Comparative Analysis of Traditional Production Systems with Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

Nowadays technology is developing rapidly and the adaptation of emerging technology to daily life is very fast. Within this context, production technologies are developing rapidly and parallel to this production instrument's costs are decreased. In this way, producers can make investments more easily by getting current technology. In parallel with industrial development, some parameters such lost time, labor, raw materials must reduce. When considering expected product variety, especially modification on the produced product is a difficult process. Revising of the production system according to the final product is substantially increased the amount of lost time. In addition, in this revision process previously realized investment is becoming inert and this quite increases costs. It is almost impossible the creation of a separate production line for each product in a company which has a lot of variety of products. Nowadays in this needed speed production process, instead of conventional production systems flexible manufacturing systems began to be preferred in the industry. In this study, functions, components and the overall structures of the flexible manufacturing systems are described. Differences between traditional production systems and flexible manufacturing systems, and the advantages relative to each other were examined. In the study, Flexible Manufacturing Systems Laboratory within the Inonu University Arapgir Vocational High School was taken as an example.