Changeable manufacturing - Classification, design and operation

Flexibility and changeability are key enablers for meeting the challenges of a global market. The paper first describes the main change drivers and takes then a deeper look at how changeability in a manufacturing enterprise can be classified and operationalized. The next sections are devoted to changeability in reconfigurable manufacturing systems, assembly systems and factories including buildings and infrastructure. New challenges, perspectives and approaches for process plan reconfiguration as well as for Production Planning and Control are discussed. Finally, the evaluation and economic justification of changeability are addressed and a control loop of changeability is presented.