Title: A framework for planning a reconfigurable assembly system for press brake production

Authors: Olayinka Mohammed Olabanji; Khumbulani Mpofu

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria; Department of Industrial Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria West, South Africa ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria West, South Africa

Abstract: This article presents the design of a framework for the development of a reconfigurable assembly system (RAS) to facilitate the assembly of press brakes varieties. A consideration of press brake varieties is achieved by examining the parts taxonomy of press brakes from which a framework for assembly process plan is developed that considers all the types of press brakes identified from the classification. Also, a layout for the RAS is developed by considering a prototype of the major enabling equipment of the system which is a reconfigurable assembly fixture (RAF). The development of the assembly process plan and layout of the RAS enabled the design of a reconfiguration model for operation in the RAS. The designed assembly framework will provide: rapid and physical reconfiguration of the RAF in the RAS; generation of assembly sequence for press brake varieties; and allocation of assembly operations to assembly work cells in the system. [Submitted 27 May 2020; Accepted 3 December 2020]

Keywords: assembly planning; press brakes; reconfigurable assembly fixture; reconfigurable assembly system.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMR.2022.127089

International Journal of Manufacturing Research, 2022 Vol.17 No.4, pp.364 - 388

Received: 27 May 2020
Accepted: 03 Dec 2020
Published online: 22 Nov 2022 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article