ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the simulation of manufacturing cells and systems by showing several examples of research and development work carried out during the past few years by the author and/or by the author and his students. Simulation techniques used for complex materials handling and machining systems identify building-up queues in the buffer stores or in the automated storage and retrieval system, thereby indicating the required capacities of the various flexible manufacturing systems modules. Serial-access or sequential systems, such as a conveyor line, provide low flexibility and low reliability, since the cells are chained together in a rigid way with a single, typically one-directional transportation facility. The chapter emphasizes, to achieve the full benefits of truly flexible manufacturing systems, one needs to follow the design rules already outlined. It provides a list of items comparing dedicated versus flexible systems.
