Computer‐integrated manufacturing assembly system design

Abstract

Describes a systematic procedure for the design of a manufacturing assembly system, which has been developed in response to the problems associated with the allocation of tasks to workstations, under conditions of uncertainties (and, hence, risks) in some key system parameters. Adopts the methodology of stochastic modelling, whereby various probability distributions are integrated within a modified COMSOAL algorithm, as a means of addressing the uncertainties associated with key manufacturing assembly system variables, such as cycle time and task times. The proposed computer‐oriented methodology is code‐named CIMASD, and incorporates four basic objective criteria options: minimizing the number of workstations; minimizing the balance delay; minimizing the cycle time; or a combination of two or more. Discusses four variants of the CIMASD methodology, designed and equipped to reflect on various uncertainty circumstances under which manufacturing assembly system designs are performed in practice. Demonstrates the efficacy of the CIMASD methodology by applying two of its variants to a case study. Shows that the proposed methodology is capable of facilitating far more informative manufacturing system design than would otherwise be possible: CIMASD can incorporate effective cost saving features, which are useful in the planning, designing and scheduling of workstation tasks, in a typical manufacturing assembly system design.