| Περίληψη: | This work investigates the flexibility of manufacturing systems and the introduction of flexibility considerations into the change management of manufacturing systems. The change drivers that make flexibility important for manufacturing systems are analyzed and the definition and dimensions of flexibility as they have been approached in the literature are discussed.
In order to measure flexibility, a Flexibility Evaluation Toolbox comprised of five individual measures is proposed in the thesis. The Flexibility Evaluation Toolbox enables the responsible engineer to select the most appropriate measure to be used in each case under study. Furthermore, each of the measures requires different data providing the opportunity to the engineer to use the Flexibility Evaluation Toolbox in a wide range of situations. A classification table of the five measures in relation to a set of usability criteria has been included. A methodology supporting the user to select the most appropriate measure according to the case under study and the user’s preferences is also provided.
The Flexibility Evaluation Toolbox has been integrated in a software platform able to handle the required data, automate the calculations, provide quantitative results and eventually drive the change management directions. The software architecture and the individual modules of the software platform are described. The three basic modules of the platform are the Flexibility Evaluation Toolbox, the Data Collector and the Change Management Component.
The solution proposed in this thesis can be used in small, medium or large enterprises and in different industrial sectors. This is demonstrated in the provided four case studies where flexibility evaluation has been used to support change management decisions in the commercial refrigerators sector in local and world-wide scale, the pharmaceutical/cosmetics sector and the mobile communications sector.
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