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The purpose of this paper is to present a literature review on parts feeding policies and to provide the components of parts feeding systems via a classification structure.

This paper determines the scope and components of parts feeding systems via a classification structure under three main components such as the storage of parts, transport of parts and feeding policy. Afterward, it is focused on parts feeding policies and the related papers are reviewed and analyzed according to their feeding policy types, objectives, solution methodologies and the application types.

A classification structure showing the components and scope of parts feeding systems is provided. Parts feeding policies are handled in detail and feeding policy types, objectives, solution methodologies and application types in the existing studies are presented in this paper. However, the paper highlights the open research areas and advances for academics and presents applied solution methodologies and case studies for practitioners.

This paper reveals the scope of parts feeding systems by presenting a classification structure including three main components and related subcomponents and provides a comprehensive literature review on parts feeding policies.

This paper aims to focus on the novel design and development of an automatic feeding system which is capable of feeding cylindrical parts which are fragile and powdery in nature and possess asymmetrical features such as a groove near to one end.

It is an active feeder, performing its task without having to reject any feeding part by performing active orientation of feeding parts that are in the undesired orientation. This design incorporating active orientating capability is aimed at 100 percent feeding efficiency. The system is controlled and driven by a programmable logic controller and electropneumatics.

System evaluation results showed that the average jam rate is below 5 percent and the percentage of correctly orientated parts is above 95 percent. With enhancement and fine tuning, the system could become a very useful feeder for industry in the future.

The scope of this paper focuses on presentation of the design concept, development and evaluation of the feeder only and design calculations are not included.

This paper is of value to those who are involved in the manufacturing of small delicate and powdery engineering parts such as those providing performs to the semiconductor industry for encapsulation of integrated circuit chips.

Outlines development work on the surfing hopper, a new parts feeding system where chain conveyors with free rollers are driven by a variable‐speed motor and a flexible belt is pushed up partly by the free rollers to generate a wave in the belt. Describes how the wave effect keeps the stacked parts level and how experiments were carried out using different parts materials such as small water‐filled bottles and nuts made of steel. Looks at studies carried out on feeding correctly orientated parts to the assembly station and experiments on surfing feeding system with regard to part separation on the belt. Concludes that the surfing hopper can supply heavy parts intermittently at a rough definite supply ratio, without jamming and entangling the parts and without damage to the belt.

This paper aims to propose a combined methodology to help decision makers in evaluating and selecting the most effective part feeding system.

As a first step of the methodology, a hierarchical clustering analysis is applied to design a kitting or hybrid feeding system. Second, activity-based costing methodology is applied to determine which system is better according to their costs. Besides, sensitivity analysis is implemented to observe the behavior of the system in case of the takt time changes.

Using kitting systems purely can lead to problems because of the big and expensive parts in the mixed-model assembly systems. Therefore, the hybrid feeding policy can provide better solutions for such systems.

A case study is conducted in a company and the most produced product of the company is considered to design the part feeding system. Results indicated that transportation cost has a large proportion on the total cost and the hybrid feeding policy may be a good solution to reduce this cost.

The paper includes implications for the design of hybrid feeding systems in lean-based assembly lines. The proposed methodology may be a practical tool for decision makers to design and decide on the part feeding policy.

Kitting design has not been studied yet to the best of the authors’ knowledge. Besides, there is no certain decision methodology indicating which system is better. In this study, different methods are combined as a new methodology with the purpose of industrial decision-making.

The paper describes analyses which have been developed to determine the cost of assembly using a multi‐arm assembly robot fed by a wide variety of different feeding systems and for a wide range of product styles, mixes, and batch sizes.

The paper aims to focus on in-house part logistics design and management for assembly systems in which supermarket storage is adopted and coupled with an automated transportation system. In this context, this work aims to assess the transportation mode selection problem to speed up the preliminary design phase.

The paper is divided into two main parts. The first one provides and discusses a new conceptual framework derived from the authors’ experience in the field and from previous published works. The framework aims to support managers in problem comprehension by setting three problem sub-phases, key input parameters and qualitative guidelines without losing sight of the big picture. The second part focuses on the transportation mode selection sub-phase by assessing an analytical study followed by a multi-scenario analysis.

The final outcome of this work is a decision support matrix capable of setting technical guidelines that are helpful to managers and practitioners to speed up the transportation mode selection problem in the preliminary phases.

This work is beneficial for supporting managers in understanding the main decisional steps involved in the design of a part-feeding system with a supermarket by discussing the three problem sub-phases and key input parameters and providing both qualitative and quantitative guidelines. Moreover, this study explores the transportation mode selection problem, which is not yet largely explored in the published literature.

This paper aims to study a commercially available industrial part feeder that uses an industrial robot arm and computer vision system. Three conveyor belts are arranged to singulate and circulate parts, bringing them under a camera where their pose is recognized and subsequently manipulated by the robot arm. The problem is addressed of optimizing belt speeds and hence throughput of this feeder that avoid: starvation, where no parts are visible to the camera and saturation, where too many parts prevent part pose detection or grasping.

Models are developed for intermittent and continuous motion feeding based on a 2D Poisson process. Renewal theory is applied to model intermittent motion and an M/G/1 queue with customer impatience to model continuous motion feeding. These models are verified using discrete event simulation.

The models predict and optimize feeder behaviour very accurately and it is possible to compute optimal settings for different part sizes and throughput sensitivity.

Feeder belt velocities are currently estimated based on intuition and ad hoc trial and error. The results provide a scientific alternative. The models are straightforward to implement and can provide velocity settings for feeders in industrial use.

This paper advances the scientific understanding of automation and part feeding.

This paper describes a manipulation primitive called toppling – knocking a part over. We derive the mechanical conditions for toppling and describe two applications to conveyor‐based feeding. Toppling complements previous approaches to conveyor‐plane feeding, allowing full three‐dimensional parts feeding on a constant‐speed conveyor.

In this paper, a flexible solution for part feeding in assembly is analysed for its suitability to feed small parts with typical dimensions between 0.5 and 5.0 mm. The feeding concept is based on a tooling plate, which vibrates to separate and reorient the parts. A vision system is used to determine the position of parts in a correct orientation. A robot picks these parts and assembles them. The conditions for a successful reorientation of parts are studied. The influence of adhesive forces on the ability to re‐orientate is investigated. A prototype is built to determine empirically the magnitude of the adhesive forces and the influence of these forces on the feeding process.

Looks at short‐run production, frequent product modifications, and pressures to reduce product time to market make flexible manufacturing increasingly desirable. Despite advances in flexible systems, the problem of feeding parts to an assembly line is not fully addressed by conventional methods such as bowl feeders. New technologies such as Intelligent Automation Systems’ FPF2000 Flexible Feeder for Small Parts offer additional versatility for short production cycles with frequent changes, and multiple simultaneous assembly lines.