Modular assembly systems: where are we? Where do we go from here?

Citation

"Tony" Hsieh, S.-J. (2012), "Modular assembly systems: where are we? Where do we go from here?", Assembly Automation, Vol. 32 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2012.03332daa.001

Modular assembly systems: where are we? Where do we go from here?

Article Type: Viewpoint From: Assembly Automation, Volume 32, Issue 4

Automation has a profound effect on our daily lives. Consumers look for better prices, better quality products, and faster delivery times. At the same time, product lifecycles have become shorter and shorter. To meet these demands, companies strive to quickly react to market demand changes, reduce lead times, improve product functionality, and reduce equipment investment costs. Engineers must constantly design, re-tool, and reconfigure assembly systems to be responsive to these changes. Modular assembly system (MAS) technology is designed to address these needs.

A MAS is an assembly system consisting of reconfigurable components (modules) that can be flexibly and rapidly reconfigured to form a different assembly system to accommodate changes in product functionality, assembly processes, and market demand. Modules may be used for material transfer (such as feeders), material assembly (such as robots), or housing other components (such as a chassis). Each module has a unique function, and modules are like building blocks that can be quickly rearranged for different purposes.

Modularization of assembly systems is an important strategy for dealing with increasing product complexity, rapidly changing requirements, and market demand changes. Some have noted that MASs are key enabling factors for implementing next generation agile system solutions such as reconfigurable and evolvable assembly systems. A modular design ensures that changes and additions can be made relatively easily; conversion is possible when design factors change; and there is a high degree of reusability.

Significant research and development efforts have been directed towards creating suitable system architectures and control aspects for MASs. Examples include:

1. 1.

   a simple robotic work-cell using standard components as a system chassis and a two-DOF robot for pick and place tasks;

2. 2.

   a flexible platform (called Mark IV) that uses standardized components that can be configured into different assembly systems or workstations; and

3. 3.

   a holonic assembly system that uses programmable robots to reduce or eliminate the need for configuration efforts when new robots are added to an existing system.

Around 2003, researchers at the University of Nottingham began studying the design aspects of MASs. They proposed an integrated design theory-based domain ontology for MAS design, evaluated the ontology with industry cases, and developed a prototype to allow domain experts to participate in MAS design. Since that time, various prototypes have been developed using intelligent agent and multi-agent software. Commercially available MASs include Mikron-Syfast assembly systems, ABB Flexible Automation TUFF systems, and Flexline systems from SMH Automation.

Going forward, there will be increased demand for products customized to individual needs – such as mobile devices with different types of cases, screens, display, and music. Issues for research include how to embed preventive maintenance into MAS control platforms, how to enhance current MASs to accommodate multiple product families, how to make industrial robots not only programmable but also reconfigurable and reusable, and how to design MASs for micro/nanomanufacturing of consumer electronics and medical applications. Current micro/nanomaterials-based manufacturing involves adding materials selectively so that no material removal is needed. It has been estimated that current fabrication facilities for manufacturing nanoscale devices – such as consumer electronics – cost around $5-10 billion per year to operate. Increased use of MASs will enable companies to continue to produce products to meet increases and changes in demand.

Sheng-Jen "Tony" HsiehProfessor at Texas A&M University, USA