Block-diagonalization of the part-machine incidence matrix for designing manufacturing cells is an important step in the implementation of Group Technology. The present work proposes a method for block-diagonalization based on cross-classification of parts and types of machines with progressive assignation of types of machines to families of parts. Examples, which allow us to test and compare the proposed method with other available methods, are presented. The results obtained of several problems found in the literature are consistently equivalent to or even better than hitherto proposed, in terms of number of intercell movements and dimensions of cells.
group technology; manufacturing cells; classification methods
