Title: Evaluating the intensity of variables affecting flexibility in FMS by graph theory and matrix approach

Authors: Vineet Jain; Tilak Raj

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon 122413, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, YMCA University of Science and Technology, Main Delhi-Mathura Road, Sector-6, Faridabad-121006, India

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the intensity of variables of the flexible manufacturing system (FMS) which affect flexibility in FMS. The study was performed by conducting a cross-sectional survey within manufacturing firms in India through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and graph theory and matrix approach (GTMA). By performing EFA, factor structure is identified whereas GTMA quantified the factor structure of a set of observed variables. GTMA is a multiple attribute decision making (MADM) methodology used to find the intensity of variables in an organisation. In this paper, EFA is applied to extract the factors in FMS by The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20) software and evaluation of intensity of variables affecting flexibility in FMS by GTMA. Fifteen variables are identified through literature, and four factors extracted, which involves the flexibility of FMS in production flexibility, machine flexibility, product flexibility, and volume flexibility.

Keywords: exploratory factor analysis; EFA; flexible manufacturing systems; FMSs; graph theory; matrix approach; GTMA; manufacturing industry; India; multiattribute decision making; MADM; production flexibility; machine flexibility; product flexibility; volume flexibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2015.067245

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2015 Vol.19 No.2, pp.137 - 154

Received: 27 Jun 2013
Accepted: 23 Jul 2013
Published online: 02 Feb 2015 *

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