TY - JOUR
T1 - Production degrees of freedom as manufacturing system reconfiguration potential measures
AU - Farid, A. M.
AU - Mcfarlane, D. C.
PY - 2008/10/1
Y1 - 2008/10/1
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 multi-agent 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 first of two in this issue to address reconfigurability measurement. Specifically, it seeks to address ‘reconfiguration potential’ by analogy. Mechanical degrees of freedom have been used in the field of mechanics as a means of determining the independent directions of motion of a mechanical system. By analogy, manufacturing degrees of freedom can be used to determine independent ways of production. Furthermore, manufacturing degrees of freedom can be classified into their production and product varieties. This paper specifically focuses on the former to measure the product-independent aspects of manufacturing system ‘reconfiguration potential’. This approach will be added to complementary work on the measurement of ‘reconfiguration ease’ so as to form an integrated reconfigurability measurement process described elsewhere [1—5].
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 multi-agent 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 first of two in this issue to address reconfigurability measurement. Specifically, it seeks to address ‘reconfiguration potential’ by analogy. Mechanical degrees of freedom have been used in the field of mechanics as a means of determining the independent directions of motion of a mechanical system. By analogy, manufacturing degrees of freedom can be used to determine independent ways of production. Furthermore, manufacturing degrees of freedom can be classified into their production and product varieties. This paper specifically focuses on the former to measure the product-independent aspects of manufacturing system ‘reconfiguration potential’. This approach will be added to complementary work on the measurement of ‘reconfiguration ease’ so as to form an integrated reconfigurability measurement process described elsewhere [1—5].
KW - holonic manufacturing systems
KW - manufacturing degrees of freedom
KW - multi-agent systems
KW - production degrees of freedom
KW - reconfigurability
KW - reconfigurable manufacturing systems
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U2 - 10.1243/09544054JEM1056
DO - 10.1243/09544054JEM1056
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79961146065
SN - 0954-4054
VL - 222
SP - 1301
EP - 1314
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 -