Shorter product life cycles and global competition require manufacturing companies to be much more dynamic. As a consequence, their manufacturing systems are subject to frequent changes (e.g. the introduction of new product variants) and disturbances (e.g. fluctuating demand). Manufacturing systems have to be able to quickly respond to this in order to minimise the impact of disturbances and changes on the manufacturing performance. The aim of this paper is to raise a profound awareness on the mutual constraints that product design, equipment design, and control logic design put upon each other. The paper lists design guidelines to relax these constraints and thereby increase the ability to handle disturbances and unforeseen changes
product design, equipment design, control logic
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