Simultaneous layout design optimization with the scalable reconfigurable manufacturing system

This paper proposes a new approach that simultaneously integrates the layout design with the scalable reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS). In RMS, layout design is developed to cope with the need for reconfiguration between multiple periods. The reconfiguration concept is a basic feature of RMS that enables systems to change and cost-effectively rearrange their components. Machines in the RMS are reconfigurable machine tools (RMTs) that could change their capability (capacity scalability) or function (different operation) by adding or removing attached modules. The proposed approach is integrating simultaneously the RMT layout problem with the scalable RMS where, the arrangement of the resulting RMTs within each cell and the arrangement of cells are determined based on the actual dimensions of RMT. To illustrate the applicability and the efficiency of the proposed approach, numerical examples are generated and used to test the model’s effect of considering machine reconfiguration. The results show that incorporating the reconfiguration concept and layout design decreases the total cost and the machines required in the system. Finally, a MATLAB solver based on the GUROBI optimization program is used to solve the proposed methodology optimally.