What is a Flexible Manufacturing System?

• A. A manual system with no automation.
• B. An automated process in which a moderate quantity of differentiated goods or services can be produced on an as-needed basis by the customer.
• C. A system that only supports mass production of identical items.
• D. A process that cannot adapt to customer requirements.

Answer: (B)

Flexible manufacturing systems combine automation with the ability to switch between different products and produce a range of items in moderate quantities in response to customer demand. The automation helps keep production efficient, while the flexibility enables quick changes in product mix to meet specific customer needs.

This matches the description of an automated process that can produce differentiated goods or services on an as-needed basis by the customer. The other ideas don’t fit because manual, non-automated setups lack the needed adaptability; systems designed for mass production focus on producing identical items in large quantities rather than offering variety; and a process that cannot adapt to customer requirements would not be considered flexible.