This paper presents a novel view of flexibility to promote proactive knowledge management towards system performance improvement. We present a conceptual study enriched with simulation models aimed at understanding the role of flexibility in the manufacturing lead time reduction. We propose that flexibility may be viewed as a desired/achievable combination of concurrency and constraints. As a part ofour research efforts on the proactive management of flexibility for the performance enhancement of the Manufacturing systems, we show how routing flexibility can be employed in a proactive manner to reduce the manufacturing lead time. Towards this, we have developed simulation models of simple flexible manufacturing systems and studied the effect of routing flexibility on the lead time performance under different conditions of part load and machine (processor) load balancing. The studies indicate that routing flexibility has significant effect on the lead time performance of the manufacturing system and the effect of routing llexibility varies under different conditions of load balancing. Further studies indicate the existence of complex interactions between the touting flexibility, processor concurrency, processor load balancing. and the manufacturing lead-time. This paper intends to discuss some of the interesting results of these studies. In our opinion this novel way to view flexibility as a desirable combination of concurrency and constraints is important for industry practitioners. It will help towards proactive flexibility management by deploying the right type and level of flexibility to reduce the lead-times in complex entity flow systems. The management of tlexihility must aim at increasing the concurrency and reducing the associated constraints, in order to achieve significant benefits.
Routing Flexibility, Concurrency, Load Balancing, Manufacturing Lead Time, Knowledge Management.
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