A case study in the design of flexible assembly systems

The design of production systems is generally based on economic considerations, which are related to certain technical criteria, such as capacity, availability, and reliability. To realize a cost-effective design, these technical and economic criteria should be considered in their mutual coherence during the conceptual design process. This paper focuses on a productivity model, which is related to this subject. The model allows an opinion to be formed about the technical and economic performance of conceptual robotic assembly cells, during the process of design. First, the system design process is discussed in brief, after which the productivity variables are presented. An illustration of the model is used to assess the technical and economic behavior of alternative system structures for the assembly of a power plug assortment.