A guideline for classification of intelligent manufacturing systems

Summary form only given. An intelligent manufacturing system (IMS) is a very new concept of production system. It is concerned with the integration of information technology and various kinds of intelligent machine tools to create a new production system which gives completely 24-hour unmanned, flexible and easy-to-operate operation. However, for the industries in Thailand, this new concept of production systems which is fully equipped with various kinds of advanced manufacturing devices means “high investment”. The classification methodology proposed in this research is a hierarchical process of evaluation from the lowest tier, machines/equipment, to the topmost in the CIM structure. At the lowest tier, machines and equipment will be classified by 15 IDs (intelligence density) which leads to the value of imperfection score and the intelligence class. These 15 factors can be arbitrarily modified, added, or neglected by the assessor. However, for the additional IDs used for evaluating the machines and equipment, which is the Foundation of the IMS, it is essential to clarify where their position in the ID profile are. Those positions in the ID profile will somehow indicate which direction an organization is encountering