The work detailed in this dissertation relates to thedevelopment of high performance manufacturing systems. Theperformance factor aimed for is especially flexibility, butthere is an intention of making the results adaptable to focuson performance factors of the readers or users choice. Thefocus of the presented research is not only to provide meansfor accomplishing manufacturing that can handle changes butalso to accomplish flexibility in another area. The resultsshould be applicable in many different situations. The researchhas been divided into three parts: the further development of amanufacturing strategy, the development of a base for amanufacturing system design method and the development of amanufacturing control system. The developed strategy is called Assembly-InitiatedProduction (AIP). An implementation of the strategy shouldprovide high manufacturing system flexibility but at the sametime contribute to the lowering of inventory levels andlead-times. Different solutions coupled to technicalrequirements found are also discussed. The design method research focuses on basic manufacturingsystem properties and the possibility of expressing theseproperties by using simple combinable abstract units calledconcepts. The principle is the same as in physics where realworld phenomena may be expressed by using standard concepts asfor example time and mass. The intended use of the results isin an early manufacturing system design phase. The method isnot directly linked to the AIP strategy, but could be used forimplementing it. Production Planning and Control (PPC) is an important partof a manufacturing system. After having reviewed current PPCpractices, a need for a factory floor PPC system workingregardless of factory floor layout, was identified. Based ontheoretical and industrial studies, the suggested solution is acomputerised, decentralised control system, physicallyseparated from the PPC/ERP system. In order to be able to makequick changes in the schedule, to obtain flexibility and toprovide the organisation with a tool for manufacturing controland decision-making, the system works in real time to provideaccurate and valid data.

<p>The work detailed in this dissertation relates to thedevelopment of high performance manufacturing systems. Theperformance factor aimed for is especially flexibility, butthere is an intention of making the results adaptable to focuson performance factors of the readers or users choice. Thefocus of the presented research is not only to provide meansfor accomplishing manufacturing that can handle changes butalso to accomplish flexibility in another area. The resultsshould be applicable in many different situations. The researchhas been divided into three parts: the further development of amanufacturing strategy, the development of a base for amanufacturing system design method and the development of amanufacturing control system.</p><p>The developed strategy is called Assembly-InitiatedProduction (AIP). An implementation of the strategy shouldprovide high manufacturing system flexibility but at the sametime contribute to the lowering of inventory levels andlead-times. Different solutions coupled to technicalrequirements found are also discussed.</p><p>The design method research focuses on basic manufacturingsystem properties and the possibility of expressing theseproperties by using simple combinable abstract units calledconcepts. The principle is the same as in physics where realworld phenomena may be expressed by using standard concepts asfor example time and mass. The intended use of the results isin an early manufacturing system design phase. The method isnot directly linked to the AIP strategy, but could be used forimplementing it.</p><p>Production Planning and Control (PPC) is an important partof a manufacturing system. After having reviewed current PPCpractices, a need for a factory floor PPC system workingregardless of factory floor layout, was identified. Based ontheoretical and industrial studies, the suggested solution is acomputerised, decentralised control system, physicallyseparated from the PPC/ERP system. In order to be able to makequick changes in the schedule, to obtain flexibility and toprovide the organisation with a tool for manufacturing controland decision-making, the system works in real time to provideaccurate and valid data.</p>