Evaluation of batching and layout on the performance of flexible manufacturing system

Flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is one of the solutions that enables any manufacturing system to withstand changing requirements of the market. An FMS consists of different automated workstations, material handling devices, and storage systems, all of which work under computer control. In the present work, analysis and modeling of a real problem has been considered for performance improvement. Modeling is done for analyzing the performance of an existing model, to propose a new layout for the system. Effect of factors like part mix, layout type, and batching condition, on the system performance in terms of productivity, system utilization rate, and cycle time is analyzed. The work includes simulation study along with Taguchi's experimental design framework for studying how different factors with varying levels affect system performance. ProModel software is used for simulating existing and proposed models of the manufacturing firm. Further, analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed for finding the most important factor that affects system performance. Proposed methodology helps in determining best factor-level combination for each performance parameter. The results show that the system performs well with the implementation of loop layout having many numbers of batches. Towards the end, the scope of further is highlighted.