DYNAMICALLY RECONFIGURABLE MANUFACTURING CONCEPTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND EMPLOYED IN THE CREATION OF THE DYNAMICALLY RECONFIGURABLE ASSEMBLY SYSTEM (DRAS). THE FLEXIBILITY AND MODULARITY OF THE SYSTEM WILL SUPPORT RAPID PRODUCT INTRODUCTION AND JUST-IN-TIME PRODUCTION PHILOSOPHIES THROUGH ITS ABILITY TO RECONFIGURE BASED ON PRODUCTION DEMANDS. THE ADOPTION OF LAYERED SYSTEMS CONCEPTS, THE SEPARATION OF THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY FROM ITS BEHAVIOR, AND THE USE OF OBJECT-ORIENTED CONSTRUCTS OFFERS SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS OVER TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES. ASPECTS OF THE DRAS CONTROL AND PHYSICAL ARCHITECTURES WHICH EXTEND THE FLEXIBILITY AND MODULARITY OF THE SYSTEM ARE ALSO PRESENTED.