Prioritization of part scheduling with modular quality control in hybrid manufacturing cells for mass customization

Researched manufacturing strategies involving Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs) and Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) cells are limited when considering materials handling and quality control for mass production of customized parts (mass customization). Manufacturing paradigms such as Dedicated Manufacturing Systems (DMSs) and job shop are not focused on cost effectively diversifying products and services, based on variations in customer requirements. A solution to increase customer input, with respect to materials handling and quality control, is needed as part of increasing the overall product variety for mass customization. This paper details the research conducted to perform materials handling and quality control within a hybrid manufacturing cell that was designed to integrate the functionalities of RMSs and CIM technologies. The scheduling and quality requirements of a simulated environment were accommodated through the use of prioritization scheduling and modular inspection equipment in accordance with various product configurations. Customer requirements were quantified by specifying time, volume and quality constraints. The control of user defined part features was achieved through modular inspection of Regions of Interest (ROIs).