A resource-based modelling approach to support responsive manufacturing systems

The manufacturing industry faces the challenge of responding quickly to the ever-changing requirements of customers. A key factor in these highly competitive environments is an ability for companies to master key production system dynamics such as change in the product types and variants and production quantities that they make, with high quality, low cost, and fast delivery. A novel approach to modelling manufacturing systems is introduced which is based on the provision of means for explicitly representing and computer executing dynamic producer units (DPUs). DPUs are defined as re-usable, change capable components of a manufacturing enterprise and have been described in the present authors’ previous publications. DPU concepts were conceived to support (1) the design of change capable manufacturing systems that can realise families of similar products in varying quantities and mixes and (2) the re-configuration of manufacturing systems in cases of withdrawal of a product family and introduction of a new one. To achieve this, a generic manufacturing system model is required to facilitate the systematic and timely alteration of production system designs and production plans. DPU modelling concepts facilitate these alterations through explicitly specifying the need for change capabilities so that rapid and cost-effective changeover responses can be made when production requirements change. This paper presents how DPU modelling concepts can be applied with reference to an industrial case study and describes a change decision-making framework in the form of a taxonomy and enabling tools.