Fastems flexible manufacturing systems automate your machining centers

A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) makes it possible to automate production with machine tools and thus enable unmanned production and increase the production capacity and utilization rate of the machine tools. With a Fastems FMS, you can automate load handling of various types of machine tools.

Fastems FMS systems can handle machining pallets, round pallets, wide pallets, zero-point fixtures, and other load types. The systems also include material handling functions and can include different sizes of machining pallets and material pallets in the same system. Load sizes can vary from pallets of a few hundred millimeters up to several meters for loads of up to 20 metric tons and beyond.

Fastems flexible manufacturing system sizes

Operation principle of the FMS

Machining cycles are based on job sequences assigned to a machining pallet. A job sequence defines the loading jobs, machining jobs, and unloading jobs for a machining cycle, as well as the order the jobs are performed in. The specific fixture to be used for clamping the part and the part ID after the machining cycle are also specified in the job sequence.

The operator can create and edit job sequences and save them as master data. The job sequences of a part comprise the operation plan for the part. Manufacturing orders are created based on registered operation plans. Manufacturing is scheduled according to the due date in the manufacturing order and the availability of raw material and fixtures defined in the operation plan.

Click to read a more exact description of the FMS workflow.

The workflow of the flexible manufacturing system.

Fastems has decades of experience in designing industrial software and integrating machine tools of various makes and models into automation solutions.

Fastems control systems ensure reliable production that supports modern manufacturing philosophies such as lean, flexible manufacturing, kanban, and others. The most advanced systems provide production and information logistics for an entire factory.

Fastems has successfully integrated hundreds of different machine tool makes and models into our systems. You can even integrate machine tools from different vendors into the one and same system.

Software and hardware from the same source
As we design, program, and assemble the systems ourselves, you can be sure that the integration is seamless and the manufacturing system is trouble-free.

Increased productivity with integrated robotics
Fastems has a selection of robotics solutions that can be integrated into flexible manufacturing systems. These solutions include:

Automatic loading
Deburring
Automatic tool storage systems
Machine tool tending
RoboFMS – replacing the stacker crane with a robot that performs all load handling in the system

We offer flexible manufacturing systems from single-machine manufacturing cells to factory-wide systems

Fastems' entry-level FMS is called the flexible pallet container (FPC)
The medium-sized solution is called the flexible pallet magazine (FPM)
The customized solution is called the multi-level system (MLS), which is based on standard modules, with the system layout tailored to meet customer needs