Modeling and analysis of FMS flexibility factors by TISM and fuzzy MICMAC

To increase the manufacturing flexibility, manufacturing organizations are looking at flexible manufacturing system (FMS) as a viable alternative to enhance their competitive edge. There are, however, some factors which affect the flexibility of FMS. Fifteen factors are identified from the literature and found their evaluation by interpretive structural modeling (ISM), exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and graph theory matrix approach. But, Interpretation of the mutual relationship of factors is comparatively weak in ISM. Thus, an upgraded version of ISM i.e. Total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) methodology is used to develop the model and the mutual relationship of factors is identified in the TISM. This paper is an application of TISM to interpret the mutual relationship with the ISM using the tool of interpretive matrix and leads to evolving the framework and find out driving and the dependence power of factors, using fuzzy MICMAC analysis. The result shows that use of reconfigurable machine tool, automation and flexible fixturing have strong driving power and weak dependence power and are at the lowest levels in hierarchy in the TISM model. Hence, superior performance of FMS can be achieved by improving the driving factors of flexibility.