Syllabus - Flexible Manufacturing System (RM 504 (C))

Understanding of FMS

Introduction To FMS, Evolution of Manufacturing Systems, objective and Need, Benefits, Components, Types of Flexibility, Merits, Demerits and Applications of Flexibility. Composition of FMS, CNC machines, robots, automatic storage and retrieval, automatic material handling, computerized control, Hierarchy of Computer Control ,Computer Control of Work Centre and Assembly Lines, FMS Supervisory Computer Control.

Planning, scheduling and control of flexible manufacturing systems

Process planning, machine loading, cycle time, machine output vs cycle time, methods to reduce cycle time, machine balancing. Scheduling, data requirement for scheduling, mater production scheduling, Gantt charts, scheduling rules, scheduling in FMS, Single Product, Single Batch, N– Batch Scheduling Problem, Knowledge Based Scheduling System. Dispatching, Dispatch activities.

FMS simulation and data base

Application of Simulation, Model of FMS, Simulation Software, Limitation, Manufacturing Data Systems, Data Flow, FMS Database Systems, Planning For FMS Database. Introduction to factors affecting the Performance of FMS, Introduction to Analytical model and Simulation model of FMS.

Group technology and justification of FMS

Introduction, Matrix Formulation, Mathematical Programming Formulation, Graph Formulation, Knowledge Based System for Group Technology, Economic Justification Of FMS, Implementation issues and maintenance of FMS, Application of Possibility Distributions in FMS Systems Justification.

Applications of FMS and factory of the future

FMS Application in Machining, Sheet Metal Fabrication, Prismatic Component Production, Aerospace Application, FMS Development Towards Factories of The Future, Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems in FMS, Design Philosophy and Characteristics for Future, case studies.