Reconfigurability of Manufacturing Systems for Agility Implementation – Part I: Requirements and Principles

Implementation agility in Manufacturing Systems (MS) is one of the most important objectives for nowadays MS considering the complexity of environment. The agility implementation implies new characteristics as well as new implications not considered by the previous MS concept. These are: the dynamic reconfigurability of MS structure (at the first place), the pro-activity, the emergence (as inherent features of agility), and the need for integration of the resources extra-muros of the original MS. These characteristics imply needs for specific organizational tools and frameworks. The issue is presented in two-part paper of which this is the first part that presents the requirements and principles of agility and MS reconfigurability – while the second part presents two architectures for MS reconfigurability in support of MS agility as well as two applications of the proposed architectures.