Track: Manufacturing

Abstract

Machine control systems have experienced a paradigm shift, from centralized computer numeric control to automatic control. The question, how can the manufacturing industry access the technology flexibility potential available to the industry class? Is answered by the adaptive capabilities inherent to technology-based flexibility. The objective of this research paper is to distill and develop a process that can render a manufacturing process flexible, based on the technology of the manufacturing system. The approach will offer a view that is in contrast with the widely held scientific management principles. Technology flexibility is the capacity for a manufacturing process to take action when required to meet new system requirements, whether intended or unexpectedly occurring. This paper declares that the system flexibility value is an inherent advantage of manufacturing system’s technology. A qualitative research approach is adopted to explore and explain how the manufacturing system can be modelled to access its flexibility potential.