Impact of various flexibility types in a hybrid fabrication/assembly production system

In this study the impact of three types of flexibility on the manufacturing performance for a production system consisting of a parts fabrication proc ess and an assembly line has been investigated. Machine flexibility and rou ting flexibility are considered with respect to the parts fabrication proce ss, and volume flexibility is introduced for the assembly line. Machine fle xibility is the capacity of a machine to perform different operations requi red by a given set of part types. Routing flexibility is the capability of processing a given set of part types using more than one route (alternate r outing). Volume flexibility is the ability to operate at different output o r working time levels. The objective of this study is to clarify, by simulation-based investigatio n, the impact of these flexibility types on manufacturing performance, espe cially in situations where urgent orders and machine breakdown are not negl igible. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.