A Systematic Transition to Flexible Manufacturing

Sema E. Alptekin, University of Missouri - Rolla, Rolla, Missouri
Daniel L. Webber, University of Missouri - Rolla, Rolla, Missouri

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Copyright © 1988 Elsevier Science Ltd. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0360-8352(88)90057-5.

NOTE: At the time of publication, the author Sema Alptekin was not yet affiliated with Cal Poly.

Abstract

The transition from basic automation to flexible manufacturing is an expensive and tedious procedure. It requires meticulous planning and almost clairvoyant forecasting to insure that the initial flexibility obtained is sufficient to allow growth and expansion in the future. This paper will suggest a systematic and methodological approach to achieve optimal flexibility and describe the present results of its application to an ongoing system transformation.

Conclusions based on existing levels of completion are presented along with identification of critical and non critical flexibility requirements. The considerations and steps taken are summarized in a procedural format which may then be applied to a wide variety of system transformations.