Part Families

• Part family is a collection of parts which are similar either because of geometric shape and
size or because similar processing steps are required in their manufacture.

• Parts which are similar in their design characteristics (i.e. shape and geometry) are grouped
in a family referred to as a design part family.

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• Parts which are similar in their manufacturing characteristics are grouped in a family
referred to as a manufacturing part family.

• Characteristics used in classifying parts are referred to as “attributes”.

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Part Families
• The two parts are placed in the same family based on design characteristics.

• They have exactly the same shape and size.

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• They differ in terms of manufacturing requirements such as tolerances, production
quantities and material.

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Part Families
• Design part family

• Manufacturing part family

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• A family of parts with similar manufacturing
process requirements but different design
attributes.

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Part Families
Methods for Part Family Formation

• The three general methods for grouping parts into families are:

1.Visual inspection

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2.Parts classification and coding system

3.Production flow analysis.

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Visual Inspection Method
• Visual inspection method is the simplest and least expensive method.

• It involves looking at parts, photos of parts or drawings of parts and arranging them into
similar groups.

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Parts Classification and Coding
• Coding is a systematic process of establishing an alphanumeric value for parts based on
selected part features. Classification is the grouping of parts based on code values.

• It is the most sophisticated, most difficult, most time-consuming and widely used of the
three methods.

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• Here the various design and/or manufacturing attributes of a part are identified, listed and
assigned a code number.

• Though several classification and coding systems have been developed, no system has been
universally adopted. one of the reasons for this is that the information that is to be
represented in the classification and coding system will vary from one company to another
company.
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Parts Classification and Coding
Design and Manufacturing Attributes

• Any parts classification systems fall into one of the following three categories:

1. Systems based on part design attributes.

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2. Systems based on part manufacturing attributes.

3. Systems based on both design and manufacturing attributes.

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Parts Classification and Coding
• Parts classified by design attributes can be coded from information on the engineering
drawing. This first category systems are useful for design retrieval and to promote design
standardization.

• In grouping of manufacturing attributes, in addition to drawing information, other

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surface finish, etc. are also considered.

• Systems in the second category are used for computer-aided process planning, tool design
and other production related functions.

• The third category represents an attempt to combine the functions and advantages of the
other two systems into a single classification scheme..
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Parts Classification and Coding
Coding System Structure

• A GT code is a string of characters capturing information about an item.

• A coding scheme is a vehicle for the efficient recording, sortingand retrieval of relevant

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information about objects.

• A part coding scheme consists of a sequence of symbols that identify the part’s design and/or
manufacturing attributes.

• The symbols in the code can be all numeric, all alphabetic or a combination of both types.

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Parts Classification and Coding
1.Hierarchical Code (or Mono code)

• Interpretation of each successive symbol depends on the value of the preceding symbols.

• Each symbol amplifies the information contained in the preceding digit, so a digit in the
code cannot be interpreted alone. Structure of these codes is like a tree in which each
symbol amplifies the information provided in the previous digit.

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• Hierarchical coding system can be depicted using a tree structure as shown in Figure.

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Parts Classification and Coding
Merits and demerits of mono code system:

• Provides a large amount of information in a relatively small number of digits.

• This tree structure works well for designing an existing ordered structure but is more
difficult to use in classifying things that have no apparent order.

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• Defining the meanings for each digit in a hierarchical system (and hence the construction) is
difficult.

• Frequently used in design departments for part retrieval.

• Their utility is limited in manufacturing departments, because it is difficult to retrieve and

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Parts Classification and Coding
2) Attribute Code (or Poly code)

• In this structure, the interpretation of each symbol in the sequence does not depend on the
value of preceding symbols.

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• Each digit in this code represents information in its own right and does not directly qualify
the information provided by the other digits.

• Attribute code is also known by other names ‘poly code’, ‘chain code’, ‘discrete code’ and
‘fixed-digit code’.

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Parts Classification and Coding
• Illustration: shows an example for attribute code.

• For the spur gear shown in Figure. using code, we can obtain the poly code as “22213”.

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Parts Classification and Coding
Merits and demerits of poly codes:

• The major advantages of poly codes are that they are compact and easy to use and develop.

• It is popular with manufacturing departments because it makes it easy to identify parts

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• Because a poly code represents a class of items as a string of features, it is also particularly
suitable for computer analysis.

• The primary disadvantage is that, for comparable code size, a poly code lacks the detail
presence in a mono code structure. also poly codes tend to be longer than mono codes.

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Parts Classification and Coding
3.Decision-Tree (or Hybrid) Code

• A hybrid code captures the best features of the hierarchical and poly code structures.

• This system is also known as decision-tree coding and it combines both design and
manufacturing attributes.

• In practice, most coding systems use a hybrid construction to combine the best.

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• To reduce the length of a strict poly code, the first digit of such a system may split the
population into appropriate subgroups, as in a mono code structure. Then each subgroup
can have its own poly code structure.

• For example, the first digit might be used to denote the type of part, such as gear.

• The next four positions might be reserved for a short attribute that would describe the
attributes of the gear.

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Parts Classification and Coding

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• The next digit position 6, might be used to designate another subgroup, such as material,
followed by another attribute code that would describe the attributes. Thus, a hybrid code
can be generated.

• Hybrid code is relatively more compact than a pure attribute code while retaining the
ability to easily identify parts with specific characteristics.
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Production Flow Analysis
• Developed by Burbridge in 1971, Is a method for identifying part families and associated
machine groupings that uses the information contained on production route sheets rather
on part drawings.

• Work parts with identical or similar routings are classified into part families.

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• PFA neither uses a classification and coding system nor part drawings to identify families.

• It uses the information such as part number, operation sequence, lot size, etc., contained on
the route sheet.

• This method is based on the route sheet information and sometimes referred as the route
sheet inspection method.
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Production Flow Analysis
Steps Involved in PFA

• The following four steps are followed to carryout PFA:

(i) Data collection

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(ii) Sortation of process routings

(iii) Preparation of PFA chart

(iv) Cluster analysis.

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Production Flow Analysis
Step 1: Data collection
• The step in the PFA procedure is to collect the necessary data.
• Route sheets of all the components to be manufactured in the shop are prepared.
• Route sheet should contain the part number and operation sequence.
• Other data that can be collected/obtained from route sheet/operation sheet include lot size,

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time standards and annual demand.
Step 2: Sortation of process routes
• The second step in the PFA is to arrange the parts into groups according to the similarity of
their process routings.
• A typical card format is required for organizing the data such as the part number, sequence
of code and lot size. A sortation procedure is used to arrange the parts into ‘packs’.
• Pack is nothing but a group of parts with identical process routings. Some pack may even
contain only one part number. A pack identification or letter is provided for each pack.
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Production Flow Analysis
Step 3: PFA chart

• A PFA chart is a graphical representation of the process used for each pack.

• It is a tabulation of the process or machine code numbers for all of the part packs. Also
known as ‘part-machine incidence matrix’ or ‘component-machine incidence matrix’.

• The table below Illustrates a typical PFA chart having 7 machines (M1 to M7) and 9 parts

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(P1 to P9).

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Production Flow Analysis
• In this matrix, the entries have a value xij = 1 or 0:

• A value of xij = 1 indicates that the corresponding part i requires processing on machine j

• xij = 0 indicates that no processing of component i is accomplished on machine j

• However, in Table , the 0’s are indicated as blank (entry) entries for better clarity of the
matrix.

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Production Flow Analysis
Step 4: Cluster analysis

• From the PFA chart, related grouping are identified and rearranged into a new pattern that
brings together packs with similar machine sequences.

• Table shows one possible rearrangement of the original PFA chart.

• It is clear that for the PFA chart considered we have three part families and three machine

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cells, as shown below.

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Production Flow Analysis
Table : Rearranged PFA chart, indicating possible machine grouping

Part Families: Cell groups:

PF1 ={P1, P8}C,= { M1, M5}

PF2 ={P2, P4, P6}C2= {M4, M7}

PF3 ={P3, P5, P9}C3={M2, M3, M6}

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Production Flow Analysis
Advantages of PFA

• Parts classification and coding uses design data and the PFA uses manufacturing data (i.e.,
route sheet) to identify part families.

• Due to this fact, as pointed out by Groover, PFA can overcome two possible anomalies that
can occur in parts classification and coding.

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• First, parts whose basic geometries are quite different may nevertheless require similar or
identical process routings.

• Second, parts whose geometries are similar may nevertheless require process routings that
are quite different.

• Also PFA requires less time than a complete parts classification and coding procedure.

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Production Flow Analysis
Disadvantages of PFA

• PFA does not provide any mechanism for rationalizing the manufacturing routings.

No consideration being given to routing sheet whether the routings are optimal or

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•
consistent or logical.

• Process sequences from route sheets are prepared by different process planners, hence the
routings may contain processing steps that are non- optimal, illogical and unnecessary.

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