TY - GEN
T1 - Matrix-structured manufacturing systems
T2 - From design to operations
AU - Nielsen, Christian Petersson
PY - 2023/5/30
Y1 - 2023/5/30
N2 - In recent years, the need for more flexible manufacturing systems has increased. This is caused by the consumers’ increasing demand for more individualized products at a low price point. To achieve this, the manufacturing companies must be able to produce the products with a high variety and high production volume. This requires a multitude of flexibility types, such as product flexibility, control program flexibility, material handling flexibility, and similar. One of the manufacturing system paradigms that address these types of flexibility, is Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems, also often denoted simply Matrix Production. Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems consist of reconfigurable, standardized work cells, typically scattered in a matrix pattern, with a flexible non-linear material flow between the work cells. This material flow is typically enabled by automatic guided vehicles or autonomous mobile robots. As the work cells, depending on the tool configuration, can perform multiple work packages, they enable redundancy, parallel manufacturing of different products and product families, as well as upscaling and downscaling of the production throughput. The current literature on this type of manufacturing system is though primarily focused on the design of the manufacturing system and critical components of it, such as control of the automatic guided vehicles. This means that the current literature does not address the transition from design to operations of this manufacturing system. This research gap is addressed in this PhD dissertation, where it investigates: 1) How Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems facilitate flexibility, 2) How to design Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems, and 3) How to control Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems These research questions are answered using respectively a systematic literature review, a laboratory case study, and two company case studies. The results from these methodologies yield, among others, two approaches to design both the work cells and products within this type of manufacturing system. To fully benefit from the increased flexibility from this manufacturing system, a control system architecture targeted Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems is furthermore developed. Based on the results from the research questions, Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems are discussed in relation to a supply chain perspective. This perspective pays special attention to the resilience that is both enabled and required, when implementing this type of manufacturing system. Additionally, a sustainability perspective is discussed in connection with the supply chain perspective. Finally, Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems are discussed as an enabler for new business opportunities, such as Manufacturing-as-a-Service. With this foundation, a discussion and reflection on Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems as a manufacturing system of the future is presented.
AB - In recent years, the need for more flexible manufacturing systems has increased. This is caused by the consumers’ increasing demand for more individualized products at a low price point. To achieve this, the manufacturing companies must be able to produce the products with a high variety and high production volume. This requires a multitude of flexibility types, such as product flexibility, control program flexibility, material handling flexibility, and similar. One of the manufacturing system paradigms that address these types of flexibility, is Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems, also often denoted simply Matrix Production. Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems consist of reconfigurable, standardized work cells, typically scattered in a matrix pattern, with a flexible non-linear material flow between the work cells. This material flow is typically enabled by automatic guided vehicles or autonomous mobile robots. As the work cells, depending on the tool configuration, can perform multiple work packages, they enable redundancy, parallel manufacturing of different products and product families, as well as upscaling and downscaling of the production throughput. The current literature on this type of manufacturing system is though primarily focused on the design of the manufacturing system and critical components of it, such as control of the automatic guided vehicles. This means that the current literature does not address the transition from design to operations of this manufacturing system. This research gap is addressed in this PhD dissertation, where it investigates: 1) How Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems facilitate flexibility, 2) How to design Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems, and 3) How to control Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems These research questions are answered using respectively a systematic literature review, a laboratory case study, and two company case studies. The results from these methodologies yield, among others, two approaches to design both the work cells and products within this type of manufacturing system. To fully benefit from the increased flexibility from this manufacturing system, a control system architecture targeted Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems is furthermore developed. Based on the results from the research questions, Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems are discussed in relation to a supply chain perspective. This perspective pays special attention to the resilience that is both enabled and required, when implementing this type of manufacturing system. Additionally, a sustainability perspective is discussed in connection with the supply chain perspective. Finally, Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems are discussed as an enabler for new business opportunities, such as Manufacturing-as-a-Service. With this foundation, a discussion and reflection on Matrix-Structured Manufacturing Systems as a manufacturing system of the future is presented.
U2 - 10.21996/pwr2-xv64
DO - 10.21996/pwr2-xv64
M3 - Ph.D. thesis
PB - Syddansk Universitet. Det Tekniske Fakultet
ER -