Definition
Flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is an integrated group of processing CNC machines and material-handling equipment under computer control for the automatic processing of palletized parts. It is implemented for the mid-volume, mid-variety production and represents a compromise between the high flexibility of versatile job shops and the high production rate of a dedicated mass production system (e.g., transfer lines). It is capable of producing limited number of preplanned part families and utilizes similarities between members of a parts family using group technology. The FMS is most suited for the mid-variety, mid-volume production range. FMS exploits the benefits of the Economy of Scope while achieving the efficiencies of the Economy of Scale (ElMaraghy 2006).
The reason the FMS is called flexible is that it is capable of processing a variety of different part variants belonging to the same family...
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ElMaraghy, H., Caggiano, A. (2014). Flexible Manufacturing System. In: Laperrière, L., Reinhart, G. (eds) CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20617-7_6554
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20617-7_6554
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