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Operational Aspects
of CIM UNIT 8 OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF CIM
Structure
8.1 Introduction
Objectives
8.2 Flexible Cells and its Development and Utilization
8.3 Computer Simulation of FMS
8.3.1 The Elements of Discrete Simulation
8.3.2 Vital Steps in Developing and Using a Simulation Model
8.3.3 Simulation Software Used in Modeling FMS Problems
8.4 A Simulation Case Study of an FMS Cell
8.5 Summary
8.6 Key Words
8.7 Answers to SAQs
8.1 INTRODUCTION
Global competitive pressure is placing an emphasis on manufacturing and technology
management. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) concept promises lower cost,
higher quality, and shorter lead-time. Most of the manufacturing industries look toward
CIM to provide the flexibility to their manufacturing system. Computer integrated
manufacturing is an application of computers in the field of sales, design, manufacturing
and business of the company. CIM is used for integration of various manufacturing
activities in a factory. Today, the use of computers in manufacturing is common.
Manufacturing systems are being designed that not only process parts automatically, but
also move the parts from machine to machine and sequence the ordering of operations in
the system. To develop a CIM following points must be taken into account :
Sketches and drawing retrieval
Engineering analysis
Testing and simulation
Layout and checking
Engineering review
New drawings
Manufacturing modelling
Process plans
New moulds, dies, tools, and fixtures
New programs for machining
New inspection procedures
Quality assurance and testing
New assembly instructions
New field and service manuals
Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to
understand the concepts of flexible cells and their utilization,



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explain what is meant by the term simulation,
know the important elements of discrete event simulations,
to recognize the importance of FMS and their simulation models, and
solve typical problem that requires the use of simulation.
8.2 FLEXIBLE CELLS AND ITS DEVELOPMENT AND
UTILIZATION
A flexible production cell consists of automated machines, a buffer storage system for
production parts and an automated clamping and loading station. Additional
computerized functions can provide tool breakage control, tool locking measurement,
and variable spatial coding for tools and automated standing time monitoring. Hence, a
flexible production cell is a unified collection of several numerically controlled machine
tools, which can automatically process similar parts over an extended period. If the
acquisition and deposition of production parts is also automated, then flexible production
cells can be regarded as autonomous. A further development of the flexible production
cells is the flexible production system. It consists of the processing system, the material
flow system and the information flow system, which are linked together. Total control is
executed by a computer, which takes over the conveyance of production parts and tools,
as well as providing the production facilities with the relevant control programs. The
flexibility of the system arises because various production tasks can be carried out
without major refitting costs, since the refitting procedures are largely integrated in the
production process. The sequence of operations can also be flexibly determined, since
conveyance is not based on particular order of machine runs. Since the processing
stations are provided with NC programs from the Control Computer of the flexible
production system, this can be construed as a DNC system. The individual processing
stations are in general CNC systems, but they may be more extensive processing centers.
With the combination of various computerized production systems, newer organizational
forms have been developed. These substantiate the claim that the use of computer
systems can infiltrate deep into the organizational structures. It is a common feature of
all systems that they tend to aim at greater functional integration. Individual
organizational forms sometimes constitute stages in the development of increasing
integration of automated production facilities; sometimes, however, they are also
complementary in nature.
The organizational firms represented for smaller output levels also influence the
production technology of large-scale processes, which are generally carried out in
transfer lines. A flexible transfer line aims at speedy refitting, and hence adjustment to
changing production orders. At the same time, the general characteristics of a transfer
are retained (adjusted material flow and precisely timed transfer of production parts
within an optimized layout of processing stations). The flexibility of the transfer line
depends on all of its components-conveyance, material flow, and individual processing
stations.
The computerized production systems that have been mentioned are often primarily
considered as experimental systems and hence as isolated solutions. It can be seen,
however, that they can be combined to form ever-expanding concepts, and hence demand
a fundamental decision on the part of the enterprise as to which organizational firm
should be used for each parts spectrum, and how the production systems should be
connected with one another. This demands careful layout planning. Here, reference is
made to a development in which, through increasing use of computers, potential
manufacturing firms determine the total enterprise structure via layout planning of all
components.
As a result of increasing automation, it is now often the case in industrial concerns that
the majority of employees working in production are concerned with maintenance. A

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distinction can be drawn here between preventive and curative maintenance. Preventive
maintenance involves the replacement or inspection of a machine or machine part on the
basis of a maintenance plan.
8.3 COMPUTER SIMULATION OF FMS
Simulation is a modelling and analysis tool widely used for the purpose of designing,
planning, and control of manufacturing system. In this section, we provide a basic
understanding of simulation modelling and later present a case study of improving the
efficiency of a flexible manufacturing cell using a simulation model.
Simulation is a descriptive technique in which a model of a process is developed and
then experiments are conducted on the model to evaluate its behaviour under various
conditions. The use of simulations as a decision-making tool is fairly widespread, and
you are undoubtedly familiar with some of the ways it is used. For instance, space
engineers simulate space flight in laboratories to permit future astronauts to become
acustomed to working in a weightless environment. Similarly, airline pilots often
undergo extensive training with simulated landings and take offs before being allowed to
try the real thing. There are many other examples of applications of simulation
techniques : the few mentioned illustrate the nature and diversity of simulation.
Simulation is synonymous with imitation. A simulation model may be defined as a
concise framework for the analysis and understanding of the system. It is an abstract
framework of system that facilitates imitating the behaviour of the system over a period
of time. In contrast to mathematical models, simulation models do not need explicit
mathematical functions to relate variables. Therefore, they are suitable for representing
complex systems to get a feeling for the real system. One of the greatest advantages of a
simulation model is that it can compress or expand time. Compression of time refers to
the ability of these models to simulate several years of activities within minutes or even
within a few seconds. Simulation models can also be used to observe a phenomenon that
cannot be observed in real time by expanding time and taking observations at very small
intervals of time. Simulations can also stop time for a detailed analysis of a system at a
particular instant of time, without loss of the continuity of an experiment. These
advantages of using simulation models for manufacturing systems can be understood
better with the help of illustrations.
For example, in automobile firm we may be interested in seeing the long term impact of
an alteration in the maintenance policy. The information regarding the failure rate of
equipment, including the mean time between failures (MTBF), equipment total down
time, average time taken in repair, and other similar activities can be furnished by the
simulation model. It can also provide the information regarding the effects of such a
policy on other system parameters, such as job tardiness, throughput and work-in-
process inventories. The aforementioned time to calculate the after effects doesnt
include the time used in analyzing the data and development of the model. Once a model
is developed for any system, it provides an efficient tool for analyzing the effects of
various parameters and studying the implications of various policies.
A case study for expanding time in observing the failure pattern of a cutting tool is
considered here. A simulation model may be developed to see the pattern of cutting tool
breakage. In real time, breaking takes place so quickly and abruptly that we cannot
observe the stages through which the tool goes while breaking. A simulation model can
help in this regard by showing the breaking phenomenon with visual animation stage by
stage. Besides expanding and compressing time, we need to stop time for certain
analyses at the moment some specific event happens. This is a type of snapshot taken
at a particular time, but simulation snapshots provide great insight into what was
happening in the system at that time. For example, a manufacturing system analyst may
be interested in the state of queues of jobs, in-process inventory, and the number of
rejected items at each machine on completion of every shift of work. Simulation models
provide this information with great ease.



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To summarize, simulation modelling techniques are powerful for manipulation of time,
system inputs, and logic. They are cost effective for modelling a complex system, and
with visual animation capabilities they provide an efficient means of learning,
experimenting, and analyzing real-life complex systems such as flexible manufacturing
systems. Simulation models are capable of taking care of stochastic variability without
much complexity. They enable the behaviour of the system as a whole to be predicted.
This, in turn, helps information about the different elements of the system with a
controlled input. A simulation model may be only choice for experimenting, as it is
impossible or uneconomical to experiment with a real system.
Flexible manufacturing systems involve complex and costly sub systems. Simulation is a
highly appropriate method for observing interactions among various elements of the
FMS and their effects on the system as a whole. Most of FMS phenomena are discrete
and stochastic in nature. Therefore, discrete, Monte Carlo simulation is the technique to
use for their modelling and analysis. Two basic elements of discrete simulation are the
rules that determine the occurrence of next event and rules for changing the state of the
model when an event occurs.
8.3.1 The Elements of Discrete Simulation
Some of the common but important elements of discrete event simulation are entity,
activity, events, queues, attributes, and states.
Entities
Entities are the nouns of simulation language. They are the building blocks of a
manufacturing system, for example, machines, work pieces, AGVs, and Robots.
Entities are of two types: permanent and temporary. Permanent entities, as the
name suggests, remain in the model for the duration of the simulation experiment.
Temporary entities enter the model and pass through it for a limited time period.
Permanent and temporary entities are sometimes also referred to as facilities and
transactions, respectively. Examples of permanent entities in FMSs are machining
centres and AGVs, and temporary entities are jobs in the system.
Activities
Functions performed by the entities in the system are termed activities. They are
the verbs in simulation language. During any activity multiple entities interact for
definite period of time. One of the important aspects of activities in the simulation
is that their duration is either fixed or assumed to be fixed. Whenever an activity
starts, its finish time is known. Transportation of material by AGVs and
processing of jobs by CNC machines are good examples of activities of
manufacturing systems.
Events
Events are the points on the time scale at which some changes take place in the
model. They represent the beginning or end of one or more activities. Events are
classified as endogenous (or internal) or exogenous (or external). Endogenous
events are caused by some interaction of elements within the model, and
exogenous events are caused from outside the model, for example, by the arrival
of a job in a manufacturing system.
Queues
Queues are formed when an entity is waiting in the system for some activity. For
example, in a manufacturing system a job waiting to be processed on a machine
that is not yet available for this job will be part of the queue for this machine.
Attributes
These are the adjectives of simulation language, qualifying nouns (i.e., entities).
Attributes are the characteristics of entities and serve as identification for an entity
in a simulation model.

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States
States define the condition of various elements and of the model as a whole. The
state of the model at a particular time gives information about entities and queues.
Activity Cycle Diagram (ACD)
This is a diagram used in defining the logic of a simulation model. It is equivalent
to a flow-chart of a general-purpose computer program. In some of the literature,
these diagrams are also referred as entity cycle diagrams. The ACD shows the
cycle for entity in the model. Conventions for drawing ACDs are as follows :
(i) Each type of entity has an activity cycle.
(ii) The cycle consists of activities and queues.
(iii) The cycle is closed
(iv) Activities are depicted by rectangles and queues by circles or ellipse.
Error!








Figure 8.1 : Activity Cycle Diagram for a Machine Shop
Utilizing these concepts and conventions, Figure 8.1 shows a simple ACD for a machine
shop. Here the jobs are arriving from the outside environment. Jobs are waiting in a
queue for the machine. As soon as the machine is available, a job goes to the workstation
for processing. Once processing is over, the job again joins a queue waiting to be
dispatched. Machines remain idle and wait for the next available job. In some cases
flow-charts are used to define the logic instead of ACDs, but on the whole, activity cycle
diagrams give a better understanding of a system for simulation modelling. Activity
cycle diagrams are good for logical understanding, but much more is involved in
simulation modelling. In the following sub-section, we discuss basic steps for developing
and using a simulation model.
8.3.2 Vital Steps in Developing and Using a Simulation Model
(i) Define the problem by specifying the objectives and specific issues to be
considered.
(ii) Collect data about the entities and identify the attributes of each type of
identity.
(iii) Develop an ACD using all the entities; also define the duration of each
activity and queue disciplines.
(iv) Specify initial conditions and values of the variable; also specify the
statistics to be collected.
Arrival Dispatch
Waiting in
Queue
Workstation
Idle
Environment
Represents movements of parts
Represents change in state of machine



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(v) Validate the preceding information by involving the people who are actually
working on the system and have in-depth understanding of it.
(vi) Construct a computer program for the simulation model using an
appropriate software and hardware combination.
(vii) Make pilot runs to test the sensitivity of the output to variations in input
parameters. This will help in validating the simulation model.
(viii) If necessary, make changes in the model based on the information gathered
during pilot runs.
(ix) Make production runs and collect the desired statistics.
(x) Analyze the output data and prepare recommendations.
(xi) Present reports and plans for implementation of the results.
In the sub-section, we will elicit some of the simulation software used in the context of
FMS.
8.3.3 Simulation Software Used in Modelling FMS Problems
Recent developments in object-oriented modelling and simulation addresses the issues
like development, management and reuse of simulation models, while efforts in the field
of parallel/distributed simulation and fast simulation target the execution speed issue.
The history of simulation modelling software can be broken into five periods: the era of
custom programs, the emergence of simulation programming languages, the second
generation of simulation programming languages, the era of extended features and the
current period. In the early sixties, discrete event simulation languages such as GPSS,
GASP and SIMULA were introduced. These languages were primarily written in general
purpose languages but had built-in procedures to perform many routine simulation tasks,
such as scheduling of events and statistics collection. In the late sixties a second
generation of simulation languages emerged. In most cases (i.e. GPSS V, SIMULA 67
and GASP IIA), these languages were more powerful replacements of their predecessors.
In the seventies, as the use simulation modelling grew, developments in simulation
languages were driven toward the extension of simulation languages to facilitate easier
and more efficient methods of model translation and representation. Many of the
languages which evolved from these developments, GPSS, SLAM, and SIMAN, are still
widely used today.
In addition to the developments occurring in simulation languages, changes were also
occurring in the way simulation models were used within organizations. Simulation was
frequently used to study smaller, short term problems and projects. This effectively
increased the pressure for development of faster and more efficient modeling
methodologies with higher levels of reusability and user friendly interfaces. In the
eighties, rapid advancements occurred in the areas of computer hardware and software.
Powerful and inexpensive personal computing environments with high resolution
graphics became commonplace, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques and expert
systems gained acceptance. These changes had, and continue to have, direct impact on
simulation methodologies. Simulation modelling is now open to a much broader base of
potential users through advances such as
menu and icon driven model builders,
expert systems to aid in the building and debugging of models,
graphs and charts to display model results both during and after execution,
and
model animation to view the operation of the system as a whole or zoom in
on a specific area of interest.

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of CIM
In the area of graphics and animation, packages such as SLAMSYSTEM,
Cinema/SIMAN, and SIMFACTORY are the leading edge competitors. The animation
and graphics are typically developed and presented as an integral part of the simulation
language. By contrast, software engineering, AI and expert system concepts impact
simulation modelling through the use of a simulation front-end or application
generator. These tools interact with the user and ultimately result in code, which can be
passed directly to the simulation language.
SAQ 1
(a) What are some of the primary reasons for the widespread use of simulation
techniques in practice?
(b) Outline the steps that might be involved in a simulation study.





8.4 A SIMULATION CASE STUDY OF AN FMS CELL
The flexible manufacturing cell used in their simulation study consist of an ASEA six-
axis robot, Kearney and Trecker horizontal spindle mill, Mori Seikl lathe, gripper change
station, and rough part including area.
In this case, the cell is setup to produce three components: base, jaw, and screw for the
assembly of a vise. Each part is machined on one particular machine: the base on the
Kearney and Trecker mill, the jaw on a Bridgeport mill, and the screw on the Mori Seiki
Lathe.
The components arrive at the cell as rough castings in the loading area. The robot
follows a preprogrammed route to transport the parts to their respective machines, load
them onto the machines, reposition the parts for additional operations on the same
machine, and transport the finished parts to the unloading area. The gripper change
station is necessary because the base and jaw require that the robot use a straight gripper
while the screw requires the use of a curved gripper.
8.4.1 Analysis of the Current System
The model of the flexible manufacturing cell was developed in the Simulation Language
for Alternative Modeling (SLAM II) and the Extended Simulation support System
(TESS). TESS adds a relational database management system and animation capabilities
to the simulation.The model of the flexible manufacturing cell was run over a simulated
time span of 4800 min, or 10-8-hr shifts. Key data values or statistics, with regard to the
intended objectives, were :
(i) Time in the system for each component part
(ii) Number of observations (product output)
(iii) Average waiting time for each resource
(iv) Percentage of time that each resource was captured.
The statistics for the simulation run of the current system as well as policies
experimented with are summarized in Table 8.1. The absolute minimum time required to
produce a particular part can be determined by summing all the necessary activities
throughout the system. This would result in minimum times of 5.19, 6.56, and 2.90 min
for the base, jaw, and screw respectively. These times could be achieved only if an entity
never had to wait for a resource. With the help of this information and the statistics in



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Table 8.1, we can obtain the average waiting time and percentage of time that each
resource was captured.
As seen from Table 8.1, the jaw spent the longest time in the system, 10.87 min per
parts. A key aim was to reduce this critical or system-dependent time, without increasing
the processing time of the base or screw above the processing time of the jaw. After
initial runs, it was checked that the output of the simulated model coincided with that of
the actual system with the expectation of realistic results.
Table 8.1 : Simulation Modeling of the Case Problem
Sl.
No.
Current
System
Policy I Policy II Policy III
1. Time in the system for base (min.) 9.62 8.66 8.51 6.49
2. Time in system for jaw (min.) 10.87 9.91 9.76 7.43
3. Time in system for screw (min.) 5.13 5.13 6.55 8.79
4. System Output (cycle) 441.00 484.00 491.00 546.00
5. Percentage increase - 9.75 11.33 23.81
The objective of this study is to increase the output of the cell by making only
scheduling changes. The way to alter the scheduling order of the component parts in the
model is to change the priorities associated with the resources. The only resource in the
cell that requires prioritizing is the robot, because it is the only resource that is shared by
more than one component part. In the model, the priorities of the parts requesting the
robot resource can be changed, making it possible to experiment with the
programming of the robot without affecting the cell itself.
A comparison of the order in which the parts are processed by the robot in the current
system and in the three policies to be considered is as follows :
Current Policy : B-J-S-B-J-W-J-B-J
Policy I : B-J-S-J-B-J-B-J
Policy II : B-J-S-J-B-S-J-B-J
Policy III : S-J-B-J-W-B-W-J-B-J-S
where B stands for the base, J for jaw, S for screw, and W for wait.
Policy I
In this case, the order of the base and jaw was switched after processing the screw.
This change caused the order of the remaining processing for these two parts to be
reversed and eliminated the time during which the robot was waiting for the
second operation on the jaw to be finished. The results of this simulation run have
been summarized in Table 8.1. The results demonstrate that the changes made in
this experiment provided an increase in output by 9.75 percent and at that time in
the system for the jaw was reduced from 10.87 to 9.91 min per production cycle.
This simple change in the processing order of the base and jaw made a significant
impact on the productivity of the cell.
Policy II
The next question to be considered was: What if the screw processing was split up
into multiple steps? The intent of Policy II was to answer this question. The results
of this simulation run are summarized in Table 8.1. The output was raised to
491 units, an increase of 50 units over the current system, which translates to an
increase in productivity of 11.3 percent. It is apparent that dividing the processing
of the screw into two steps decreased the waiting time of both the base and jaw
while raising the processing time of the screw only slightly. This increased time,

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however, is still less than the critical time for the cell, which is the time for the
cell, which is the time for the jaw.
Policy III
The results thus far are acceptable, but could the output be improved even further
without going beyond scheduling changes? Considering that the screw has the
shortest processing time of the three parts, it would be best if the screw did most
of the waiting, thereby reducing the waiting of the jaw. In this experiment, the
second step in the processing of the screw was moved all the way to the end, after
completion of both the base and the screw. In order to do this, the robot was made
to wait for a short time at two points in the processing of other parts. This
simulation run produced the data shown in Table 8.1. The critical time was no
longer the time spent in the system by the jaw, because the time to process the
screw had increased to a point above that of the jaw. However, this time was well
below the critical time in the other cases, providing an output of 546 units, which
is an increase in productivity of 23.8 percent over the current system.
With simulation modelling, it is possible to create and test countless scenarios. In
this study, among the scenarios considered, the processing order in Policy III
provided the best scheduling to meet the intended objectives. Although Policy III
may or may not be the best possible processing order, it provides an excellent
improvement over the current system. With the help of this simulation model, it
was shown that a 24 percent increase in productivity would be realized by
modifying the processing order as shown in the third policy.
SAQ 2
(a) What are the various simulation packages used in modelling FMS?
(b) Briefly discuss the various steps in developing a simulation model.




8.5 SUMMARY
This unit deals with the concept of flexible cells and its development and utilization with
the existing system. An emphasis has been given to the idea of simulation and how it can
be mapped to represent the problem of FMS. This unit has provided an overview of
simulation, primarily in the contest of operation. A simulation study can involve several
stages, some of which may be repeated. These are defining the problem, justifying the
cost of the study, abstracting the model, coding the model, validating the model,
planning a simulation experiment, conducting the study and collecting data, analysing
the data, and documenting and implementing the study. Several applications of
simulation in manufacturing and service setting were described to short the breadth of its
applicability. A brief introduction has been given about the commonly used simulation
packages.
8.6 KEY WORDS
Simulation Models Flexible Cells : It is used for modelling the system.
8.7 ANSWERS TO SAQs
Refer the relevant text in this unit for answer to SAQs.