Convenience analysis and validation of a fully flexible assembly system

Flexible automatic assembly is an emerging need in several industries in the developed countries, owing to the growing market request of small batch productions. This paper introduces a new class of flexible assembly systems, that we define as fully-flexible assembly systems (F-FAS), and addresses the problem of comparing their direct production costs to that of a generic flexible robotized work cell, whose reconfiguration for batch change requires time. Conversely, the F-FAS is a fully-flexible system, able to handle a highly mixed production order in which the size of the batch may be as small as one piece. Convenience analysis revealed that the F-FAS becomes more convenient in certain conditions, especially with complex assemblies and small batch sizes. First experimental data are presented to demonstrate the viability of the fully-flexible system.