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Manufacturing System Design Decomposition™
Research
objectives of the MSDD
Manufacturing
system design must satisfy numerous objectives from a variety of
disciplines: manufacturing strategy, product development, equipment
design, human work system design, operations management, supply chain.
Successful manufacturing system design requires to structure the
numerous objectives. Furthermore, “best practices” in manufacturing
system design are often difficult to apply without understanding the
underlying objectives, which the “best practices” try to achieve. Thus,
the first goal of the MSDD is:
1. Clearly
separate objectives from the means of achievement
The clear
separation of objectives and means allows designers to relate system
details to the manufacturing system objectives. For example,
manufacturing cells provide a means to satisfy numerous system
objectives. However, implementing manufacturing cells without relating
the use to system objectives may not lead to the desired outcome. The
approach presented here allows the freedom to select among different
physical implementation alternatives. The key point is to define and then achieve the
desired set of objectives, regardless of the physical implementation.
Another
important aspect in manufacturing system design is to keep objectives
in mind throughout the design process from preparation to detailed
design to execution. However, it is often very difficult to relate
low-level decisions to high-level objectives. As a result, there is the
danger of local optimization. The second objective of the MSDD is
therefore:
2. Relate
low-level activities and decisions to high-level goals and requirements
The system
designers must be able to relate low-level decisions to the high-level
system objectives. For example, equipment can greatly influence the way
the manufacturing system is designed and operated (see illustrative
example). Thus, it is necessary that the designers understand how the
selected equipment will achieve higher-level system design goals.
Lower-level
decisions not only affect the achievement of higher-level goals, but
the decisions also interrelate with other lower-levels decisions. For
example, equipment selection influences the man-machine interface;
changeover times affect possible run sizes. The manufacturing system
design approach must provide a means to understand the
interrelationships between design decisions to avoid local
optimizations. The third objective is:
3. Provide
a means to understand the interrelationships among the different
elements of a system design
Since
manufacturing system design requires the interaction of multiple
disciplines, it is important to provide a platform for effective
communication. For example, the interface between the operator and the
machine requires ergonomically knowledge and detailed mechanical
considerations. Even more problematic is the communication of abstract
objectives to operational targets or design specifications. The fourth
objective of the MSDD is:
4. Provide
a means to effectively communicate information across the organization
Unless
there is a common mental map and a common means to communicate
objectives and means there can be no consistency in implementation
within an organization. System designers need a road map or mental
model of how to achieve the strategic objectives of a firm.
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