RECONFIGURABLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM:AN ENABLER FOR COMPETITIVENESS FOR TODAY’S INDUSTRY

Tough market situation from one side and global competition from another side are persuading companies to search for new manufacturing concepts and try to stay competitive. But “how” to consider “new” manufacturing systems is still a big question mark.This thesis aims to analyze reconfigurability as an enabler for competitiveness in manufacturing systems. The frame of work in this study is “Reconfigurable Manufacturing System” or briefly RMS. In first chapter, some background about reconfigurability has been stated. Then it will continue with research questions, delimitations and expected results.Then the research methodology and challenges for applying RMS have been stated. This chapter explains researchers’ method for data reviewing and data collection. Another focus area in this thesis is SME (Small and Medium size Enterprises). So this report tries also to examine reconfigurability challenges in SMEs. There is a big gap between “ideal” production system and “designing” of this ideal production system. So this thesis tried to increase the knowledge about design of reconfigurable manufacturing systems.In empirical study chapter two case studies have been analysed and as a result a list of challenges for implementing reconfigurable system has been proposed. Then some solutions and methods are proposed in order to answer to challenges. This solutions and methods are then discussed and evaluated.Finally, in last chapter, challenges and prerequisites for implementing reconfigurable manufacturing system in general and for SMEs in specific have been stated. This chapter was ended by expressing future works