Title: DFMER: design for manufacturing enterprise reconfiguration considering globalisation issues

Authors: Ibrahim H. Garbie

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering at Helwan, Helwan University, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khoud 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract: Currently, researchers are concentrating their attention on design for manufacturing, design for assembly, design for cost and design for quality; (or design for X, in general), but they do not mention design for manufacturing enterprise reconfiguration (DFMER). The problem addressed in this paper is how to present the concepts of globalisation to guide manufacturing enterprise analysts and designers with the most effective issues for analysing reconfigurable levels. These issues include international issues, contemporary issues, global manufacturing systems, local performance and flexible management. Based on these aspects, the global reconfigurable level (RL) will be analysed and evaluated by identifying the major reconfiguration elements. The ultimate goal of this paper is to consider the needs of manufacturing enterprises to be globalised. In this research, a conceptual framework for a design for reconfiguration will be presented and the results show that the DFMER should be taken into consideration for the next industrial revolution.

Keywords: industrial enterprises; manufacturing enterprise reconfiguration; globalisation; manufacturing industry; manufacturing enterprise design; reconfigurable manufacturing enterprises; design for reconfiguration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2013.054808

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2013 Vol.14 No.4, pp.484 - 516

Published online: 27 Dec 2013 *

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