Research today: Flexible manufacturing on the road to production runs of one

Machines today produce parts in networked, pre-programmed production runs: pieces are turned, milled and measured in a set order. But what happens when a machine fails or a customer changes its order? Production has to be re-configured, which is time-consuming and expensive.

What if there was a better way? Instead of a central control program issuing commands, the workflow would develop flexibly, each part deciding for itself the best route through production. Sound like a pipe dream? Read more