Evaluation of alternative manufacturing equipment implementation strategies

Summary form only given. A methodology for examining the economic effects of various flexible manufacturing system configurations and implementation schedules has been developed. The methodology is illustrated through the use of a manufacturing area which is subject to variability to product types and machining times while operating in a growth environment. Questions concerning current and future capital expenditures have been considered in the context of future operations being dependent on present decisions. Various implementation schedules and their effects on production costs have been investigated for a product demand growth situation, and a variety of sensitivity analyses have been carried out.<>