Due to rapid scientific and technical progress in fields such as automation, electronics, and computer science, new possibilities are emerging for the comprehensive automation of production processes, covering the entire production area – starting from product design
through technological process programming, machining and assembly, to the finished product for the customer [2]. Implementing flexible manufacturing systems, based on the use of modern, numerically controlled devices, computers, robots, and computer-aided design and engineering systems, is the primary principle of projects aimed at modernizing the technological base in an enterprise, and above all, improving production organization.
The concept of flexibility
The concept of flexibility is associated with the ease of adapting economic processes or systems to desired conditions or changes occurring in the environment [1]. However, flexibility is a more complex concept and cannot be referred only to devices
or forms of implementing technological processes. Flexibility is therefore primarily a feature of economic systems,
determining their ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the operating environment. Alongside productivity, quality, and reliability, flexibility is a key component of the competitiveness of economic systems.
Premises for the creation, development, and design of FMS
The development of Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) and derivative solutions (flexible assembly systems, flexible selection and picking systems, automated warehouses) began in the 1980s. The reason
for the interest in this highly technically advanced form of production unit, which required large investments at the time, was the cost pressure felt by the industry in leading global countries, linked to the diversification
of customer needs. Differentiating customer demands led to large and rapidly occurring changes in the assortment
of assembled products, manufactured parts, or completed shipments. In traditionally organized production units,
this led to the necessity of moving away from production in economic batches more frequently than changeover schedules provided for, and a decrease in effective utilization (an increase in the share of setup time). All this led to an increase in production costs. Frequent changeovers also caused an increase in labor costs, resulting from the need
to increase the qualifications of direct machine and equipment operators (and consequently, an increase in wages) as well as employee training costs. In response to growing problems, the industry began searching for ways to reduce production costs, increase
production capabilities, and increase competitiveness.
Analysis of the feasibility of implementing FMS and related problems
A condition for an enterprise to remain on the market is the ability to react quickly to new needs, i.e., shortening the implementation cycles of new products and quickly launching and executing production orders while ensuring appropriate
product quality and maintaining a low price. It therefore becomes essential to create production systems based on solutions
that ensure high efficiency of enterprise operation and simultaneously meet all requirements related to market expectations [1], [2]. There are many premises in favor of using FMS under specific conditions, and the benefits associated with their use are as follows:
– increase in the degree of fixed asset utilization,
– lower equipment costs (total),
– reduction of direct labor costs,
– reduction of work-in-progress inventory and production cycles,
– quick response to changing production tasks,
– resistance to internal disturbances,
– increase in the quality of manufactured products,
– increase in productivity,
– ease of system expansion.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 5/2006.