Design And Simulation Of Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems Configurations

Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS) is a new type of manufacturing systems that can provide exactly production capacity and functionality in terms of market demand change. The configuration and configuration path design of RMS are key themes of RMS design. With financially supported by National 863 Project—the technology of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (No.2001AA412160), the methodologies of configuration and its path design under totally different demand environment are studied by using operations research as tools. Besides, the real operation state of each configuration is simulated by utilizing the advanced simulation methods and software.In Chapter 1, the generation background and significance of RMS are discussed. In addition, the present research situations of RMS design in China and other countries are introduced, and its research areas are described. Finally, the main research content and organized structure of the thesis are given.In Chapter 2, some basic concepts and key features of RMS are discussed, and also does the system level design procedure of RMS. Some theories of operations research, such as Graph Theory, double sweep algorithm, and Queuing Theory, and their applications in the configuration design of RMS are addressed.In Chapter 3, under the determined market demand environment, the design methodologies of the configuration and configuration path of RMS are studied. Models of period cost, reconfiguration cost and the life cycle of RMS are constructed. Then configuration directed graphs of RMS are built, and the k-optimal configurations of each directed graphs are solved by using double sweep algorithm. Configuration path directed graph of RMS across all production periods can be constructed by utilizing the k-optimal configurations and reconfiguration cost between configurations, then k-optimal configuration paths would be figured out. Finally, a case is given to illustrate and demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the presented design methodology.In Chapter 4, based on the Queuing theory and Graph Theory, an iterative design methodology of RMS configuration and configuration path under single product demand environment is suggested. Queuing models of RMS and probability transition equations of the system under steady situations are constructed. Besides, profit model of RMS is given. Finally, an example is illustrated that the presented methodology is valid.In Chapter 5, considering the practical production situations of manufacturing enterprises.