Reconfigurable Machines

Reconfigurable Machines form a new class of machines that are designed around a specific part family of products and allow rapid change in their structure. They are designed to allow changes in production requirements by changes in the machine mechanical configuration and structure. Reconfigurable machines might be designed for various types of production operations such as machining, inspection and assembly. This paper introduces characteristics and design principles of reconfigurable machines, and describes their features using an example of our new full-scale industrial prototype of a Reconfigurable Bore Surface Inspection Machine (RBSIM). In addition, the paper also describes briefly other three prototypes of Reconfigurable Machines that were developed during recent years in our center: (1) the Reconfigurable Machine Tool (RMT), (2) the Reconfigurable Inspection Machine (RIM), and (3) the Reconfigurable Assembly Machine (RAM).