Evaluation of System Reconfigurability Based on Usable Excess

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Allen ◽  
Jason D. Watson ◽  
Christopher A. Mattson ◽  
Scott M. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Communication Systems ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Automated Assembly ◽  
Complex Engineered Systems ◽  
Future Needs ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Engineered Systems ◽  
Over Time

The challenge of designing complex engineered systems with long service lives can be daunting. As customer needs change over time, such systems must evolve to meet these needs. This paper presents a method for evaluating the reconfigurability of systems to meet future needs. Specifically we show that excess capability is a key factor in evaluating the reconfigurability of a system to a particular need, and that the overall system reconfigurability is a function of the system’s reconfigurability to all future needs combined. There are many examples of complex engineered systems; for example, aircraft, ships, communication systems, spacecraft and automated assembly lines. These systems cost millions of dollars to design and millions to replicate. They often need to stay in service for a long time. However, this is often limited by an inability to adapt to meet future needs. Using an automated assembly line as an example, we show that system reconfigurability can be modeled as a function of usable excess capability.

Automatisierte digitale Anlagenplanung*/Automated digital facility design - Method for automated assembly line planning

2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (09) ◽  
pp. 582-589
Author(s):  
J. Michniewicz ◽  
D. Leiber ◽  
F. Riedl ◽  
H. Erdogan ◽  
M. Hörmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Automated Assembly ◽  
Product Model ◽  
Line Planning ◽  
Digital Product ◽  
Planning Decisions ◽  
Planning Approach

In der Produktion technischer Erzeugnisse sind Montageanlagen heute weit verbreitet. Durch immer kürzer werdende Produktlebenszyklen und die zunehmende Variantenvielfalt steigt auch die Zahl der durchzuführenden Anlagen(um)planungen. Vorgestellt wird ein Konzept, um automatisiert Entwürfe für Montageanlagen zu generieren. Auswahl und Anordnung der benötigten Betriebsmittel erfolgen dabei ausgehend von einem digitalen Modell des Produktes sowie einer Bibliothek verfügbarer Ressourcen. Die getroffenen Planungsentscheidungen werden simulativ abgesichert und heuristisch optimiert.   Nowadays, assembly lines are widely used for the production of goods. Due to shorter life cycles and increasing variance of products to be manufactured, assembly systems have to be (re)configured more frequently. This paper presents a concept to automatically generate drafts of complete assembly lines. Basis for the planning approach is a library of available resources and a digital product model. An algorithm selects, combines and arranges suitable resources. The planning decisions are heuristically optimized and verified by simulation.

The Value of Flexible Capacity Expansion Strategies in Design of Complex Decentralized Engineering Systems

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junfei Hu ◽  
Michel-Alexandre Cardin
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Unit Cost ◽  
Waste To Energy ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Complex Engineered Systems ◽  
Decentralized Design ◽  
Engineered Systems ◽  
Reduce Unit Cost ◽  
Over Time

This paper presents and applies a simulation-based methodology to assess the value of flexible decentralized engineering systems (i.e., the ability to flexibly expand the capacity in multiple sites over time and space). This work differs from others by analyzing explicitly the tradeoffs between economies of scale (EoS) — which favors building large capacity upfront to reduce unit cost and accommodate high anticipated demand — and the time value of money — which favors deferring capacity investments to the future and deploying smaller modules to reduce unit cost. The study aims to identify the best strategies to deploy capacity of complex engineered systems over time and improve their economic lifecycle performance in the face of uncertainty. This study is illustrated using a waste-to-energy system operated in Singapore. The results show that a decentralized design with the real option to expand the capacity in different locations and times improves the expected net present value by more than 20% under the condition of economies of scale α = 0.8 and discount rate λ = 8%, as compared to a fixed centralized design. The results also indicate that a flexible decentralized design outperforms other rigid designs under certain circumstances since it not only reduces transportation costs, but also has the advantage of flexible deployment strategies, such as deferring investment and avoiding unnecessary capacity. The results help designers and managers better compare centralized and decentralized design opportunities and to recognize the value of flexible decentralized designs in small-scale urban environments. The example also provides guidance for applying flexibility to a wider range of complex engineered systems and to determine the best strategies for deploying the capacity of systems in other urban contexts.

Evaluation of System Evolvability Based on Usable Excess

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Allen ◽  
Christopher A. Mattson ◽  
Scott M. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Automated Assembly ◽  
Engineered Systems ◽  
The Cost

Complex, large-scale engineered systems are an integral part of modern society. The cost of these systems is often high, while their ability to react to emergent requirements can be low. This paper proposes evolvability, based on usable excess, as a possible metric to promote system longevity. An equation for the usability of excess, previously defined only in terms of quantity, is improved to include the attributes of type, location, and form as well as quantity. A methodology for evaluating a system's evolvability is also presented. Using an automated assembly line as an example, we show that system evolvability can be modeled as a function of usable excess.

Designing in Excess Capability to Handle Uncertain Product Requirements in a Developing World Setting

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Allen ◽  
Christopher A. Mattson ◽  
Kendall Thacker
Keyword(s):  
Service Life ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Developing World ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Space Craft ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Complex Engineered Systems ◽  
The World ◽  
Engineered Systems

Products designed for the developing world often go unused or under used by the intended individuals. Designers with experience in developed areas of the world naturally apply their values to the products they design. This results in a misjudgment of the actual requirements of individuals in developing areas. When the products do not have the ability to adapt to the actual user requirements, long-term adoption is not achieved. The ability of a product to adapt to new or changing requirements has been shown to extend the service life of large complex engineered systems (e.g., aircraft carriers, aircraft, communication systems, and space craft). These systems must remain in service for extended periods of time, even though the environments and requirements may change dramatically. The ability of these complex systems to adapt to meet these new requirements is a valuable attribute. Applying these proven techniques to products designed for the developing world can address the issue of misunderstood requirements. Adaptability is achieved, in this paper, by incorporating appropriate excess capabilities into the original design. These excess capabilities can be identified and analyzed using a numerical search methodology. This paper presents a methodology for increasing the adaptability, and therefore adoptability of products designed for the developing world by incorporating strategically determined excess capabilities.

Development and Applications of the SCARA Robot

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasunori Yamazaki ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Automated Assembly ◽  
Precision Engineering ◽  
Manual Assembly ◽  
Scara Robot ◽  
Assembly Work ◽  
Simultaneous Control

In the 1980s, when the author worked for Seiko Epson Corporation as a wristwatch production engineer, consumer needs had become so diversified that wristwatches had to be assembled on the same automated assembly line in small lots of about 10,000 pieces per month. Most of the robots available in those days were for processing purposes such as spot welding and were not applicable in practical terms to automated assembly lines for wristwatches in precision, speed, ease of use or cost. The prototype SCARA robot developed by the SCARA Study Group led by Dr. Hiroshi Makino, a professor at the Department of Precision Engineering at Yamanashi University, was found to be the most suitable for automated watch assembly lines. We reviewed assembly work procedures and succeeded in limiting the number of simultaneous control axes to four at a maximum and in cutting assembly costs to 60% of those of conventional processing robots. As the term “selective compliance” suggests, SCARA robots possess all of the functions necessary for stable assembly and for precision and speed. Development team members, including the author, made the most use of previous experience in developing dedicated automated assembly machines for in-house use and succeeded in developing practical SCARA robots by creating a robot language based on workers’ voice. In applications of SCARA robots, this paper introduces just two of many possible examples. One is for oiling work on manual assembly lines and the other is the TAF-M mixed-models wristwatch assembly line. In the oiling work application example, SCARA robots used for infinitesimal oiling work on a manual assembly line for small lots of luxury wristwatches have been found to be very cost-effective and useful for training operators and/or programmers for robots. The TAFM application example represents the assembly line built based on the original Seiko-Epson purpose for introducing SCARA robot development, which consists of both robots and of 52 newly developed “assembly robot cells” where most assembly work should be done. An assembly robot cell includes a SCARA robot, a main conveyor, a multiple-parts feeder, an automatic hand changer, an assembly detection unit, etc. At present, one such assembly line automatically assembles more than 100 models of wristwatches. Use of such automated assembly lines has reduced the human workforce by about 40 workers, cut costs by over 60%, and shortened delivery time by about 50%.

scholarly journals Proposal for the flow of material and adjustments to the storage system of an external service provider

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 948-955
Author(s):  
Jan Strohmandl ◽  
Blanka Kalupová ◽  
Kateřina Rejzková ◽  
Miroslav Tomek
Keyword(s):  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Automated Assembly ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Current State ◽  
And Storage

Abstract This article deals with issues related to the flow of material to the assembly line and examines the possibilities of reducing the costs of this process. It is based on the current state of the transport of individual parts to the producing company and the storage system using Kanban and Just in Sequence (JIS) logistics technologies, and the subsequent collection of material for transport to the assembly line. The change in the system of transport technology has led to a reduction of the total storage space and costs, and at the same time, the processes related to storage and collection of parts have been simplified. The whole process of material flow to the assembly line is solved using the real supply system via the JIS technology, together with the system of receipt and storage of components in connection with individual operations during the handling and storage of these components, and their picking and transport to the assembly line. Evidently, the change in the system and the associated savings can also be employed to warehouses and manufacturing companies of the automotive industry, which use automated assembly lines with the timing of the assembly process of the final product.

scholarly journals Dynamics of life expectancy and life span equality

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (10) ◽  
pp. 5250-5259 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Manuel Aburto ◽  
Francisco Villavicencio ◽  
Ugofilippo Basellini ◽  
Søren Kjærgaard ◽  
James W. Vaupel
Keyword(s):  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
Mortality Increase ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

As people live longer, ages at death are becoming more similar. This dual advance over the last two centuries, a central aim of public health policies, is a major achievement of modern civilization. Some recent exceptions to the joint rise of life expectancy and life span equality, however, make it difficult to determine the underlying causes of this relationship. Here, we develop a unifying framework to study life expectancy and life span equality over time, relying on concepts about the pace and shape of aging. We study the dynamic relationship between life expectancy and life span equality with reliable data from the Human Mortality Database for 49 countries and regions with emphasis on the long time series from Sweden. Our results demonstrate that both changes in life expectancy and life span equality are weighted totals of rates of progress in reducing mortality. This finding holds for three different measures of the variability of life spans. The weights evolve over time and indicate the ages at which reductions in mortality increase life expectancy and life span equality: the more progress at the youngest ages, the tighter the relationship. The link between life expectancy and life span equality is especially strong when life expectancy is less than 70 y. In recent decades, life expectancy and life span equality have occasionally moved in opposite directions due to larger improvements in mortality at older ages or a slowdown in declines in midlife mortality. Saving lives at ages below life expectancy is the key to increasing both life expectancy and life span equality.

Research and Design of SWET Equipment for Engineering Machinery Company

2014 ◽  
Vol 971-973 ◽  
pp. 646-649
Author(s):  
Qing Song Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Automatic Control ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Simulation Training ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Training System ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Structural Framework ◽  
Research And Design ◽  
Disassembly Line

The structural framework for the car’s assembly line simulation training system of the SWET(Simulated Work Environment Training) is designed overall, including two automatic car assembly lines and two manually run the disassembly line. The automatic control system of the car’s assembly line simulation training system is designed with the knowledge of electrical and electronic, SCM principles, counts the number of the car, automatically pause and open the line with alarm and automatic recovery control.

QUALITY AND SAFETY - TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-204
Author(s):  
Anders Steene
Keyword(s):  
Quality And Safety ◽  
Quality Aspects ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism ◽  
Two Sides ◽  
Over Time

This paper will discuss some methodical aspects in doing research in the field of hospitality and tourism. Quality aspects have been dominant subjects for a long time in the industry, safety and security aspects were more or less not on the agenda in the early 90-ies. According to how society has developed, the experience of risk and danger has changed in the society over time and nowadays both safety and security as well as quality aspects has become important elements in the tourism products. The question is, if those two different approaches can be used as mutual methods.

Variation Analysis for Compliant Assembly

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Yufeng Long ◽  
Jaime Camelio
Keyword(s):  
Sheet Metal ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Process ◽  
Variation Analysis ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Compliant Assembly ◽  
Single Station ◽  
Dimensional Variation ◽  
Sheet Metal Assembly

Abstract Assembly processes for compliant non-rigid parts are widely used in manufacturing automobiles, furniture, and electronic appliances. One of the major issues in the sheet metal assembly process is to control the dimensional variation of assemblies throughout the assembly line. This paper provides an overview of the recent development in variation analysis for compliant assembly. First, the unique characteristics of compliant assemblies are discussed. Then, various approaches to variation modeling for compliant assemblies are presented for single station and multi-station assembly lines. Finally, examples are given to demonstrate the applications of compliant assembly variation models.

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