Increasing the productivity of automated technological complexes by using multipiece devices

This article deals with the issue of increasing the productivity of automated technological complexes of mechanical processing by reducing off-cycle time losses. The time for adjustment of tools, jigs and fixtures is considered the most significant type of losses for flexible machining cells. The most effective solution for reducing the adjustment time to increase the productivity of technological complexes of mechanical processing is the use of multipiece devices. Multipiece devices refer to machine retaining devices that allow installing workpieces of different standard sizes without readjustment or with minimal readjustment. The effectiveness of such devices depends on the number of installed parts of different standard sizes, and the greater this number is, the higher the effectiveness of the device is. The article proposes to divide the total time of adjustment of a multipiece device into components that take into account the time for installation and adjustment of the device and the time for changing the adjustment of the device when switching to the production of the next batch of parts. The division of the total adjustment time allows taking into account the loss of adjustment time for each part in the conditions of using a multipiece device. The time for changing the adjustment before making a new batch of parts is divided into the entire batch or several batches, if several batches of parts are made during the same adjustment. The time of installation and adjustment of the device is divided into all the batches processed on this device. With a strict schedule for the operation of an automated technological complex within a certain period of time, such a calculation shows an accurate result. However, for technological complexes with a flexible schedule, analytical calculation becomes impossible. Therefore, the task is to obtain the value of the adjustment time of the device, which falls on one processed part by conducting simulation modeling on an automated technological complex. A simulation experiment is conducted to determine the performance of the complex, depending on the device used.