An automated manufacturing system design methodology based on a triple flow model

Abstract

Automated manufacturing systems (AMSs) are designed to efficiently transform materials into products. The transformation mainly involves three kinds of flows: material, information, and cost. In this paper, we propose a methodology for designing an AMS by constructing a triple flow model (TFM) for the AMS, which in turn incorporates three models: a function model representing material flows and the manufacturing process; an information model to control the manufacturing process; and a cost model to reflect resource utilization and material consumption. Also, the TFM's performance is evaluated and improved. As a holistic solution for AMS design, the methodology integrates manufacturing process design, process control design, activity-based costing, and performance improvement. A mold filling system is employed to demonstrate how to construct the TFM and how to set a control parameter for improving the performance.