Unified structural–procedural approach for designing integrated manufacturing systems

A manufacturing system consists of a structure and distributed working procedures that include operating parameters. A new approach named unified structural–procedural approach (USPA) for designing the integrated structure and the distributed but integrated working procedures of a manufacturing system is included in this paper. The designed structure and working procedures bring about the efficiency desired by the target market on the ordered products even when the desired efficiency is turbulent. Here, the USPA approach is applied to redesign a real apparel factory. The USPA includes identification of the target market requirements, conception of the target manufacturing system, design of the system structure and working procedures. Conception of the target manufacturing system is done using pseudo-neural networks that exploit the improvements introduced by the higher performing firms throughout the industry. Design of the system structure is done using simulation models that bring forth building structural improvements whose implementation investments equate the saved inefficiency costs because the system structure is improved. The distributed working procedures are specified using flowcharts that include integrated values of the procedural parameters. The nature of these parameters are identified from available non-integrated operations management models and their integrated values obtained by using simulation models that evaluate their joint effect on product efficiency.