Mapping Structural Relationships Among the Critical Factors of FMS Flexibility

Abstract

The excessive competition in domestic as well as international market has forced the manufacturing organizations to adopt advance manufacturing systems such as flexible manufacturing system (FMS). Adoption of these systems has resulted into increased productivity and better quality products. In order to continue their presence in cut-throat competitive environment, the manufacturing organizations are exploring the flexibility options of FMS. In order to analyze the flexibility options of FMS, an endeavor has been performed to identify the critical factors (CFs) that are pertinent to the flexibility of FMS. These CFs have a reflective impact in designing of FMS. After ascertaining these CFs, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and MICMAC approach have been used to establish the structural relationships among these CFs to develop a hierarchical model. The verdicts of this exploration may assist managers to analyze the flexibility options of FMS in their organizations.