A Survey of Current Methodologies for Manufacturing Systems Design

Abstract

In 1992/93 a research team from the Department of Manufacturing and Engineering Systems at Brunei University, undertook a survey of manufacturing industry and researchers in the UK and other European countries on the topic of Manufacturing Systems Design (MSD). It was the aim of this study to identify current best practice and the emerging theories of MSD, and to investigate the level of adoption by industry of advanced methodologies for the design process as applied to MSD. The research was planned to generate accurate data on the use, problems and benefits associated with the application of MSD methodologies. Key topics of systems design included the degree of consideration of people and organisation related aspects, in contrast to merely technology based approaches. The authors brought together some of the results established in this field so far and put them into a logical context to form a basis for further investigations. This paper reports the analysis of current literature of MSD methodologies, as well as the results obtained through a survey of manufacturing companies. Finally, developments required for the future are discussed.