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Reconfigurable manufacturing systems are recognized as next generation manufacturing systems capable of providing the exact functionality and capacity as and when required. The reconfiguration of the system depends upon the ease with which any machine can be added, removed or re-adjusted for upcoming configuration from any initial or outgoing configuration. The efforts required while changing any existing configuration to a new configuration have serious implications on the cost aspect as well. The complexity and economics involved in changing one configuration to another depend on the existing initial configuration and the new upcoming configuration required for subsequent production of part families. In the present paper, based on the different types of effort associated with the reconfiguration process, a new indicator of performance termed as “Service Level” is proposed. The proposed indicator is modeled for a multipart reconfigurable manufacturing system. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a numerical example. The values obtained for service levels while switching from one configuration to another were calculated for a serial product flow line. Some of the important implications regarding service level evaluation and implementation are finally discussed.

Abstract: In this global manufacturing era, one of the important challenges faced by manufacturer is how to deal with stochastic demand and ever changing customer needs and requirements. Reconfigurable manufacturing systems are recognized as next generation manufacturing systems capable of providing the exact functionality and capacity as and when required. Some important performance indices studied in the past include cost, ease of reconfigurability, productivity, reliability and availability for assessing the performance of these systems. The economics while carrying out the reconfiguration process of these systems must include parameters such as cost incurred while producing orders of part families on a particular configuration and the reconfiguration cost associated while changing over from initial configuration to another. The complexity and cost involved from changing one configuration to another depends on the existing initial configuration and the new configuration required for subsequent production. In this paper, based on the different efforts associated with the reconfiguration process, a new index of performance termed as “Service Level” is proposed. The proposed indicator is modeled for a multiple part family reconfigurable manufacturing system. The methodology proposed is explained using a numerical example. The results obtained along with their important implications were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]