The rapid responsiveness of RMS

Abstract

Manufacturing enterprises are facing in the last decades unpredictable market changes driven by global competition. To stay competitive, these enterprises must possess new types of manufacturing systems that can rapidly respond to market changes. Reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs), which were invented in the mid-1990s, are characterised by their rapid and cost-effective response to market changes, and therefore are frequently being built by global enterprises. The RMS components are Computerized Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines and some reconfigurable machines that are all connected into a system in way that enables changes in the system structure to accommodate new product types and their desired volume. Methodologies for the systematic design for rapid system modifications while maintaining consistent product quality are the cornerstones of the RMS paradigm.

Keywords:

• reconfigurable manufacturing systems
• RMS characteristics
• system design