Product and Routing Flexibility

Product Flexibility

This refers to ability to changeover to a new set of products economically & quickly in response to the changing market needs. The changeover time includes the time for, planning, designing, tooling, and fixturing of new products introduced in the manufacturing line -up. It based upon following factors:

• Relatedness of new part design having the existing part family
• Off-line part program preparation
• Machine flexibility

Routing Flexibility

This can define as capacity to generate parts on alternative workstation in case of tool failure, equipment breakdowns, and other interruptions at any specific station. This helps in increasing throughput, in the presence of external changes such like product mix, engineering changes, or new product introductions.  Following are the factors that decide routing flexibility:

• Similarity of parts in the mix
• Similarity of workstations
• Common tooling