Virtual cellular manufacturing: Configuring routing flexibility

Virtual cellular manufacturing (VCM) creates groups of products and machines in the production planning and control system. Similar groupings may help to reduce set-up times. Starting from two industrial cases, we study parallel machine shops assuming the implementation of VCM. We address the way mid-term investments in process planning, machines, and secondary resources may improve shop performance. Here our prime focus is on an increase of routing flexibility in terms of the number and distribution of alternative machines available for a product family, and the number of secondary resources. An extensive simulation study makes clear that: (1) a small number of alternative routes will mostly suffice, (2) a chained distribution of routes is preferable, and (3) additional secondary resources are relevant only under specific conditions.