Research Initiation Award: Strategic Planning and Analysis of Flexible Assembly Systems with Time-Varying Production Requirements

9308931彼得斯电子工业的特点是产品种类多，产品变化快，产品生命周期短。柔性装配系统被认为是一种能够应对这种环境挑战的生产系统。然而，关于柔性装配系统的构成要素以及如何设计柔性装配系统的研究还很少。本研究将从战略的角度研究柔性装配系统的设计与规划。研究的目标有三个：(1)确定灵活性的特征和原因；(2)开发分析工具，以确定在时变的生产需求下的初始系统设计，其中系统设计包括设施的数量、每个设施的配置、每个设施的能力以及将产品分配给设施；以及(3)开发分析工具和解决方案方法，以确定和评估随着时间的推移的系统转换策略，包括产品重新分配以及能力和配置变化。目前，实践者在解决灵活性问题和在快速变化的环境中做出战略规划决策方面装备不足。这项研究将为决策者设计和规划柔性装配系统提供工具。

9308931 Peters The electronics industry is characterized by wide product variety, rapid product changes, and short product life cycle. Flexible assembly systems have been cited as a production system able to cope with the challenges of this type of environment. However, little research has been done to investigate what constitutes a flexible assembly system or how to design them. This research will investigate the design and planning of flexible assembly systems from a strategic perspective. The objective of the research are threefold: (1) to characterize flexibility and to determine the causes of flexibility, (2) to develop analysis tools for determining an initial system design under time varying production requirements, where the system design consists of the number of facilities, the configuration of each facility, the capacity of each facility, and the assignment of products to facilities; and (3) to develop analysis tools and solution methodologies for determining and evaluating strategies for system changeovers over time, including product reassignments and capacity and configuration changes. Currently, practitioners are ill equipped to address flexibility issues and to make strategic planning decisions in rapidly changing environments. This research will provide tools to aid decision makers in designing and planning flexible assembly systems.