Flexible process integration for Mass Customisation Manufacturing via autonomous mobile Payload Routing Platforms

In this paper, the problem of providing flexible process integration for Mass Customisation Manufacturing is addressed. A subset of the total distributed process integration is assumed to be handled by flexible routing operations. Physical routing operations are considered to be facilitated by autonomous mobile Payload Routing Platforms (PRP´s). Facility layout flexibility is extended through active material routing operations. A prototype mobile PRP is presented, which has been developed for preliminary testing and validation of the motion control associated with providing distributed process integration under customer-induced production dynamics.