FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING

SYSTEMS

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Manufacturing System Defined
“A collection of integrated equipment and human
resources, whose function is to perform one or more
processing and/or assembly operations on a starting raw
material, part, or set of parts”
 Equipment includes
 Production machines and tools
 Material handling and work positioning devices
 Computer systems
 Human resources are required either full-time or
periodically to keep the system running

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 WHAT IS FMS
 An FMS is a “reprogrammable” manufacturing system capable
of producing a variety of products automatically. Conventional
manufacturing systems have been marked by one of two
distinct features:
 The capability of producing a variety of different product types,
but at a high cost (e.g., job shops).
 The capability of producing large volumes of a product at a
lower cost, but very inflexible in terms of the product types
which can be produced (e.g., transfer lines).
 An FMS is a collection of production equipment logically
organized under a host computer and physically connected by
a central transport system.
 The objective of the FMS is to simultaneously manufacture a
mix of piece part types. 4
 History of FMS
After the Second World War a new era in manufacturing came. The discovery
of new materials and production techniques increased quality and productivity. Now
the market focused on consumer and not the manufacturer. The first FMS was
patented in 1965 by Theo Williamson who made numerically controlled equipment.
Examples of numerically controlled equipment are like a CNC lathes or mills which is
called varying types of FMS.

In the 80’s for the first time manufacturers had to take in consideration
efficiency, quality, and flexibility to stay in business.

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Why do we need flexibility in manufacturing
systems?

 Variety in products thus options for the consumers

 Optimizing the manufacturing cycle time
 Reduced production costs
 Overcoming internal changes like failure, breakdowns, limited
sources, etc.
 External changes such as change in product design and
production system.

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 Various types of flexibility?

 Machine flexibility
 Capability of a machine to perform a variety of operations on a variety of part
types and sizes
 Routing flexibility
 Alternative machines, sequences or resources can be used for manufacturing a
part for changes resulting from equipment breakdowns, tool breakages,
controller failures, etc.
 Process flexibility
 Ability to absorb changes in the product mix by performing similar operations,
producing similar products or parts.
 Product flexibility
 Ability to change over to a new set of products economically and quickly in
response to markets
 Production flexibility
 Ability to produce a range of products without adding capital equipment
 Expansion flexibility
 Ability to change a manufacturing system with a view to accommodating a
changed product envelope 7
ELEMENTS OF FMS
AUTOMATICALLY REPROGRAMMABLE MACHINES.

AUTOMATED TOOL DELIVERY AND CHANGING

AUTOMATED MATERIAL HANDLING

COORDINATED CONTROL

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Equipment of FMS
CONTROLLERS :
 COMPUTER

 WORKER (ATTENDANT)

 TRACKING SYSTEM FOR

 PARTS

 MACHINES

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Equipment of FMS
Primary equipment
work centers
• Universal machining centers (prismatic FMSs)
• Turning centers (rotational FMSs)
• Grinding machines
• Nibbling machines

Process centers
• Wash machines
• Coordinate measuring machines
• Robotic work stations
• Manual workstations

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Equipment of FMS
Secondary equipment
Support stations
• Pallet/fixture load/unload stations

• Tool commissioning/setting area

Support equipment
• Robots

• Pallet/fixture/stillage stores

• Pallet buffer stations

• Tools stores

• Raw material stores

• Transport system(AGVs,RGVs,robots,conveyors) 11
Model of FMS
Computer
control
room
Tools

Conveyor

Machine Machine

Pallet

Load Unload

Finished 12
Parts Tracking
goods
center
 FMS and FMC
• Early FMSs were large and very complex, consisting of
dozens of CNCs and sophisticated material handling
systems. They were very automated, very expensive and
controlled by incredibly complex software. There were only a
limited number of industries that could afford investing in a
traditional FMS as described above.
• Currently, the trend in FMS is toward small versions of the
traditional FMS, called flexible manufacturing cells
(FMC).
– Today two or more CNC machines are considered a
flexible cell and two more cells are considered a flexible
manufacturing system.
– Thus, a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) consists
of several machine tools along with part and tool
handling devices such as robots, arranged so that it can
handle any family of parts for which it has been designed13
and developed.
FMSs can be distinguished according to the
number of machines.
•Single machine cell - One CNC machining center combined
with a parts storage system for unattended operation.
•Flexible manufacturing cell (FMC): Consists of two or three
processing stations (CNC machines) plus a parts handling
system connected to a load/unload station, a cell computer and a
robot. The cell computer (typically a programmable logic
controller) is interfaced with the microprocessors of the robot
and the CNCs.

•Flexible manufacturing system - Four or more processing

workstations connected mechanically by a common parts
handling system and electronically by a distributed computer
system.

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Differences between FMC and FMS
Number of machines: a FMC has two or three machines,
while a FMS has four or more.
FMS generally includes non-processing workstations that
support production but do not directly participate in it
(e.g., part/pallet washing stations, coordinate measuring
machines)
Computer control system of a FMS is generally larger and
more sophisticated, often including functions not always
found in a cell, such as diagnostics and tool monitoring.

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Figure 16.2 Single machine cell consisting of one CNC machining center
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and parts storage unit.
A 5 machine FMS for machining at Cincinnati Milacron

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF FMS
The different types of FMS are

Sequential FMS: It manufactures one-piece part batch type and then

planning and preparation is carried out for the next piece part batch type to
be manufactured. It operates like a small batch flexible transfer line.

Random FMS: It manufactures any random mix of piece part types at any one
time.

Dedicated FMS: It continually manufactures, for extended periods, the same

but limited mix of piece part batch types.

Modular FMS: A modular FMS, with a sophisticated FMS host, enables and
FMS user to expand their FMS capabilities in a stepwise fashion into any of
the previous three types of FMS

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FMS ADVANTAGES
MANY PART TYPES
CAN BE LOADED

PARTS CAN ARRIVE AT

MACHINES IN ANY
SEQUENCE

MANY MACHINES
CAN BE INCLUDED

SMALL FMS LEAD

TO FLEXIBLE CELLS

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FMS ADVANTAGES
EXPENSIVE TO IMPLEMENT
BUT SAVINGS CAN BE
SIGNIFICANT

FLOOR SPACE
REDUCIBLE BY 1/3
EQUIPMENT
UTILIZATION UP TO
85% OR MORE

DETAILED PRODUCTION
SEQUENCE NOT NEEDED
WELL IN ADVANCE

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FMS ADVANTAGES
REDUCED DIRECT
LABOR COSTS

THREE SHIFTS
READILY FEASIBLE

IDEAL FOR JIT

CAN EASILY BE TURNED
OVER TO NEW SET OF
PRODUCTS IF THE NEED
ARISES

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Disadvantage of using FMS
Substantial pre-planning activity

Expensive, costing millions

Technological problems of exact component positioning and precise timing

necessary to process a component

Very Sophisticated manufacturing systems

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Development of FMS
Several actions must be decided on before we can
have FMS. These actions include.
 Selecting operations needed to make the product.
 Putting the operations in a logical order.
 Selecting equipment to make the product.
 Arranging the equipment for efficient use.
 Designing special devices to help build the product.
 Developing ways to control product quality.
 Testing the manufacturing system.

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 An example of a simple and modern
manufacturing unit

Swarf
Universal Machining
disposal
Center
Raw
Materials
AGV transport system 2 Area

AGV transport system 1

Host
computer

Head
Universal Machining
Indexing 1 2
Center
Machines
Wash
Machine Coordinate
Piece part
Measuring Assembly Finish
Buffer
Machine Cells Machine
Area
1&2 Cell
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 FMS Example
One Design + One Assembly Process = Multiple Models

When different models are designed to be assembled in the same sequence they can be
built in the same plant.
This maximizes efficiency and allows the company to respond quickly to changing
customer
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THANK YOU

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