Evaluating a computational support tool for set-based configuration of production systems: Results from an industrial case

Abstract

This paper describes research conducted in the context of an industrial case, dealing with the design of reconfigurable, cellular manufacturing systems. Reconfiguring such systems represents a complex task due to the interdependencies between the constituent subsystems. A novel, computational tool was developed to support the production engineers in (sub)system configuration by enabling to consider multiple alternative configurations simultaneously. The tool was tested by applying it in two realistic system engineering problems and conducting interviews to evaluate its effects. The prototype was found to be an effective and efficient approach to support exploring, evaluating and selecting sets of system configurations. The findings suggest that the approach is applicable in practice and represents a means to strategically leverage the flexibility in production system design, as well as to improve the efficiency of the engineering process. Hence, further research could examine if the approach is useful in additional systems engineering domains.