Developing automated and integrated flexible manufacturing system

In order to achieve high-level of competitiveness in today´s ever changing market, manufacturers have to maintain high-level of responsiveness to customers´ preference. Due to this reason, the appropriate implication of flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is of great significance in determining the success of a company. FMS enables rapid production of various types of products with small scale so as to satisfy customer´s requirements for high-level of product variability, however, the high initial investment and unit production cost make it become a challenge especially for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). In this paper, the conceptual design and practical development of an automated and integrated small-scale FMS at the workshop of Narvik University College (NUC) is introduced. This study aims to build up the knowledge in designing and implementing smallscale FMS in practical context, and it also provides the local SMEs with knowledge support in their production.