Evaluation of the effect of product demand uncertainty on manufacturing system selection

The use of advanced manufacturing systems is widespread; however, manufacturers frequently face difficult decisions when it comes to selecting the most appropriate system. Uncertainty regarding product demand makes this process more difficult, as many factors are influencing simultaneously. This paper focuses on analyzing the demand uncertainty on the performance of modular drilling manufacturing systems versus other alternatives and evaluating the uncertainty’s impacts on the final decision. To do so, a model is suggested and the effect of demand uncertainty on the output is investigated. Three automotive components of varying complexity are used to examine the approach for making reliable decision

Drilling reconfigurable machine tool selection and process parameters optimization as a function of product demand

Special purpose machines (SPMs) are customized machine tools that perform specific machining operations in a variety of production contexts, including drilling-related operations. This research investigates the effect of optimal process parameters and SPM configuration on the machine tool selection problem versus product demand changes. A review of previous studies suggests that the application of optimization in the feasibility analysis stage of machine tool selection has received less attention by researchers. In this study, a simulated model using genetic algorithm is proposed to find the optimal process parameters and machine tool configuration. During the decision-making phase of machine tool selection, unit profit is targeted as high as possible and is given by the value of the following variables: SPM configuration selection, machining unit assignment to each operation group, and feed and cutting speed of all operations. The newly developed model generates any random chromosome characterized by feasible values for process parameters. Having shown how the problem is formulated, the research presents a case study which exemplifies the operation of the proposed model. The results show that the optimization results can provide critical information for making logical, accurate, and reliable decisions when selecting SPMs

An integrated model to use drilling modular machine tools

Modular machine tools provide a platform for drilling-related operations within automotive companies. The use of these machine tools is widespread; however, manufacturers wishing to use this technology frequently face the challenge of selecting the most appropriate manufacturing system. Accordingly, a comprehensive feasibility analysis procedure is required to assist decision-makers before any investment is made on the preparation of detailed machine design or purchase one. This paper presents a model, which collects the previous works of the authors. To do this, an integrated framework for decision-making of using machine tools is developed. The aim of this model is to enable users to make a logical decision by assessing the strengths and limitations of machine tools. To do this, the parameters which have a key influence on the decision-making process and relevant procedures are identified and integrated into a model. A case study is presented to illustrate the application of proposed model, and results are discussed. The results show that the proposed model is useful in assisting manufacturers in evaluating the performance of a modular machine tool in comparison with other alternatives

Sensitivity analysis for justification of utilising special purpose machine tools in the presence of uncertain parameters

Decision-makers in manufacturing area frequently face machine tool selection problem under uncertainty due to competitive market changes. Special purpose machines (SPMs), a relatively new class of reconfigurable machine tools, are used to react quickly to changes. Justification of utilising these machines vs. other machine tools requires a technique to investigate the sources of uncertainties. In this work, sensitivity analysis is utilised to investigate the sources of these uncertainties and errors which may reveal new insights for evaluating a machine tool. An illustrative example is provided to show the sensitivity of parameters on the economic performance of SPMs compared to the other alternatives. The results show that this analysis provides additional information and moves the decision closer to the optimum alternative

Advances in metal additive manufacturing: A review of common processes, industrial applications, and current challenges

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. In recent years, Additive Manufacturing (AM), also called 3D printing, has been expanding into several industrial sectors due to the technology providing opportunities in terms of improved functionality, productivity, and competitiveness. While metal AM technologies have almost unlimited potential, and the range of applications has increased in recent years, industries have faced challenges in the adoption of these technologies and coping with a turbulent market. Despite the extensive work that has been completed on the properties of metal AM materials, there is still a need of a robust understanding of processes, challenges, application‐specific needs, and considerations associated with these technologies. Therefore, the goal of this study is to present a comprehen-sive review of the most common metal AM technologies, an exploration of metal AM advancements, and industrial applications for the different AM technologies across various industry sectors. This study also outlines current limitations and challenges, which prevent industries to fully benefit from the metal AM opportunities, including production volume, standards compliance, post processing, product quality, maintenance, and materials range. Overall, this paper provides a survey as the benchmark for future industrial applications and research and development projects, in order to assist industries in selecting a suitable AM technology for their application

Technical feasibility analysis of utilizing special purpose machine tools

Special purpose machine tools (SPMs) are primarily used for performing drilling-related operations and are widely used in mass production including automotive component manufacturing. Utilization of SPM is considerably widespread; however, this technology is relatively new and expensive. The important problems facing manufacturing industries wishing to utilize this technology is feasibility analysis to decide whether a SPM can be utilised for production of the given part and if it is feasible which SPM components would be appropriate. Since the cost of utilizing SPM is high, feasibility analysis must be performed before any investment on detailed design. This paper proposes a technical feasibility analysis method which assists in deciding whether SPM is applicable for machining a given part to achieve the highest productivity. The method is based on the framework which consists of relations between the desired part properties to the characteristics of the SPM components. These relations are captured as rules and constraints in an intelligent system which is implemented in Visual Basic. Applying the proposed method to a number of industrial parts shows that it is a very useful tool in deciding when SPMs should be utilized

Thermo-hydraulic performance evaluation of a NACA 63-015 heat exchanger with shark denticles as surface textures

In this study, the effect of using bio-inspired surface texturing as a technique to further enhance the efficiency of a single Plate Fin Heat Exchanger (PFHX) was investigated experimentally. By using biomimicry across disciplines, the denticle, which is a body adaptation from shark skin for enhanced hydrodynamics, was identified as a surface texture to be used on the fin of a PFHX. A smooth NACA 63-015 PFHX (HX0) was used as baseline for thermo-hydraulic performance comparisons. Initially, three PFHXs (HX1, HX2 and HX3), consisting of arrays of denticles upscaled to different scale factors, were designed and printed in ABS plastic to evaluate Additive Manufacturing (AM) limits. By analysing optical images and pressure drop results, HX2 was found to be the best performing array in terms of printing quality and pressure drop performance. Both HX0 and HX2 were then printed in stainless steel 17-4PH by using a Markforged Metal X printer, and then experimentally compared to evaluate their flow and heat transfer behaviours. Results demonstrate that the addition of shark denticles as surface textures on HX2 shifted the onset of turbulence from a fully turbulent to a transitional regime compared to HX0. For Re \u3c 5.7×104, the friction factor for HX2 was less than that of HX0, while at higher Re values the trend was reversed due to increases in skin friction drag. At Re = 3.9×104, the friction factor for HX2 was 56% lower than that of HX0. Overall, a mean improvement of 14% in Nusselt number was noted for HX2 compared to HX0. Further, a mean thermo-hydraulic performance of 1.11 was noted for HX2 for the range of tested Re values, which demonstrated that the addition surface textures in the form of shark denticles to a NACA 63-015 profile yielded a more efficient PFHX compared to a smooth one