Assembly Automation · 1997 · 23 citations · 0 references
EngineeringIndustrial EngineeringManufacturing EngineeringAutomationManufacturing SystemsProduction PlanningAssembly AutomationAssembly SystemsFlexible Manufacturing SystemsManufacturing AutomationManufacturing ConstraintsManufacturing System IntegrationFlexibility In Assembly SystemsFlexibility In Production SystemsFlexible ManufacturingFlexible Manufacturing System DesignFlexible Production SystemsPart FeedingShort-run ProductionSmart Feeders
Looks at short‐run production, frequent product modifications, and pressures to reduce product time to market make flexible manufacturing increasingly desirable. Despite advances in flexible systems, the problem of feeding parts to an assembly line is not fully addressed by conventional methods such as bowl feeders. New technologies such as Intelligent Automation Systems’ FPF2000 Flexible Feeder for Small Parts offer additional versatility for short production cycles with frequent changes, and multiple simultaneous assembly lines.