TY - JOUR
T1 - Facilitating ease of system reconfiguration through measures of manufacturing modularity
AU - Farid, A. M.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - In recent years, many design approaches have been developed for automated manufacturing systems in the fields of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs), holonic manufacturing systems (HMSs), and multiagent systems (MASs). One of the principle reasons for these developments has been to enhance the reconfigurability of a manufacturing system, allowing it to adapt readily to changes over time. However, to date reconfigurability assessment has been limited. Hence the efficacy of these design approaches remains inconclusive. This paper is the second of two in this issue to address reconfigurability measurement. Specifically, 'reconfiguration ease' has often been qualitatively argued to depend on the system's modularity. For this purpose, this paper develops modularity measures in a three-step approach. Firstly, the nature of typical manufacturing system interfaces is discussed. Next, the qualitative understanding underlying existing modularity measures is distilled. Finally, these understandings are synthesized for a manufacturing system context. This approach forms the second of two pillars that together lay the foundation for an integrated reconfigurability measurement process described elsewhere.
AB - In recent years, many design approaches have been developed for automated manufacturing systems in the fields of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs), holonic manufacturing systems (HMSs), and multiagent systems (MASs). One of the principle reasons for these developments has been to enhance the reconfigurability of a manufacturing system, allowing it to adapt readily to changes over time. However, to date reconfigurability assessment has been limited. Hence the efficacy of these design approaches remains inconclusive. This paper is the second of two in this issue to address reconfigurability measurement. Specifically, 'reconfiguration ease' has often been qualitatively argued to depend on the system's modularity. For this purpose, this paper develops modularity measures in a three-step approach. Firstly, the nature of typical manufacturing system interfaces is discussed. Next, the qualitative understanding underlying existing modularity measures is distilled. Finally, these understandings are synthesized for a manufacturing system context. This approach forms the second of two pillars that together lay the foundation for an integrated reconfigurability measurement process described elsewhere.
KW - Holonic manufacturing systems
KW - Modularity
KW - Multiagent systems
KW - Reconfigurability
KW - Reconfigurability measurement
KW - Reconfigurable manufacturing systems
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U2 - 10.1243/09544054JEM1055
DO - 10.1243/09544054JEM1055
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:56149107643
SN - 0954-4054
VL - 222
SP - 1275
EP - 1288
JO - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture
JF - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture
IS - 10
ER -