Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tool addition strategies for flexible manufacturing systems

  • Published:
International Journal of Flexible Manufacturing Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The allocation of tools to machines determines potential part routes in flexible manufacturing systems. Given production requirements and a minimum feasible set of tools, the decision of how to fill vacant slots in tool magazines to maximize routing flexibility is shown to be a minimum cost network flow problem for the cases when routing flexibility is a function of the average workload per tool aggregated over tool types, or of the number of possible routes through the system. A linear programming model is then used to plan a set of routes for each part type so as to minimize either the material handling requirement or the maximum workload on any machine. The impact of these tool addition strategies on the material handling and workload equalization is investigated and computational results presented. The advantage of the overall approach is computational simplicity at each step and the ability to react to dynamic changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agnetis, A., Arbib, C., Lucertini, M., and Nicolo, F., “Part Routing in Flexible Assembly Systems,”IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation, Vol. 6, No. 6, pp. 697–705 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ammons, L.C., Lofgren, C.B., and McGinnis, L.F., “A Large Scale Machine Loading Problem in Flexible Assembly,”Annals of Operations Research, Vol. 3, pp. 319–332 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  • Berr, A. and Falkenberg, D., “Tool Management for Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”Annals of the CIRP, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 387–390 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  • Berrada, M. and Stecke, K.E., “A Branch and Bound Approach for Machine Loading in Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”Management Science, Vol. 32, No. 10, pp. 1316–1335 (October 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y.G. and Askin, R.G., “A Multiobjective Evaluation of Flexible Manufacturing Loading Heuristics,”International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 895–911 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Eversheim, W., Kals, H.J.J., Konig, W., van Luttervelt, C.A., Miberg, J., Storr, A., Tonshoff, H.K., Weck, M., Weule, H., and Zdeblick, W.J., “Tool Management: The Present and the Future,”Annals of CIRP, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 631–639 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  • Graver, T.W. and McGinnis, T.W., “A Tool Provisioning Problem in FMS,”International Journal of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 239–254 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, A.E., Seidmann, A., and Stecke, K.E., “A Synthesis of Decision Models for Tool Management in Automated Manufacturing,”Management Science, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 549–567 (May 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, S., “Part Selection Problems in Flexible Manufacturing Systems Planning Stage,” inProceedings of the Second ORSA/TIMS Conference on FMS: Operations Research Models and Applications, K.E. Stecke and R. Suri (Eds.), Elsevier Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, pp. 297–309 (August 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaikumar, R. and VanWassenhove, L.N., “Production Planning in Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”Journal of Manufacturing and Operations Management, Vol. 2, pp. 52–78 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  • Karp, R.M., “Reducibility among Combinatorial Problems,” inComplexity of Computer Computations, R.E. Miller and J.W. Thatcher (Eds.), Plenum Press, New York, pp. 85–103, (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kusiak, A., “Flexible Manufacturing Systems: A Structural Approach,”International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 23, No. 6, pp. 1056–1074 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  • Leung, L.C., Maheshwari, S.K., and Miller, W.A., “Concurrent Part Assignment and Tool Allocation in FMS with Material Handling Considerations,” Working Paper, Department of Industrial and Management Systems, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajagopalan, S., “Formulations and Heuristic Solutions for Parts Grouping and Tool Loading in Flexible Manufacturing Systems,” inProceedings of the Second ORSA/TIMS Conference on FMS: Operations Research Models and Applications, K.E. Stecke and R. Suri (Eds.), Elsevier Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, pp. 311–320, (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarin, S.C. and Chen, C.S., “The Machine Loading and Tool Allocation Problem in a Flexible Manufacturing System,”International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 25, pp. 1081–1094 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweitzer, P.J. and Seidmann, A., “Optimizing Processing Rates for Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”Management Science, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 454–466 (April 1991).

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanthikumar, J.G. and Stecke, K.E., “Reducing Work-in-Process Inventory in Certain Classes of Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 15–21 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sodhi, M.S., “Hierarchical Models for FMS Control,” Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sodhi, M.S., Askin, R.G., and Sen, S., “A Hierarchical Model for Flexible Manufacturing System Control,” Working Paper 91-012, Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E., “Formulation and Solution of Nonlinear Integer Production Planning Problems of Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”Management Science, Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 273–288 (March 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E., “A Hierarchical Approach to Solving Machine Grouping and Loading Problems of Flexible Manufacturing Systems,”European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 24, pp. 369–378 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E., “Planning and Scheduling Approaches to Operate a Particular FMS,”European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 61, No. 3, pp. 273–291 (September 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E. and Kim, I., “A Flexible Approach to Implementing the Short Term FMS Planning Function,”Proceedings of the Second ORSA/TIMS Conference on FMS: Operations Research Models and Applications, Ann Arbor, MI, K.E. Stecke and R. Suri (Eds.), Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, pp. 283–295 (August 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E., and Kim, I., “A Study of FMS Part Type Selection Approaches for Short-Term Production Planning,”International Journal of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 7–29 (April 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E. and Solberg, J.J., “Loading and Control Policies for a Flexible Manufacturing System,”International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 19, pp. 481–490 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stecke, K.E. and Talbot, F.B., “Heuristics for Loading Flexible Manufacturing Systems,” inFlexible Manufacturing: Recent Developments in FMS, Robotics, CAD/CAM, CIM, A. Rouf and S.I. Ahmed (Eds.), Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, pp. 73–84, (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  • Suri, R. and Whitney, C.K., “Decision support requirements in flexible manfucturing,”Journal of Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 61–69 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitney, C.K. and Gaul, T.S., “Sequential Decision Procedures for Batching and Balancing in FMSs,”Annals of Operations Research, Vol. 3, pp. 118–136 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilhelm, W.E. and Shin, H., “Effectiveness of Alternate Operations in a Flexible Manufacturing System,”International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 65–79 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Manbir S. Sodhi

  2. Department of Information and Systems, University of Rome-“La Sapienza,”, Rome, Italy

    Alessandro Agnetis

  3. Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering and Mines, University of Arizona, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Ronald G. Askin

Authors
  1. Manbir S. Sodhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alessandro Agnetis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ronald G. Askin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This article is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. DMC 85–44993 and DDM 92–15432.

This work was done by the author while visiting the SIE Department of the University of Arizona.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sodhi, M.S., Agnetis, A. & Askin, R.G. Tool addition strategies for flexible manufacturing systems. Int J Flex Manuf Syst 6, 287–310 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01324798

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01324798

Key words

Search

Navigation