| Abstract |
The complexity of a manufacturing system is determined by the uncertainty in achieving
the system’s functional requirements and is caused by two factors: by a time-independent poor
design that causes a system-inherent low efficiency (system design), and by a time-dependent
reduction of system performance due to system deterioration or to market or technology changes
(system dynamics). To maximize the productivity of a manufacturing system, its entire complexity
must be reduced. Many valid methods have been developed so far addressing different single
manufacturing and quality issues. But to continuously increase the productivity of a manufacturing
system within a turbulent environment its entire complexity must be reduced. This requires a
holistic understanding and knowledge about the system. To reduce a system’s complexity, its
subsystems should not overlap in their contribution to the overall system’s functionality, they must
be mutually exclusive. On the other hand, the interplay of system’s components must be collectively
exhaustive in order to include every issue relevant to the entire system’s functionality. This paper
introduces a concept for complexity reduction in manufacturing systems with the help of Nam P.
Suh’s Axiomatic Design principles. In a first step, time-dependent elements are separated from
time-independent elements. To eliminate the real complexity of the time-independent elements (so
called manufacturing modules), a set of alternative design parameters are defined that fit the system
range of the manufacturing module’s set of functional requirements. To reduce the time-dependent
combinatorial complexity, a methodology is proposed to systematically define an entire
manufacturing system’s functional requirements within very short times in order to guarantee a fast
reconfiguration of the system considering internal and external system dynamics. With the help of
practical examples and the obtained results, the validity of the approach is illustrated. |
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