Qualification Management in Reconfigurable Manufacturing System: Review and New Definitions

The changing market environment has strongly impacted the performance of manufacturing systemsManufacturing Systems and their operations. The implementationImplementation of Reconfigurable Manufacturing SystemsReconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS) (RMS) provides a solution for decision-makers to meet new market needs and cope with disruptions. This concept of reconfigurabilityReconfigurability requires the implementationImplementation of a qualification process for the different components of an RMS. The qualification procedure is the ability of product/process and operator to meet the defined requirements. This is a fundamental process for a successful implementationImplementation of reconfigurabilityReconfigurability. The aim of this paper is to identify the concept of qualification related to an RMS by aligning the objectives of the RMS implementationImplementation with the existing system. A preliminary study of the literature is conducted to clarify the qualification related to the process, the product, and the operator. The qualification of these three elements allows answering quickly and cost-effectively to the new requirements. This study provides decision-makers with a clear answer on what should be qualified in the implementationImplementation of an RMS.