Structural analysis and control of flexible manufacturing systems with a performance perspective

Strategic objectives in modern discrete-part manufacturing are shifting from the previously sought economies of scale to the so called economies of scope, where emphasis is placed on product variety and customization, as well as the increased responsiveness of the production system to widely fluctuating demands. At the shop-floor level, this new paradigm is enabled by extensive computer driven automation. This, in turn, necessitates the development of formal modeling approaches for the rigorous analysis and design of such systems.