CoE engineers created the world's first, full-scale reconfigurable machine tool (RMT) - a development that will give factories the greater flexibility and efficiency they’ll need in order to meet the manufacturing challenges of the future.

Schematic of CoE's reconfigurable machine tool.

Traditional factories are expensive to build and, in many cases, created to manufacture only one product. As a result, companies must build the same product for many years to recoup their investment - despite the fact that demand for the product might have changed. However, factories using reconfigurable machine technology will be able to respond to market demands and changes more quickly than today's factories.

Yoram Koren, director of the Engineering Research Center for Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (ERC-RMS), said that instead of building new factories to manufacture a new product or introduce a new technology, companies "will build factories for a product family and simply upgrade or reconfigure these existing factories with new capabilities." Galip Ulsoy, deputy director of the ERC-RMS, added that reconfigurable factories will "reduce product-development time and give manufacturers a greater ability to switch production between different products. Manufacturers will be able to offer consumers more choices in less time and for less money."

Yoram Koren inspects the College of Engineering’s full-scale reconfigurable machine tool - the first of its kind.

For example, the RMT can cut cylinder heads for any vehicle of any major automobile manufacturer. Theoretically, manufacturers with a reconfigurable manufacturing system would be able to switch from building one type of cylinder head to another within a few hours. This kind of flexibility would accelerate the introduction of new models, improve production capacity and benefit consumers by proving more product choices at lower prices.

Dean Stephen W. Director, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, said, "Productivity gain is a driver of economic growth. Michigan Engineering faculty, through innovation at the ERC-RMS, continue to lead the research world in identifying new ways to improve manufacturing processes. I'm proud of this work, and appreciate the support of the National Science Foundation and our partners in this historic achievement."

The new tool will be displayed September 4-11 at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.