FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Abstract
Increasing global competition and new technological developments have forced firms to seek and develop new strategies. Thus, the manufacturing has been recognized as a competitive strategic weapon. Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) has become increasingly popular in the late twentieth century due to flexibility of these systems. Such flexibility enables firms to respond market changes quickly and to get competitive advantage in particularly uncertain markets.
This paper provides a fundamental framework for
development and planning of FMS in the evaluation process of firms. Definition
and structure of FMS, types of flexibility, FMS problems and relative modelling
tools are briefly presented.
Keywords
Manufacturing strategies,Flexible manufacturing systems,Flexibility
References
- Buzacott, J.A. and Shanthikumar J.G. (1993), Stochastic Models of Manufacturing Systems, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
- Gerwin, D. (1993), “Manufacturing Flexibility: A Strategic Perspective”, Management Science, 39(4), 395-410
- Groover, M.P. (2015), Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Pearson Higher Education, Inc., New Jersey
- Gupta, Y.P. and Goyal, S. (1989), “Flexibility of Manufacturing Systems: Concepts and Measurements”, European Journal of Operational Research, 43(2), 119-135
- Hayes, R.H. and Pisano, G.P. (1994), “Beyond World-Class - The New Manufacturing Strategy”, Harvard Business Review, Jan-Feb, 72(1), 77-86
- Jaikumar, R. (1986), “Postindustrial Manufacturing”, Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec, 64(6), 69-76
- Kaighobadi, M. and Venkatesh, K. (1994), “Flexible Manufacturing Systems: An Overview”, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 14(4), 26-49
- Khan, M.K., Hussain, I. and Noor, S. (2011), “A Knowledge Based Methodology for Planning and Designing of a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS)”, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Systems, 13(1), 95-109
- Kusiak, A. (1985), “Flexible Manufacturing Systems: A Structural Approach”, International Journal of Production Research, 23(6), 1057-1073
- Leong, G.K., Snyder, D.L. and Ward, P.T. (1990), “Research in the Process and Content of Manufacturing Strategy”, OMEGA-International Journal of Management Science, 18(2), 109-122