MACHINE SHARING AND PERFORMANCE OF CELLULAR MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

In this paper, we examine the impact of machine sharing on performance of traditional cellular manufacturing systems. We present an analytical model for evaluating the desirability of sharing machines of the same type among two or more cells. The effect of machine sharing on several performance measures, such as machine utilizations, cell production rates, and part flow times, is studied under varying conditions of system loading, setup time, and batch sizes. Conditions under which machine sharing may be of value and the operating requirements necessary for realizing this value are identified. A model for trading off costs and benefits of machine sharing and determining optimal levels of machine sharing is also presented.