A comparison between machine flexibility and routing flexibility

In this paper, we evaluate two types of flexibility, machine flexibility and routine flexibility, in terms of manufacturing performance in various shop environments. A simulation-based investigation was conducted to analyze the impact of these types of flexibility on the average flow time of parts under various job flow pattern conditions, which characterize the shop nature from a random job shop to a flow shop, operation time variance, setup time, and shop load. The experimental results show how these types of flexibility affect the average flow time of parts and which type is superior under what conditions. Management can obtain better insight and guidelines for determining priorities or the scale, or scope, of various decision items relating to design standardization, process and operations improvement, investment in new equipment and tools, and the like.