Minority Research Planning Grant: Reliability and Performance of Automated Fixed-Path Material Handling Systems

这是一项研究计划拨款，其目的是进行一项涉及将可靠性问题纳入固定路径物料搬运系统设计的研究。固定路径物料搬运系统是指在专用路径上运行的一类物料搬运设备。这项研究的前提是可靠性问题会影响自动固定路径物料处理系统的性能，使用适当的性能和可靠性措施将允许对此类系统进行更准确和现实的评估。在此前提下，本研究旨在追求(1)发展用于定义、建模和测量固定路径物料搬运系统故障、可靠性和可执行性的定量方法，以及(2)确定和建模系统设计与物料搬运可靠性或可执行性之间的相关权衡。开发的程序将使固定路径物料处理系统设计者能够设计、比较和评估此类系统的真实性能特征。在本基金有效期内将进行的工作将是探索性的。研究结果将用于拟备更详细的建议，以深入探讨研究计划资助下的研究课题。物料搬运作为大多数制造系统的关键组成部分，已被公认为是生产成本的主要贡献者。物料搬运在物料流动中提供了机器和工位之间的联系。在高度自动化的制造系统中，如柔性制造系统（FMS），物料处理系统故障的后果是整个操作的完全关闭。这不仅会增加生产成本，还会增加订单处理时间和错过订单到期日。在这项研究中进行的工作可以导致改进系统设计以减少故障频率，为预防性维护计划的需求提供评估工具，也可以作为评估替代材料处理系统和设计的工具。它也将有助于更好地理解物料搬运系统的随机行为。

9522299 Beamon This is a research planning grant whose objective is to undertake a study involving the incorporation of reliability issues in the design of fixed-path material handling systems. A fixed-path material handling system refers to a class of material handling devices that operate on dedicated paths. The research is built on the premise that reliability issues can affect the performance of automated fixed-path material handling systems and that the use of appropriate performance and reliability measures will allow for a more accurate and realistic evaluations of such systems. With this premise, the research aims to pursue (1) the development of quantitative methods for defining, modeling, and measuring system failures, reliability, and performability for fixed-path material handling systems, and (2) the determination and modeling of relevant trade-offs between systems design and material handling reliability or performability. The developed procedures will enable fixed-path material handling systems designers to design, compare, and evaluate the true performance characteristics of such systems. The work to be undertaken during the life of this grant will be exploratory in nature. The research outcome will be used in the preparation of a more detailed proposal aimed at an in-depth pursuit of the research concerns explored under the research planning grant. Material handling, as a key component in most manufacturing systems, have been well recognized as a major contributor to production cost. Material handling provides the link between machines stations in the flow of material. In highly automated manufacturing systems such as a flexible manufacturing system (FMS), the consequences of a material handling system failure is a complete shut down of the entire operation. Not only does this result to increase in production cost but also increased order throughput time and missed order due dates. The work undertaken in this research can lead to improved system design to lessen failure frequency, provide an assessment tool for the need of a preventive maintenance program, and also as a tool to evaluate alternate material handling systems and designs. It will also contribute to a better understanding of the stochastic behavior of a material handling system.