Group Technology and Cellular Manufacturing

Unit 3

Computer Integrated
Manufacturing System
(CIMS)
DEPT. OF MECHANICAL ENGG.,
Dr.G.Moorthy & Prof .Athikesavan
 Unit 3- NUTSHELL TOPICS

Group Technology(GT), Part Families, Parts Classification and

coding
Simple Problems in Opitz Part Coding system, Production flow
Analysis
Cellular Manufacturing-Composite part concept
Machine cell design and layout-Quantitative analysis in cellular
manufacturing
Rank Order Clustering Method-Arranging machines in a GT cell

Hollier Method – Simple Problems.

 Class -2

CODING
&
CLASSIFICATION
 CODING SYSTEMS

 OPITZ system 
 The CODE system
 The KK-3 system
 The MICLASS system 
 DCLASS system 
 COFORM (coding for
machining)
 OPITZ

¨ It is a mixed (hybrid) coding system

¨ developed by Opitz, Technical University of Aachen,
1970
¨ it is widely used in industry
¨ it provides a basic framework for understanding the
classification and coding process
¨ it can be applied to machined parts, non-machined
parts (both formed and cast) and purchased parts
¨ it considers both design and manufacturing
information
 The Optiz Classification System

12345 6789 ABCD

Form Code: Supplementary Code: Secondary

describes the manufacturing Code:
primary design attributes – dimensions, Identifies
attributes work material, production
accuracy, starting work operation type
piece shape and sequence
Opitz’s goal was to create a code that would be a numerical
representation of work pieces and their attributes.
Digit/Positio Type Feature/Group
n
1 Integer part class (rotational/non-rotational)

2 Integer external shape

3 Integer internal shape

4 Integer plane surface features and machining

5 Integer auxiliary features (off-axis holes, gear teeth

etc.)
OPITZ - Specification scheme
Coding the first five DIGITS
Example…….
 Solution…………

The overall Length to diameter ratio (L/D) = 0.5  1st Digit is 1

The part is stepped on both ends with screw thread on one end
 2nd Digit is 5

Through hole  3rd Digit is 1

No Surface is required  4th Digit is 0

No Auxiliary holes or gear teeth o the part  5th Digit is 0

15400
 MICLASS

 The most commonly used code system in metal

manufacturing
 It consists of two sections:
Section 1 consists of 12 digit code used to classify the
engineering and manufacturing characteristics of a
part as defined in below:
1st Digit Main shape
2nd and 3rd Digit Shape elements
4th Digit Position of shape elements
5th and 6th Digit Main dimensions
7th Digit Dimensions ratio
8th Digit Auxiliary Dimension
9th and 10th Digits Tolerance codes
11th and 12th Digits Material codes
 12-decimal polycode

1120 2211 21 33

Material
Tolerance
Dimensions
Main shape and shape elements
 MICLASS…………

Section 2 consists of 18 digits (optional) tailored to

meet the specific needs of the user such as vendor, lot
size, costs and production tips,…
 DCLASS
 The DCLASS part family code is comprised of eight
partitioned into five code segments
 . The first segment, composed of three digits, is used to denote
the basic shape.
 The form features code is entered in the next segment; it is one
digit in length. This code is used to specify the complexity of
the part, which includes features (such as holes and slots) heat
treatments, and special surface finishes. The complexity is
determined by the number of special features.
 The one-digit-size code is the third segment of the part family
code. From the value of the code, the user will know the
overall size envelope of the coded part.
 The fourth segment denotes precision: it is one digit in length.
 The final two digit, which comprise the fifth segment of the
part family code, are used to denote the material type.
 SELECTION OF CLASSIFICATION AND
CODING SYSTEMS

1. Flexibility for various applications such as part

family formation, process planning, costing, and
purchasing
2. Accuracy, to provide correct information on parts
3. Expandability, to accommodate information on
more part attributes deemed important later on
4. Ease of learning
5. Ease of retrieval
6. Reliability and availability of software
7. Suitability for specific applications
Parts whose basic geometries are quite
different may nevertheless require similar or
even identical process routings.

Parts whose geometries are quite similar

may nevertheless require process routing that
are quite different.
PRODUCTION FLOW
ANALYSIS
 PRODUCTION FLOW ANALYIS

PFA is a technique that uses Operation

Routing Summaries as input. It clusters
the parts that require the same processes.

These parts can then be

assembled into a part
family. The processes
can be grouped into a
cell to minimize
material handling
requirements
In short, PFA provides well-
established, efficient and
analytical engineering method for
planning the change from
“process organisation” to “product
organisation”.

This means that traditional production layouts are

transformed into production groups, which each make a
particular set of parts and is equipped with a particular set
of machines and equipment enabling them to complete the
assigned parts.

Production Flow Analysis was developed by Professor John

L. Burbidge of the Cranfield Institute of Technology.
 Complex material flow systems resulting from
process based production layouts have long
throughput times, high inventories and work
in progress, which increase cost and reduce
profitability. From the organisation’s point of
view, delegation and control are difficult to
implement, which leads to bureaucratic and
centralised management structures, thus
increasing overhead.
 Applying PFA produces a plan to change the
layout and organisation in such a way that
production throughput times can be reduced
radically, while at the same time inventories go
down and delivery punctuality and quality
improve to a completely new level.
 Once the layout has been changed to a product
based one, new and simple production
scheduling routines have been implemented to
ensure excellent delivery performance.
 Anticipated results

 In operations management: reduced production

throughput times, significantly less capital tied into the
material flow and improved delivery performance;
 In general management: makes it possible to delegate
the responsibility for component quality, cost and
completion by due-date to the group level, which in turn
reduced overhead;
 In worker’s motivation: clearer responsibilities and
decision making on the spot increase job satisfaction;
 In the point of information technology: simplified material
flow speeds up the implementation of factory automation
and simplifies software applications used to support
efficient operations
The content of Production Flow Analysis

 The main method of the PFA is a quantitative

analysis of all the material flows taking place in
the factory, and using this information and the
alternative routings to form manufacturing
groups that are able to finish a set parts with the
resources dedicated to it. Depending on the
scale of the project this logic is applied on
company, factory, group, line and tooling level
respectively.
 Whichever the case, the work breaks down into the
following steps

To identify and classify all production resources,

machines and equipment;
 To track the all product and part routes that the
company, factory or group produces;
 To analyse the manufacturing network through the main
flows formed by the majority of parts;
 To study alternative routings and grouping of the
machines to fit parts into a simplified material flow
system;
 To further study those exceptional parts not fitting into
the grouping of production resources;
 To validate the new material flow system and
implementing the scheduling system based on single-
piece flow.
PFA……
 The following steps are involved in carrying out
the PFA by group analysis technique.
 The rout sheet of all the components to be manufactured
in the shop is examined.
 A matrix showing the operation numbers and the
components number is prepared showing which
component requires which operations.
 Any particular part is included only in one group. For
facility grouping , one machine type should be only in
one group.
 If any operation is required by only one or very few
components, or if some operation is required by all the
components, then these operations should not be taken
note of while deciding the groups.
Introduction to Cellular Manufacturing
• Cellular Manufacturing is an application of group technology
in which dissimilar machines or processes have be aggregated
into cells,
 each of which is dedicated to the production of a part or
product family or a limited group of families.

• Benefits of Cellular Manufacturing

Composite Part Concept
• A Composite Part for a given family, which includes all of the design and
manufacturing attributes of the family.
• In general, an individual part in the family will have some of the features
that characterize the family but not all of them. The composite part
possesses all of the features
Machine Cell Design
• Design of the machine cell is critical in cellular manufacturing.
The cell design determines to a great degree the performance
of the cell.

1. Types of machine cells and layouts

• GT manufacturing cells can be classified according to the number

of machines and the degree to which the material flow is
mechanized between machines.
• Four common GT cell configurations:
1. Single machine cell (Type I M)
2. Group machine cell with manual material handling (Type II
M generally, Type III M less common)
3. Group machine cell with semi-integrated handling (Type II M
generally, Type III M less common).
4. Flexible manufacturing cell or flexible manufacturing system
(Type II A generally, Type III A less common)
Machine Cell Design

• Single machine cell consists of one machine plus supporting

fixtures and tooling.
• This type of cell can be applied to workparts whose attributes
allow them to be made on one basis type of process, such as
turning or milling.
Machine Cell Design
• Group machine cell with manual handling is an arrangement of
more than one machine used collectively to produce one or more
part families.
• There is no provision for mechanized parts movement between
the machines in the cell. Instead, the human operators who run
the cell perform the material handling function. The cell is often
organized into a U-shaped layout.

U-shaped
Layout
Machine Cell Design
• Group machine cell with semi-integrated handling uses a mechanized
handling system, such as a conveyor, to move parts between
machines in the cell.

In-line Layout

Loop Layout

Rectangular
Layout
Machine Cell Design
• Flexible manufacturing system combines a fully integrated
material handling system with automated processing stations.
• The FMS is the most highly automated of the Group Technology
machine cells.
Machine Cell Design
2- Types of part movements
• Determining the most appropriate cell layout depends on the
routings of parts produced in the cell.
• Four types of part movement can be distinguished in a mixed
model part production system.
Machine Cell Design
2- Types of part movements

1. Repeat Operation, in which a consecutive operation is carried

out on the same machine, so that the part does not actually
move.

2. In-sequence move, in which the part move from the current

machine to an immediate neighbor in the forward direction.

3. By-passing move, in which the part moves forward from the

current machine to another machine that is two or more
machines ahead.

4. Backtracking move, in which the part moves from the current

machine in the backward direction to another machine.
Machine Cell Design

In-line layout
In-sequence moves
U-shaped layout

Repeated operations Multiple stations

By-passing moves U-shaped layout

Backtracking moves Loop or rectangular

layout
Quantities Analysis in Cellular Manufacturing

• A number of quantities techniques have been developed to

deal with problem areas in group technology and cellular
manufacturing.

1. Grouping parts and machines into families.

2. Arranging machines in a GT cell.

• The two problem areas have been and still active research
areas.
Grouping Parts and Machines by Rank Order Clustering (ROC)

• The Rank Order Clustering (ROC) technique is specifically

applicable in production flow analysis. It is an efficient and
easy to use algorithm for grouping machines into cells.

• The algorithm, which is based on sorting rows and columns of

the machine-part incidence matrix, is given below.
1. Assign binary weight and calculate a decimal weight for
each row using the formula

m
Decimal weight for row i   bip 2 m p

p 1
Where
m is the number of row and
b is a binary number (0 or 1)
Grouping Parts and Machines by Rank Order Clustering (ROC)

2. Rank the rows from top to bottom in order of decreasing

decimal weight values

3. Assign binary weight and calculate a decimal weight for

each column using the formula
n
Decimal weight for column j   bpj 2 n p

Where p 1
n is the number of column and b is a binary number (0 or 1)

4. Rank the column from left to right in order of decreasing

decimal weight values

5. Continue preceding steps until there is no change in the

position of each element in each row and column
Example of Rank Order Clustering Technique
• Apply the rank order clustering technique to the part-machine
incidence matrix shown below.
Example of Rank Order Clustering Technique
• First iteration (Step 1)
Example of Rank Order Clustering Technique
• Second iteration (Steps 2 and 3 )
Example of Rank Order Clustering Technique
• Solution (Steps 4 and 5)
Arranging Machines in a GT Cell
• After part-machine grouping have been identified by rank order
clustering, the next problem is to organize the machines into
the most logical arrangement.

• Hollier Method. This method uses the sums of flow “From” and
“To” each machine in the cell. The method can be outlined as
follows
1. Develop the From-To chart from part routing data. The data
contained in the chart indicates numbers of part moves
between the machines in the cell.
2. Determine the “From” and “To” sums for each machine. This is
accomplished by summing all of the “From” trips and “To” trips
for each machine.
 The “From” sum for a machine is determined by adding the entries in the
corresponding row.
 The “To” sum is found by adding the entries in the corresponding column.
Arranging Machines in a GT Cell
3. Assign machines to the cell based on minimum “From” or “To”
sums. The machine having the smallest sum is selected.
 If the minimum value is a “To” sum, then the machine is placed at the
beginning of the sequence.
 If the minimum value is a “From” sum, then the machine is placed at the
end of the sequence.
Tie breaker
 If a tie occurs between minimum “To” sums or minimum “From” sums,
then the machine with the minimum “From/To” ratio is selected.
 If both “To” and “From” sums are equal for a selected machine, it is passed
over and the machine with the next lowest sum is selected.
 If a minimum “To” sum is equal to a minimum “From” sum, then both
machines are selected and placed at the beginning and end of the
sequence, respectively

4. Reformat the From-To chart. After each machine has been selected,
restructure the From-To chart by eliminating the row and column
corresponding to the selected machine and recalculate the “From” and
“To” sums.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all machines have been assigned
Example of Arranging Machines in a GT Cell
• Suppose that four machines, 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been identified
as belonging in a GT machine cell. An analysis of 50 parts
processed on these machines has been summarized in the
From-To chart presented below. Additional information is that
50 parts enter the machine grouping at machine 3, 20 parts
leave after processing at machine 1, and 30 parts leave after
machine 4. Determine a logical machine arrangement using
Hollier method.
Example of Arranging Machines in a GT Cell
• First iteration
Example of Arranging Machines in a GT Cell
• Second iteration with machine 3 removed.
Example of Arranging Machines in a GT Cell
• Third iteration with machine 2 removed.

• The resulting machine sequence 3214

Example of Arranging Machines in a GT Cell

• The flow diagram for machine cell in the Example is shown

below. Flow of parts into and out of the cells has also been
included
CELLULAR MANUFACTURING
 CELLULAR MANUFACTURING

 A) Single machine cell

 B) U-Shaped machine layout (group machine cell)
 CELLULAR MANUFACTURING

 In-Line layout (semi-integrated type)

 Loop-layout (semi-integrated type)
 CELLULAR MANUFACTURING

 Rectangular-layout (semi-integrated type)

 Machine cell design and layout
FACILITY DESIGN using GT
 LINE LAYOUT
 FACILITY DESIGN using GT

 GROUP LAYOUT
 FACILITY DESIGN using GT

 FUNCTION LAYOUT
 BENEFITS OF GT

 MACHINES CAN BE FULLY UTILIZED

 MATERIAL HANDLING IS REDUDCED
 PROCESS PLANNING AND PRODUCTION
SCHEDULING ARE SIMPLIFED
 SETUP TIMES ARE REDUCED, RESULTING IN
LOWER MANUFACTURING LEAD TIMES.
 HIGHER QUALITY WORK IS
ACCOMPOLISHED
 WORK-IN-PROCESS REDUCED
 APPLICATION OF G.T
1.Design:
Components can be grouped into design families and
new design can be created by simply modifying an existing
component design from the same family.
2.In Manufacturing:
Parts that are not similar in shape may still
need similar manufacturing processes (called Production
family).
3.Process Plannings:
This helps in production planning and
control much easier- cell oriented layout called cellular
layout
Process planning can be facilitated as similar processes are
needed for all components of particular family.