Future manufacturing enterprises must significantly improve their product capabilities and manufacturing systems designs to increase market share and enhance competitive core competencies. This paper analyzes the theory and methodology of reconfigurable design that manufacturing enterprises urgently need. Reconfigurability based on topological similarity was defined with a generalized axiomatic design theory. The theory takes into account not only the minimum independent functional requirements, but also their interactions which can not be ignored. Related theorems, consequences and equations were also given. The result shows that the theory can be successfully applied to a rapid reconfigurable manufacturing system.

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