Minimizing the number of tool switches on a flexible machine: an empiricalstudy

This paper looks at the issue of tool switching in manufacturing companies. The findings, based on work with seven companies, show that industry is aw are that excessive tool switches can result in substantial time being spent in tool set-ups. The efficiency of the methods currently employed by these companies was assessed. These methods were compared with some available to ol switching heuristics. The results show that tool switching heuristics ar e applicable to real problems in industry and that they consistently outper form the current methods used within companies.