Flexible Manufacturing System

Components

Prof. Dr. Sachin Salunkhe

Outline:
> Introduction

> Main systems of FMS

> Sub-system of FMS: (Technical system, Processing system, Tool

Management & Supply)

> Levels of FMS

> Summary
1. Main Systems/Components of FMA

The main/basic components of an FMS are:

 Workstations,

 Material handling and storage systems,

 Computer control system, and

 Personnel that manage and operate the system.

i. Workstations
Cont’d…
ii. Material Handling and Storage System

# Material handling and storage systems for FMS in three sub-sections:

× functions,

× equipment, and

× lay-out configurations.
 a). Functions of the Handling System
 Allows random, independent movement of work parts between stations so as to allow for various

routing alternatives for the different parts in the system.

 Enables handling of a variety of work part configurations by means of pallet fixtures for prismatic

parts, and industrial robots for rotational parts.

 Provides temporary storage—small queues of parts awaiting processing may be allowed to build-up in

front of each station in the system.

 Provides convenient access for loading and unloading work parts at load and unload stations.

 Creates compatibility with computer control—the handling system must be under the direct control of

the computer system which directs it to the various workstations, load/unload stations, and storage

areas.
b). Material Handling Equipments (MHS)

# FMS material handling equipment uses a variety of conventional material

transport equipment, in-line transfer mechanisms, and industrial robotics.

# There is a primary and secondary MHS used in most FMSs.

# The primary MHS establishes the FMS lay-out and is responsible for moving parts

between stations in the system.

 Cont’d…
# The secondary MHS consists of transfer devices, automatic pallet changers, and other

mechanisms to transfer parts from the primary MHS to the workhead of the processing

station, or to a supporting station.

# The secondary MHS is responsible also for the accurate positioning of the part at the

workstation, so that the machining process may be performed upon the part in the correct manner.

# Other purposes of the secondary MHS include:

1) re-orientation of the part if necessary to present the surface that is to be

processed; and

2) to act as buffer storage as the workstation, should this be needed

C). Flexible Manufacturing System Layout Configurations
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
 3. Computer Control System
> To operate, the FMS uses a distributed computer system that is interfaced with all

workstations in the system, as well as with the material handling system and other

hardware components. It consists of a central computer and a series of micro-

computers that control individual machines in the FMS.

> The central computer co-ordinates the activities of the components to achieve smooth

operational control of the system.

> The following control functions may be noted:

 Functions of Control System
# Workstation control: fully automated FMSs use some form of workstation control at each station,

often in the form of CNC control.

# Distribution of control instructions to workstations: a central computer is required to handle

the processing occurring at disparate workstations; this involves the dissemination of part

programmes to individual workstations, based upon an overall schedule held by the central

computer.

# Production control: management of the mix and rate at which various parts are launched into

the system is important; alongside data input of a number of essential metrics, such as: daily

desired production rates, number of raw workparts available, work-in-progress etc.

 Cont’d…

# Traffic control— management of the primary handling system is essential so that

parts arrive at the right location at the right time and in the right condition.

# Shuttle control— management of the secondary handling system is also important, to

ensure the correct delivery of the workpart to the station’s workhead.

# Workpiece monitoring— the computer must monitor the status of each cart or pallet

in the primary and secondary handling systems, to ensure that we know the location of

every element in the system.

 Cont’d…

# Tool control— this is concerned with managing tool location (keeping track of the

different tools used at different workstations, which can be a determinant on where a part

can be processed), and tool life (keeping track on how much usage the tool has gone

through, so as to determine when it should be replaced).

# Performance monitoring and reporting — the computer must collect data on the

various operations on-going in the FMS and present performance findings.

# Diagnostics— the computer must be able to diagnose, to a high degree of accuracy,

where a problem may be occurring in the FMS.

4. Human Resources

 Human personnel manage the overall operations of the system.

 Humans are also required in the FMS to perform a variety of supporting operations in the system;

these include:

> loading raw workparts into the system;

> unloading finished parts or assemblies from the system;

> changing and setting tools;

> performing equipment maintenance and repair;

> performing NC part programming;

> programming and operating the computer system; and managing the system.
Subsystem: Processing System

# It performs some activities on a given job.

# Such activities convert the job from one shape to another continuously up to the

final product.

# It enhances significance by altering the geometry, features or appearance of

the initial materials.

 Subsystem: Tool Management & Supply

 Some of the cumbersome and difficult issues to deal with relative to FMS are managing, co-ordination and

controlling the wide variety of cutting tools.

 This includes not only having and maintaining the required number of cutting tools to process the required parts

through the FMS but also managing and coordinating other elements such as:

> Replacement of tools

> Tool Assembly Component requirements

> Tool storage

> Reconditioning and present considerations

> Tool life monitoring and

> Broken tool detection and other factors.

 Cont’d…

i. Getting control of cutting tools

 Controlling the cutting tools involves good tooling policies, cost-effective part

programming strategies on the machine, and sound tool-related practices

in tool room manufacturing and other off-line operations.

 Cont’d…
• The following items should be considered as cost-effective optimizing tactics to

begin to augment and enhance the full impact of FMS productivity effectiveness:

# Review cutting tool and indexable insert inventory and get control of usage

# Review cutting tool purchasing practices

# Reduce dependency on specialized, nonstandard tooling.

# Guidelines for tool assembly preparation and reconditioning must be established

and reinforced.
 ii. Tool Management

# Regardless of how “flexible” a flexible manufacturing system is, the system is still only

capable of processing a finite number of parts.

# The overall flexibility or “randomness” of FMS is typically constrained by two support

resources:

> Palletized fixtures that control the rate of workflow coming into and going out

of the system

> Tool storage capacity.

 Cont’d…
The main problems caused by tool capacity constraints and a lack of tool management are:

1) Insufficient redundant tool backup at the machine during tool breakage and tool wear

conditions.

2) Insufficient use of present tools and excess tool inventory.

3) Conflicting priorities with other areas outside the FMS over tool availability and reconditioning.

4) A limited number of workpieces being available to process due to insufficient tool, matrix

capacity.

5) Under-utilized machines and low production rates caused by too many tools and extensive tool

changing.
 Cont’d…
 Generally, tool management is getting the right tool to the right place at the right

time. Having an acceptable tool management system to fulfill the tooling requirements

of an FMS means adequately addressing the following four areas:

1) Tool room service

2) Tool delivery

3) Tool allocation and data flow and,

4) Fault sensing.
iii. Tool Strategies

# Various tool strategies exist within the framework of tool management that requires

examination. Each has its advantages and disadvantages as well as particular

application for an FMS.

# The tool strategies employed in FMS are:

> Mass Exchange

> Tool sharing

> Tool migration and,

> Assigned tools

 a. Mass Exchange
 The mass exchange strategy is removing all the tools in each machine tool matrix

at the completion of specific production requirements and replacing them with

the new part required for tooling.

 Mass exchange permits tool exchange control to be minimized at the expense of

an increase in tool inventory.

 The mass exchange strategy is logical and attractive for FMS applications only

where high volume and low part variety workpiece exists.

 b. Tool Sharing

> The tool-sharing concept permits the logical sharing of tools within the framework of

affixed production period and workpiece requirements.

> Common tooling among the fixed production requirements is recognized, identified and

shared among the various parts to be manufactured in the fixed production period.

> After fulfilling part requirements within the fixed production period, a new set of tools for the

next production is loaded and common tooling is again identified.

> The tool strategy requires computer software to implement due to merging of tool lists and

matching requirements to identify the common tooling.

c. Tool Migration
 The tool migration strategy is basically an extension of the mass exchange and tool sharing theory. Both consider the

workpiece to be manufactured within the fixed production period and tool matrix capacity available to support it.

 As parts are completed, many tools used to manufacture those parts become available for removal from the tool

matrix. Removing the tools frees tool points in the tool matrix and permits other tools needed for new arriving parts to

be loaded.

 Tool migration exchanges must be done in an effort to minimize spindle interruption is of primary importance.

Consequently, tools completing their manufacture service are removed from the matrix at the tool matrix, while

needed new tools are inserted in available tool pockets. Tool delivery is accomplished through various means such

as AGV.

 The Strategy requires sophisticated computer software and decision logic in order to determine the removal of

tools, adding of this tool.

d. Assigned Tools

 The above 3 strategies previously discussed assumed that a given set of workpiece be machined

at a specific machine tool. The reality of manufacturing operation force consideration of

production schedule changes, machine breakdowns, tooling and material unavailability,

flexibility among processing equipment becomes high priority. Thus, the assigned tool strategy

can address the need for increased flexibility among a set or group machine tools.

 This strategy identifies the most used tools for the production requirements and part mix and

assigns permanent residence to those tools in each machine tool matrix for the full

production run.
Cont’d…
 Part #III
Levels of FMS
Types & levels of FMS
# FMS can be distinguished by how they perform, as either processing operations or assembly

operations.

# FMS are custom-built so that we may expect to find a wide range of types have been implemented

to suit differing projects.

# Each FMS is customized and unique; however, we can still define a level/typology for FMS

depending on:

(1) the number of machines it contains; or

(2) whether it is a dedicated or random-order FMS, in terms of the parts it processes.

 Cont’d…
a) On the number of machines

1) Flexible Manufacturing Module (FMM): NC Machines;

2) Flexible Manufacturing (Assembly) Cell: Four FMMs and an AGV (automated guided

vehicle);

3) Flexible Manufacturing Group (FMG): Two FMCs, a FMM and two AGVs

4) Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS): A FMG and a FAC, two AGVs, an

Automated Tool Storage, and an Automated Part/assembly Storage

5) Flexible Manufacturing Line (FML): multiple stations in a line layout and AGVs.
 Cont’d…

1. Flexible Manufacturing Module (FMM): Single machine cell.

> It contains one machine (often a CNC machining centre) connected to parts storage system,

which can load and unload parts to and from the storage system (as in Figure next).

> It is designed to operate in batch mode, flexible mode, or a combination of the two.

> When in batch mode, the system processes parts of a single style in specific lot sizes before

physical and programme changeover to the next batch specifications;

> In flexible mode the system satisfies three of the four tests for flexibility — the exception

being error recovery, since, if the CNC machining centre breaks down, the system stops.
Figure 1: FMM- Single machine cell with one CNC machining centre and parts storage unit
2. Flexible Manufacturing Cell (FMC)

 It contains 4 FMMs (often CNC machining or turning centres), plus a parts handling

system, as in Figure 2.

 This set-up can operate in flexible mode and batch mode, as necessary, and can readily

adapt to evolving production schedule and increased production volumes.

 Since there is more than one machine, error recovery is possible by re-routing the

failed machine’s intended parts for processing to the other two machines in the system; and

new part designs can be introduced with relative ease into the set-up. The flexible

manufacturing cell satisfies all four flexibility tests.

Figure 2: Flexible manufacturing cell with three FMM (identical processing stations, a load/unload
station, and parts handling system)
 3. Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS)

 This consists of a FMG, a FMC, and other stations connected mechanically by a common parts

handling system and electronically by a distributed numerical control system (as in Figure 3).

 FMS is larger than the flexible manufacturing cell/FMG, not only in the number of workstations

it may contain, but also in the number of supporting stations in the system, such as part/pallet

washing stations, co-ordinate measuring machines, storage stations and so on.

 Computer control is also more sophisticated; it includes functions not found in the flexible

manufacturing cell such as diagnostics and tool monitoring.

 The FMS satisfies all four flexibility tests.

Figure 3: Plan view of a seven-station flexible manufacturing system
 Cont’d…
 A comparison of the three FMS types is illustrated in Figure 4, where the number of

machines is plotted against metrics of investment, production rate and annual volume.
 4. Flexible Manufacturing line (FML)
> Flexible manufacturing line is like a production line and flexible manufacturing cell, but it

handles more volume and very few products compared to a flexible manufacturing cell.

> So, if the volumes are very high or if a cell is required to make only one product then it

becomes a flexible manufacturing line, if it makes more than one then it becomes a FMC is a

little more variety and a collection of flexible manufacturing cells make a flexible

manufacturing system.

> Thus FMCs have high flexibility and handle less volume while FML have less flexibility, but

can handle very large volumes. So, depending on the volume and variety, we call it an FML

or FMC.
 Cont’d…

 Flexible transfer line has multiple workstations that are automated and linked

together by a work handling system that transfers parts from one station to the next,

as in Fig. 5.

 Starting—un-processed—parts enter the FTL and undergo a system of automated

processing at various workstations along the automated production line; the parts are

passed from workstation to workstation by means of a mechanized work transport

system, until the completely processed parts pass out of the automated production line

after the last process occurs to the part at the final workstation in the system.
 Cont’d…

Figure 5: General configuration of an flexible transfer line

 Cont’d…
# The line may also include inspection stations to perform intermediate quality checks on parts in the

system, as well as a number of manually-operated workstations that accomplish tasks that have not

been automated owing to reasons of economy or difficulty.

# Each station performs a different operation, so all the operations are required to complete one work

unit; this means that the parts’ route through the production line is fixed and cannot be changed.

# Multiple parts are processed simultaneously, with one part undergoing processing at each

workstation in the system. This means, in the simplest automated production lines, that the number of

parts in the system is found to be equal to the number of workstations that the system has; however,

in more complicated configurations, provision may have been made for some form of part storage, so

this calculation may not be accurate where buffering is manifest.

 Cont’d…

 The flexible manufacturing line operates in cycles with the slowest

workstation processing time setting the pace for the whole line. Each cycle

consists of the processing time plus the time taken to transfer parts from

one workstation to the next.

 Cont’d…
# Certain layouts of transfer lines may allow the use of pallet fixtures for part

handling. The alternative method of work part location is simply to index the parts

themselves from station to station; this is described as a free transfer line, and is

less expensive than the palletized transfer line as pallet fixtures do not have to be

custom-designed for the work transport system. However, certain workpart

geometries mandate the use of pallets and pallet fixtures, in which case a system

of returning them to the front of the line must be devised.

 System Configurations of FTL

 A number of system configurations for the flexible manufacturing line exist;

these are:

1) In-line type layout

2) Segmented in-line type (L-shaped, U-shaped, rectangular

shaped)

3) Rotary layout.
i. In-line type layout
ii. Segmented in-line type
iii. Rotary layout
> Consists of a circular worktable around which workparts are fixed

to workholders.

> The worktable rotates to move each workpart, in turn, into each

Automated workstation which is located around the circumference of

the worktable.

> The worktable is often called a dial, and the equipment is referred to

as a dial indexing machine, or simply, indexing machine.

> Commonly limited to smaller workparts and relatively few

workstations, and they cannot readily accommodate buffer storage

capacity. However they require less floor space, and are generally

less expensive than other configurations.

 Cont’d…
 Sometimes a mix of the above configurations may be favored in particular cases.

For example in Figure 6; here is illustrated two transfer lines that perform metal

machining operations on a rear truck axle.

 The first line consists of a segmented in-line configuration, in the rectangular

layout; the second line is in the conventional in-line configuration.

 There also exists a number of buffer storage locations within the configuration,

particularly from one transfer line to the next.

 Cont’d…

Figure 6: Two machining transfer lines

Level of flexibility:

# The FMS can be examined to determine the level of flexibility it maintains.

# There are two levels: dedicated FMS, and random-order FMS.

 i. Dedicated FMS
# It is designed to produce a limited variety of part styles, and the complete universe of parts to be

made on the system is known in advance.

# Group technology is likely to be based on product commonality rather than geometric similarity.

# Product design is relatively stable, so the system is designed with a certain amount of process

specialization in place; machines designed for specific processes can be implemented within the

system, which leads to an increased production rate from the system.

# In some cases, machine sequence may be virtually identical for all parts processed, so a transfer

line may be appropriate as the system lay-out.

 ii. Random-order FMS

> It is designed to produce a large part family, where there are substantial variations in part

configurations, and where it is likely that new part designs will be introduced into the system, with

engineering changes occurring to existing parts.

> The production schedule may also be flexible, changing from day to day.

> The random-order FMS must be more flexible than the dedicated FMS to accommodate these

requirements.

> It is equipped with general purpose machines to deal with product variations, and is capable of

processing parts in random order. A more sophisticated computer control system is also required

for this FMS type.

 Cont’d…
• A comparison of the two FMS types is illustrated in Figure 15.6, where the production rate and annual

volume is plotted against metrics of flexibility and part variety.

Figure 15.6: Comparison of dedicated and random-order FMS types