Abstract

The article discusses the challenges posed by increased individualization of products, shorter product life cycles, and external factors on the flexibility of modern production systems.  
In particular, flexible workshop-oriented manufacturing principles are being implemented to replace or supplement traditional assembly lines, with various terms such as "modular assembly" and "matrix production" etc. used to describe similar concepts. The article presents these concepts under the umbrella term of modular production or assembly systems, which utilize adaptable work-stations and autonomous vehicles to transport production orders between stations.  
The design of such systems is crucial to their performance, with considerations such as task allocation, material supply, and fleet sizing requiring complex interplay. The article compares traditional matrix layouts with alternative options, such as single-lane pathways and non-matrix layouts like honeycomb or star shapes, using simulation-based analysis to evaluate their potential impact on system performance.