Design of integrated manufacturing information systems for reconfigurability and adaptability by modularizing the system architecture

ABSTRACT

The present study addresses integrated manufacturing information systems (IMIS) and highlights importance of realizing ‘adaptability’ and ‘reconfigurability’ characteristics in the system architecture of IMISs, where engineering design for system adaptability is interested. This study develops a matrix-based probabilistic definition for the manufacturing information system (MIS) reconfigurability and proposes modularization of physical architecture of the system as an effective design solution for fulfilling system reconfigurability and adaptability requirements. To modularize the physical architecture, Design Structure Matrix (DSM) method is employed. Moreover, information axiom of Axiomatic Design (AD) theory is also utilized to develop helpful indicators for evaluating the adaptability characteristic for the architecture and support engineering designers to make sound decisions in design for adaptability. To verify the developed methodology, the MIS in a real case (Barez Industrial Group in Iran) is addressed and design of the physical architecture for this system is studied. A new optimally modularized design for the physical architecture of the MIS of interest is finally presented and examined. Results of the indicators reflecting reconfigurability and adaptability of the architecture indicate that the new proposed design of the concerned MIS is highly capable of coping with the rapidly changing manufacturing environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Axiomatic Design (AD) theory
• Design structure matrix (DSM)
• Integrated manufacturing information system (IMIS)
• modularization of system architecture
• system adaptability
• system reconfigurability

Acknowledgements

This research received specific grant from two organization ‘Iran National Science Foundation (INSF)’ and ‘Barez Industrial Group’ (Tehran, Iran) with the Grant ID ‘99010693’. The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation for supporting these two companies. The authors also have no conflict of interest.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Right-Hand-Side.