Simulation analysis of multi-node manufacturing system under design and scheduling strategies

Abstract

To cater for dynamic and variable performance matrices, manufacturing industries use automation tools and technologies to impart manufacturing flexibility in their processes. To successfully cater for its performance, manufacturing requirements should be designed into the system and then appropriate planning and operational policies need to be followed to support it. This research work validates this using an industrial size flexible manufacturing system (FMS) as a multi-node manufacturing framework having eight machines. While FMS design spectrum is modelled by different levels of its routing flexibility (RF) and number of pallets (NP), planning and operational strategies are implemented through various combinations of dispatching and sequencing rules (DR/SR). This work is a simulation study to evaluate FMS performance for which makes time (MST) and machine utilisation have been used as a performance metric. This research provides a framework for the decision makers in identifying the appropriate levels of routing flexibility, number of pallets and appropriate combination of dispatching and sequencing rules for optimising system performance under a given manufacturing environment.