Lego-like reconfigurable machining system: New perspecives to optimize production capacity

Abstract

Manufacturing industries in the 21st century will face unpredictable, high-frequency market changes driven by globalization. Consequently, industries have to shift to more cost-effective production systems. Reconfigurability can provide cost-effective and quick reaction to market changes. This paper discloses a new paradigm in Reconfigurable Machining Systems, RMS, that enables flexibility, by the principle of modularity, integrability, scalability and convertibility in an easy manner. The architecture, characteristics and advantages of the new Lego-like RMS are presented and discussed.