The Emergence of Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs)

Abstract

The reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) was introduced in the last decade of the twentieth century as a novel engineering response to volatile global markets that instigated large uncertainty in product demand. Today, most automotive engines and powertrain components in Europe and in the USA are produced on RMS. The RMS has matrix-type system architecture and contains CNC machines arranged in operational stages and in-line inspection machines. To enable the rapid responsiveness, the RMS possesses six characteristics: scalability, convertibility, diagnosability, modularity, integrability and customization. This chapter discusses the emergence of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs).