Optimal redesign of cellular flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing systems

Mixed-model Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs) and, more recently, Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs) are widely studied as diffuse solutions for complex production environments, targeting variable markets and highly dynamic production plans. Their design and management are challenging both in new plants and for plant-redesign actions. In this field, the literature suggests the adoption of cellular configurations as effective solutions. These configurations partition the FMS and RMS machines into manufacturing cells and assign the working parts to the cells to reduce the so-called intercellular flows, causing costs and inbound congestions. This paper advances the current literature presenting and applying an optimal linear programming cost model for the redesign of mixed-model FMS/RMS cellular production environments. The model goes beyond the widely studied partitioning of the FMSs among the cells and it best balances machine relocations and redundancies, the production area layout optimization and the intercellular flow reduction. The major industrial operative constraints are included in the model together with a reference case study to exemplify its advantages toward the standard approaches.