A fundamental flexibility measure: Machine flexibility

Frequent changes in customer desire and rapid changes in technology have led to shorter product life cycles. Manufactures are compelled to respond such changes to sustain in the competitive market. Flexibility is a very important feature that is embedded in manufacturing systems to adapt such uncertainties. This paper reviews different classifications of flexibility and then presents a framework to identify the inter-dependency of several flexibilities. The probabilistic nature of the manufacturing system is considered to develop a measure of machine flexibility. This flexibility assessment approach for machine flexibility is more useful than the similar kinds of models existing in literature.