Analyzing Part Scheduling and Tool Usage in a Flexible Manufacturing System Using Simulation

In this study, simulation is employed to examine the impact of part scheduling and tool sharing decisions within a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) that incorporates both part and tool movement policies. A representative FMS configuration is modeled, comprising a load/unload station, three machine groups (each containing two identical machines), dedicated tool stores for each group, three Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for part transport, and individual tool transporters assigned to each machine group. The system is designed to handle 15 distinct part types, each characterized by a unique processing sequence and operation-specific processing times. Part arrivals follow an exponential inter-arrival time distribution with a predefined mean. Simulation experiments are carried out across various combinations of scheduling and tool management decision rules. Key performance indicators evaluated include Mean Flow Time, Mean Tardiness, Mean Tool Waiting Time, and Mean Machine Utilization. The results are analyzed to identify the most effective decision rule combinations for optimizing system performance.