Contribution to the design of reconfigurable multi-product assembly systems by architecture solutions generation through a new locating-driven approach

Enabling the identification of multi-product assembly system architectures – a new method and its application in the automotive industry

“…To synthesise, the research literature review emphasises that existing methods of coevolution and delayed product differentiation are difficult to apply to the problem of the partner company. For this reason, a new and comprehensive approach has been proposed, based on similarity analysis (Stief et al 2019; and the use of similar components for common component positioning in the assembly system (Stief et al 2023). The aim of the method is to support the determination of assembly system architectures which can be shared by similar but variant products of a product family.…”

“…Two hypotheses are used to answer this question: (i) when similar positioning and assembly operations occur in the subassemblies of two different products, then their assembly can be carried out on a shared system work cell, and (ii) the main flow is determined by components for positioning which are similar in the product family and which gather a maximum of assembly operations. The first hypothesis, based on work presented in (Stief et al 2023), has been successfully applied. However, the criteria remain on a macroscopic level of assembly technology and component similarity.…”