Framework for Product-Mix and Changeover Manufacturing Flexibility

Abstract

Facing new challenges and more uncertainty, manufacturers see the need for flexible solutions and the need to strive to achieve flexibility. However, flexibility is still not well understood and no unambiguous understanding of flexibility exists. The paper first summarizes the state of the field of flexibility, exploring different definitions and understandings of the flexibility concept from the literature. A framework for measuring flexibility performance is developed for use in measuring and monitoring manufacturing performance for handling product-mix and changeover. Additionally, a framework for integration of manufacturing systems with unreliable machines having quality issues is suggested to serve as an input to flexible manufacturing decision support. This should enable maintenance systems that are adaptive and flexible to changes in manufacturing.