which
Whi h parts should
h ld be
b on the
h system at one time
i
• Tool management
– When to change tools
• Pallet and fixture allocation
– Limits on fixture types may limit part types that can
be processed
 Quantitative Analysis of
Fle ible Manufacturing
Flexible Man fact rin SSystems
stems
• FMS analysis
y techniques:
q
1. Deterministic models
2. Queueing models
3
3. Di
Discrete
t eventt simulation
i l ti
4. Other approaches, including heuristics
• Deterministic models
1. Bottleneck model ‐ estimates of production rate,
utilization, and other measures for a given product
mix
2. Extended bottleneck model ‐ adds work‐in‐process
feature to basic model
Quantitative Analysis of
Bottleneck model
 Bottleneck Model
• In this model, output of production system has
an upper limit
limit, given that the product mix
flowing through the system is FIXED.
1 P
1. Product
d t mix:
i P

p
j 1
j  1.0

pj = fraction of total system output of style j.

P = total number of different parts styles made in
the FMS during period of interest.
2. Workstation and Servers: it is possible to
have two or more machines capable of
performing the same operations.
si  number of servers at workstation i, where
,
i= 1,2……n.
3. Process routing: the process routing defines
sequence of operations,
operations the w/stn at which
they are performed and associated processing
times tijk  Processing time which is total
times.
time that a production unit occupies a given
w/stn server.
server i= station; j= part or product; k=
sequence of operation
4. Work handling system: work handling system
i designated
is d i d as n+11 andd sn1  numberb off carriers
i
in the FMS handling system.
5. Transport time: tn1  the mean transport time
required to move a part from one w/stn to next
stn in the process routing.
6. Operation
p frequency:
q y it is defined as the
expected number of times a given operation in
the pprocess routingg is pperformed for each work
unit. eg. An inspection is performed once every
four units,, the freqq = 0.25. f ijk  operation
p freqq
for operation k in the process plan j at stn i.
 1. FMS Operational
p Parameters
The average work load for the given station is
defined as the mean total time spent at the
station per part. It is calculated as:
WL i  t
j k
ijk f ijk p j

WLi = average work load for station i (min),

tijk  processing time for operation k in the
process j at station i (min),
f ijk  operation freq for oper k in part j at stn i.
pj = part mix fraction for part j.
The average number of transports is equal to
the mean number of operations in the process
routing minus one.
nt  
i j k
f ijk p j  1

nt  mean number of transports

Computing the work load of the handling
system:
WL n  1  n t t n  1
WLn 1  workk load
l d off handling
h dli system (min),
( i )
nt  mean number of transports
tn 1  mean transport time per move (min)
 2. System Performance Measures
Assumptions: 1. FMS producing at max possible
rate;; 2. Rate is constrained byy bottleneck
station in the system (highest workload per
server).)
Work load per server is
WL i / si
The bottleneck is identified by finding max value
off the
th ratio
ti among allll stations.
t ti
Let WL * , s * , t * equal to WL, No. of servers,
processing time for the bottleneck station resp
FMS max p
production rate of all parts
p is
s*
R *p 
WL *

The above equation is valid if product mix is

constant.
Individual part production rates can be obtained
by multiplying R by the respective part mix
*
p

ratios. *
R pj
*
 p j
s*
R  
p p j
WL *

R *pjj 
max prod rate of part style j (pc/min)
and pj = part mix fraction for style j
The mean utilization of each workstation is the
proportion of time that the servers at the
station are working and not idle.
 
*
WL i WL s
Ui  R *p  i
.
si s i WL *

Ui  Utilization of station i, WL i  workload of

(min/pc), s i  number of servers at
station i (min/pc)
workstations i, and R *p  overall production
rate (pc/min).
(pc/min) The utilization of the bottleneck
station is 100% at R *p
The average station utilization including
transport system as
n 1

U i
U  i 1
n 1 U  is an unweighted average
of all workstations utilization.
utilization
Useful measure is overall FMS utilization which
is based on number of servers at each station
n

 s iU i
U  i 1
s n
U  overall FMS utilization
 i 1
si s
Number of busy servers at each station is

 
BS i  WL i R *p  WL i
s*
WL*
BS i number of busy servers on average at
station i, and WL i  workload at station i.
Problem 1
 Solution
a) WL i  t j k
ijk f ijk p j

nt  
i j k
f ijkj p j  1
WL n 1  n t t n 1
 s*
R *p 
WL *

Individual part production rates can be obtained by multiplying

R *
pj  p j R  
*
p pj
s*
WL *
b)
  
*
W i
WL WL
W s
Ui  R *p  i
.
si s i WL *
  
BS i  WL i R *p  WL i
s*
WL*
 Summary
y
• Basics of FMS
• Types and Layouts
• Issues for Implementation
p
• Quantitative Analysis: Bottleneck Model with
operational and system design issues
• Solve Problem End of Chapter to grasp
concept
• Extended Bottleneck (next lecture)