Synthesis of the design of flexible manufacturing system using Delmia/Quest software.

Pasca, Gheorghe ; Maniu, Inocentiu

1. INTRODUCTION

In economics, depending on the volume level production, are 3 categories of known types of production, each presenting its own advantages and disadvantages. The three categories are:

* Manual Manufacturing

* Flexible Manufacturing Systems

* Mass Production.

Depending on the degree of flexibility and economic efficiency of each category can be represented graphically according to the figure 1.

Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) can function automatically if each component works automatically realized correlation is also without human operator intervention. The first condition of operation of an automatic component of SFF is that it is mechanized, so all movements of its assets to be operated sources of mechanical energy (engines). The second condition of operation of the automatic component is able to be ordered automatically, having it auto-configuration ability, self, programmability and communication.

* Auto-configuration means making machine automatic equipment, the shift in positions of stop-start, bringing semi objects and evacuation work finished choosing nominal values of the parameters of the work and handling

* Automatic self-maintaining means of the operating parameters, in case of disturbance.

* Programmability means the facility to accept, store and use computer programs (software), arrangement for execution phases in operations in a sequence prescribed by the instructions.

* Communication means the ability of the property to change messages with the same level of components or subsystems of different hierarchical level

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

Note that the flexibility of a system of production is inversely proportional to its economic efficiency. The two types of manufacturing at the extreme fiacre have advantages and disadvantages to specify. If manual manufacturing advantage is the high degree of flexibility, the disadvantage that presents this model is the low production volume and the degree of economic efficiency decreased. The other category at the other extreme, it is mass production. The advantage of this type of fabrication is the large volume of production and high economic efficiency.

The main disadvantages of such categories are the high stiffness, low profitability in the substantial modification of the product base and respond to new requirements for manufacturing small batches. Finding the optimum of economic efficiency and flexibility of a system of production is the ultimate challenge in determining the type of production system chosen. Optimizations are petru each case, with reference to economic efficiency reflected in costs. For example is the case Rotor BALASING (fig. 2) (Anatoli, 2006).

2. USING QUEST SOFTWARE

Today it is inconceivable that design to be done only by classical methods. Today science has allowed the development of advanced software capable to people easier. Integration of Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing is a method for improving the quality of products and manufacturing optimizations times. For designing flexible manufacturing systems, one of the software is used Quest countries, from Delmia Corporation.

The program belongs to the category of special softwares, simulation software. On the market there is a whole list of similar software, each having its own advantages and disadvantages. The list of simulation software on the market is shown in Table 1 (Robinson, 2004).

Quest is an environment that brings together under the same program work for industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering and management development, however in order to improve best practice throughout the design process of production. Using Quest software, which offers the opportunity to improve project, reduce risks and costs, and maximize the efficiency of digital. Simulation using powerful software that Quest as a tool for development and analysis for validation and visualization of the impact, reduce the risk of validating accessibility measures, and minimize problems and costs associated with unplanned facility startup. Quest offers a complete solution that provides the necessary tools for both feeds: improving the efficiency of analysis and presentation of results for clients, managers and other disciplines. Quest incorporates actual production variables such as length, velocity, acceleration, decelerations. It also allows the use of pieces of different sizes to optimize the loading conveyors, and automatic generation or by the user to define a road work in overall time spent by operators by walking between work stations. Can use templates available to accurately simulate the circulation of materials through the system such as Forklift, conveyors, automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), automated storage cranes, etc.

This research has attempted to identify an optimal design solution for a flexible production lines, with attempts to improve the solution further by optimizing each operation separately. Solution found to be used for designing and implementing a solar panel production lines.

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

3. PROBLEMS WITH QUEST

The first problem is the user interface. Quest has a unique buttons are on the right. Navigation buttons control is at the bottom and are called "controls the world" in the Quest. This interface is very different from Microsoft Windows or Apple OX interfaces and is quite difficult to understand from the outset. It was even more difficult to understand how to use the controls the world. This helps scale required by instructors.

Another design problem encountered when using Quest happened when one exits the program. When a user exits the Quest, promptly window appears to confirm exit. Unlike most commercial software, the program gives the user the option to save your work before you exit. There have been many cases where a work was lost due to the exit program.

4. WHAT NEXT?

This paper describes a summary of current state in terms of directions of development and research for designing and modeling a flexible manufacturing line. Through this study we follow to identifi the main problem arising from the use of software and virtual environments for design and optimization of products, particularly Flexible Manufacturing Lines.

Once founds these shortcomings, the next step in to the future for our reseach, it is to develop some of design models of flexible manufacturing cells, generally in pursuing the optimization of production flow. As the study will move forward, we want to develop a working method for designing flexible production lines with the virtual environment by Delmia, QUEST.

5. CONCLUSION

Before the apparition of Quest on the market, normally designers wrote their own programs using programming languages, such as C + +, Visual Basic or other special programs for simulation. Engineering Quest is a very useful tool for studying the design and manufacturing processes. This platform allows the verification of design, configuration cell manufacturing and production process. The software is able to illustrate and simulate the manufacturing process and allows the detection and correction of these imperfections. Using Quest in the industry can significantly reduce production costs, improving production rates and efficiency. Also it helps explain the planning and manufacturing process, and models.

Unfortunately it is not enough only to use this software, it is necessary to use some of well optimized methods for designing flexible manufacturing lines using this software.

6. REFERENCES

Anatoli, I. D. (2006). Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems and Transformable Factories, Springer, ISBN 3540293914

Chan, S.K.D. (2003). Simulation modelling in virtual manufacturing analysis for integrated product and process design, Assembly Automation Journal, ISSN 0144-5154

Delmia/Quest User manual, Chapter 1.6 Delmia/Quest 2006

Mitkowski, W.; Kacprzyk, J. (2009). Modelling Dynamics in Processes and Systems, Springer, ISBN 3540922024

Nwokah, O.D.I.; Hurmuzlu, I. (2002). Mechanical Systems Design Handbook, CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-8596-2

Robinson, S. (2004). Simulation: The Practice of Model Development and use, Springer, ISBN 0470847727

Scallan, P. (2002). Process Planning: The design/manufacture interface, Elsevier Science & Technology Books, ISBN 0750651296

Tollio, T. (2009). Design of Flexible Production System: Methodoligie and Toolse, Springer, ISBN 3540854134

Tab. 1. List of simulation software on the market

Software Supplier

Arena Rockwell Software
AutoMod Brooks-PRI
AutomationAwe Sim Frontstep, Inc.
Enterprise Dynamics Incontrol Enterprise Dynamics
Extend Imagine That, Inc
Flexsim Flexsim Software Products, Inc.
GPSS/H Wolverine Software Corporation
Micro Saint Micro Analysis and Design
ProModel ProModel Corporation
Quest DELMIA Corporation
ShowFlow Webb Systems Limited
SIGMA Custom Simulation
Qd CACI Products Company
Simul8 Visual8 Corporation
SLX Wolverine Software Corporation
Visual Simulation Orca Computer, Inc.
 Environment
Witness Lanner Group, Inc.