Economic feasibility analysis of flexible material handling systems: A case study in the apparel industry

Flexible material handling systems (MHS) have been widely used to enhance productivity involved with product proliferation, and thus far, only fixed-track MHSs such as Eton systems in the apparel industry are commonly used. This paper explores the economic feasibility of a flexible MHS using free-ranging automated guided vehicles (AGV) with a local positioning system (LPS) for the apparel industry. A component-based and modified activity-based costing methodology is proposed to estimate the additional cost of adopting flexible MHSs, and then the internal rate of return (IIR) and payback periods are applied to evaluate the project economic performance. Results show that adopting flexible MHSs has a promising IIR which is larger than 30%.     

抽油杆失效原因分析及预防措施

抽油杆杆柱断脱是有杆泵失效的主要因素，也大大加重了油井的维护费用。通过分析发现抽油杆柱断脱的原因主要是杆管偏磨、制造缺陷、腐蚀、设计不当、运输使用时处理不当、服役时间超安全期和接箍材料不合格等，在此基础上提出了一些相应的预防措施。     

Quantifying the effects of product family decisions on material selection: A process-based costing approach

Product designers must continually assess trade-offs among various performance attributes and cost. Materials choice can play an important role in that decision-making process. Product platforms are used to meet the demand for increased product variety, while also managing costs. Because of their interdependent effects, it is possible that platforming strategies may alter preferred material choice. This paper examines the interrelationship of these early stage design choices through the application of process-based cost modeling.A case study is detailed concerning two alternative material options for an automotive instrument panel beam: a die-cast magnesium design and a conventional design (i.e., discrete stamped steel components) which allows for more component sharing than the integrated magnesium design. The effects of component sharing on product family costs are analyzed. It is shown that the magnesium design is less competitive in platformed scenarios.     

环保型沥青路面再生工厂布局优化

为解决传统沥青厂拌热再生过程中存在的污染问题,提升相关企业经济和环保效益,以环保型沥青路面再生工厂为研究对象,提出了一套工厂车间布局优化方法.首先,汇总了物料装卸点在各作业单元内部和整体车间范围内的表示方法.然后,以非物流关系密切程度最大、物料搬运成本最小和碳排放量最少为优化目标,建立了车间布局数学模型.最后,采用粒子...     

Improving distribution operations: Implementation of material handling systems

Academic research has primarily focused on the technical factors of material handling systems, with little or no discussion of human factors. In order to improve the performance of distribution operations, we found that the implementation of material handling systems involves both human and technical factors. These human and technical factors interact over time and go through three somewhat overlapping transitional stages. In the first stage, both human and technical problems exist; however, human problems dominate, and require conflict management skills to resolve. In the second stage, human problems improve, but technical problems persist, requiring formal problem-solving methods to resolve. Finally, in the third stage, both human and technical problems improve. It is important to recognize these transitional stages because they must be effectively managed in order for the material handling functions to perform at the optimal level. Implications of this research, including directions for future research, are also provided.     

零售企业流线网络综合权研究

参照流线网络的研究思路,通过对零售企业的作业流程特征分析,建立零售企业的流线网络。在假定供应商承担运输费用(从供应商到配送中心),消费者承担最后"一公里"的运输费用的基础上,分析供应商与配送中心的到货环节、仓储过程的可选作业环节、配送环节3个作业环节,并将这3个环节的广义费用区分为正常费用和额外费用。最后将每个环节的正常费用和额外费用相加,作为零售企业流线网络中两类边(供应商与配送中心之间的边和配送中心与销售点之间的边)的综合权。     

首尔图书馆新建项目全寿命周期设计阶段成本管理中VE的应用

以韩国首尔图书馆新建项目的全寿命周期设计阶段成本管理中VE的应用为例，着重论述其在建设项目的主体结构和建筑外墙装饰设计方案优选中的应用，并结合权重分析和敏感度分析使方案优选更具科学性，为提高图书馆建设项目的科学决策提供了部分参考，实际应用表明其全寿命期中设计阶段应用价值工程进行成本管理，可以优化设计，从而使工程设计质量得以提高，同时也降低建设成本、增强市场竞争能力，赢得业主的信任。     

Design of the optimal feeding policy in an assembly system

This paper describes an innovative and integrated approach to component management optimization within a production/assembly system. In a mixed-models assembly process the handling of parts and components for each work station represents a substantial variable that can greatly affect job duration and efficiency. This paper is strictly related to Assembly to Order/Manufacturing to Order (ATO and MTO) systems, where lead time has to be very short and flexibility is at its maximum level. In Assembly to Order (ATO) or Make to Order (MTO) systems, the production is increasingly getting more customized in response to the demand, thanks to the progresses reached in both manufacturing and information technologies. It is becoming increasingly possible to assemble or make products specifically in response to the requests of either end customers or retailers. As a consequence of such customization, the design of the whole system must take into direct account several elements: parts warehouses location, feeding policies and feeding systems. In some cases the collection of parts and components required picking activities, in other the movement of entire units load.In several instances experts have analyzed the problems about material centralization/decentralization, storage policies and assembly feeding problem in different and independent ways, while the problem needs an integrated approach. While many researches regarding components allocation problems in ATO and MTO systems, did not consider feeding policies, material picking, packing activities and vehicles optimization, this paper cover focuses on filling such gap using an integrated framework that considers both aspects of the problem: the centralization/decentralization of components in order to minimize the total storage costs and the right feeding policies.Feeding problems in assembly lines are some of the most important aspects to consider during the analysis and design of an assembly system, to allow the maximization of efficiency and flexibility. To reach such goals, a multi-factorial analysis has been carried out during this experiment and will validate the introduced framework. An industrial application of the introduced framework is illustrated to explain its real significant production implication.     

Quantifying the costs of a nationwide public safety wireless network

The existing US public safety wireless infrastructure consists of thousands of disparate systems built by separate local agencies. Problems with interoperability, cost, spectral efficiency, and limited functionality plague these systems but could be significantly reduced through the deployment of a single nationwide network that serves all public safety personnel. Two major efforts towards such a nationwide network are the federal-government-only Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) and an FCC-led effort to create a public-private partnership in the 700 MHz band; the future of both projects is uncertain due in part to concerns surrounding cost. This paper presents a model to estimate cost for two fundamental approaches to a nationwide network: a public-safety-only network and a public–private partnership which serves both public safety and commercial subscribers. We apply this general model to four network scenarios which differ in the amount and band of spectrum allocated as well as the number and type of subscribers (public-safety-only versus commercial and public safety) under three traffic scenarios: voice-only, data-only, and voice and data. We demonstrate that the nation's many small systems could be replaced with a single nationwide network with a small fraction of the tower sites and spectrum. The cost of building this new infrastructure is comparable to what is likely to be spent in just a few years on upgrading and maintaining the existing infrastructure. In addition, we show that these cost estimates are highly dependent on some key system design parameters including the public safety capacity required and signal coverage reliability, which must therefore be well-defined in advance.     

A Model of Supplier Integration into New Product Development*

In many industries, firms are looking for ways to cut concept‐to‐customer development time, to improve quality, and to reduce the cost of new products. One approach shown to be successful in Japanese organizations involves the integration of material suppliers early in the new product development cycle. This involvement may range from simple consultation with suppliers on design ideas to making suppliers fully responsible for the design of components or systems they will supply. While prior research shows the benefit of using this approach, execution remains a problem. The processes for identifying and integrating suppliers into the new product development (NPD) process in North American organizations are not understood well. This problem is compounded by the fact that design team members often are reluctant to listen to the technology and cost ideas made by suppliers in new product development efforts. We suggest a model of the key activities required for successful supplier integration into NPD projects, based on case studies with 17 Japanese and American manufacturing organizations. The model is validated using data from a survey of purchasing executives in global corporations with at least one successful and one unsuccessful supplier integration experience. The results suggest that (1) increased knowledge of a supplier is more likely to result in greater information sharing and involvement of the supplier in the product development process; (2) sharing of technology information results in higher levels of supplier involvement and improved outcomes; (3) supplier involvement on teams generally results in a higher achievement of NPD team goals; (4) in cases when technology uncertainty is present, suppliers and buyers are more likely to share information on NPD teams; and (5) the problems associated with technology uncertainty can be mitigated by greater use of technology sharing and direct supplier participation on new product development teams. A supplier's participation as a true member of a new product development team seems to result in the highest level of benefits, especially in cases when a technology is in its formative stages.     

Fuzzy multi-criteria decision model for evaluating reconfigurable machines

The design and configuration of manufacturing equipment require crucial decision considering optimum capacity and functionality. The equipment selection problem might be involved with choosing between large-capacity machines versus a greater number of machines with smaller capacities, and/or dedicated facilities versus multi-product facilities. This paper investigates reconfigurable machining system characteristics in order to identify the crucial factors influencing the machine selection and the machine (re)configuration. Furthermore, changeover cost and changeover time while switching from one product to the other are taken into account. In particular, a fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (FAHP) model is proposed to integrate the decisive factors for the equipment selection process under uncertainty. The expected values of the normalised fuzzy sets are determined to identify the preference values of the alternative machines. The fuzzy multi-criteria model is analysed within the fuzzy domains of the operational characteristics along with economic, quality and performance criteria. The proposed model is examined using monitoring sensitivity analysis through a case study. As a result, the alternative machines are prioritised with consideration of the inconsistency ratios. The relative performances of the alternative equipment in view of interactions of process reconfigurability and cost, and capacity and functionality are graphically illustrated.     

工程造价管理信息化解决方案

实行工程造价管理的信息化,是进行工程造价管理的有效手段。工程造价管理覆盖建设工程前期决策及实施的各个阶段,目前工程造价管理的软件很多,但在实际应用过程中,这些软件存在着一些共性的缺陷。仅靠单一的工程造价软件是无法进行工程造价管理的。为了解决这一问题,可以从工程造价全过程管理的需求出发,把企业数据库,估算编制、工程量清单编制、电子评标、工程造价指标分析等子系统集成在一个协同平台上,对工程造价信息进行数据处理和交换,集中管理,实现企业工程数据共享。     

产品设计作为竞争策略的PRO 供应链生产决策研究

对于大多数无力自建WEEE 回收体系的生产企业选择加入PRO 是明智的选择。本文基于行业PRO 运作模式，构建了由两制造商和回收商联盟组成的供应链模型，将与市场增长挂钩的产品设计作为其中一制造商的竞争策略，研究了产品设计和回收双责任要求下供应链各主体的生产决策问题。研究发现：（1）当产品设计成本较低和市场增量较高时，以产品设计作为竞争策略的在位制造商可以淘汰竞争制造商；（2）当产品设计成本低于市场增量时，在位制造商的生产决策优于竞争制造商。一定条件下，竞争制造商存在“搭便车”行为；（3）产品设计降低了处理成本，但损害了回收商经济效益，回收商抵制过度产品设计，并通过转移价格实现供应链主体的利润配置。当经济驱动下回收商自愿回收时，更高的政府回收率会导致整个供应链经济效益变好；（4）存在一个三方共赢局面使三者经济效益都更优，存在一个双赢局面使回收商和在位制造商更优。     

Product and Process Modularity's Effects on Manufacturing Agility and Firm Growth Performance

Modularity in product design has been hailed as a way to speed new product development (NPD), to reduce NPD cost, and to enhance customization possibilities for consumers. Modularity in process design may speed new product manufacturing setup times, reduce costs, and enhance the profitability of the lower volumes that customization often entails. However, empirical evidence is scarce that either product or process modularity—individually, jointly, or sequentially—actually produce these or other proposed benefits (e.g., performance growth). This study builds on general modular systems theory (GMST) by examining the theoretical relationship between product and process modularity and the effects of each on firm growth performance. Using structural equation modeling, partial versus complete mediation by manufacturing agility is also scrutinized. In one pair of models, product modularity and process modularity are separate direct antecedents to manufacturing agility, which is modeled to affect firm growth performance; in a second pair of models, product and process modularity are related antecedents to manufacturing agility, with product modularity preceding process modularity. Results from the best‐fitting model show that product modularity directly and positively affects process modularity, manufacturing agility, and firm growth performance. Process modularity was unrelated to manufacturing agility, and neither process modularity nor manufacturing agility predicted growth performance. Consistent with GMST, the study provides empirical evidence of the power of one element of a modular system to orchestrate a fit between a firm's product and manufacturing strategies and to directly drive system performance. Thus, modularity in product design is revealed as the key to understanding GMST effects concerning how changes in one system generate changes in other systems.     

A simulation-based evaluation of the cost of cycle time reduction in Agere Systems wafer fabrication facility—a case study

With the vast amount of capital invested in the semiconductor industry and the high level of competitiveness, semiconductor manufacturers are continuously searching for new methods to gain more market share and increase their profits. New technologies are continuously in demand, and are pushing the semiconductor manufacturers to seek better market position through constant improvement in their processes and products.Agere Systems is one of the leading companies in the microelectronics industry. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for strategic capacity expansion of production equipment at Agere Systems wafer fabrication facility (fab). We integrate simulation modeling, design of experiments, statistical analysis, and economic justification tools to aid in this highly complex decision-making process. We compliment the framework with a particular implementation. The procedure involved studying the factors in the fab that significantly impact the cycle times of the four main technologies that are currently in process and will stay in demand for at least the next few years. Moreover, the goal was to quantify the economic impact of reducing cycle times.To accomplish the objectives of this research, a valid simulation model of the production line of the fab was built. The production equipment (tool sets) that significantly influence production cycle time were identified through factor screening experiments. Based on these factors, several scenarios involving the acquisition of additional tools, aimed at cutting down cycle times, were identified and the operating characteristics curves were constructed. These characteristics curves were used to relate cycle time to production volume capabilities. Finally, an economic analysis was conducted to evaluate the return on investment in additional tools.The outcome of the case study was the identification of bottleneck facilities in the fab that have a significant impact on the cycle time of the four technologies. In the economic analysis, the cost of adding machines to these facilities was compared with the benefits resulting from the increase in production capacities.     

Establishing a high tech company in a global competitive market: A sociomaterial process perspective

In supporting a process ontology, qualitative longitudinal data are analysed in an examination of processes of becoming in the establishment of a new high tech company aiming to get a foothold in the highly competitive global healthcare market. Researching the process from idea generation, through funding, design, manufacture and marketing spotlights how the social and material exist in relation to each other and constitutively entangle. These sociomaterial relations shape and are shaped by narratives and temporal storying as actors seek to make and give sense, not only retrospectively, but in continually drawing upon an interplay of shifting interpretations of past, present and future. Although in the information systems literature sociomateriality is a central concept, there is little discussion in business. In addressing this gap, the paper adopts a sociomaterial process perspective in drawing out findings that both align with the extant literature and extend our current understanding. New insights critically assess the problem of dualism in the separation of the social and material, the need to broaden our conceptualization of temporality and make explicit our use of time, and the need to more fully accommodate processes of sensemaking and storying that shape and our shaped within broader processes of becoming.     

Influencing factors in the application of RFID technology in the supply chain

This article analyzes the obstacles in the application of the Internet of Things in the supply chain by means of evolutionary game theory. Through modeling, the game payoff matrix of core enterprises and suppliers as well as their replicator dynamic equations are obtained. Subsequently, an analysis of two populations that adopt the key technology of the Internet of Things, radio frequency identification (RFID), is conducted through replicator dynamics. The two populations achieve an evolutionarily stable strategy through continuous imitation and adjustment to the strategy. Furthermore, through the analysis of relevant parameters, the influence on the RFID application strategy selected by core enterprises and suppliers of factors such as implementation risk, tag cost, system cost, maintenance cost, compelling force of core enterprises, and expected return, among others, is verified.     

基于BIM的装配式建筑施工场地布置研究

考虑预制构件的布置和安全问题对施工现场布局的影响,通过建立预制建筑施工现场BIM模型,找出施工过程存在的碰撞冲突,减少不必要的二次搬运。在此基础上根据施工效率、成本优化、安全和可持续目标形成多个施工场地布置方案,通过层次分析与模糊综合评价相结合的方法评选出最优场地布置方案,为提高装配式建筑场地布置水平提供有效借鉴。     

300 kt/a甲醇投资分析

结合南京化学工业园新增醋酸项目对甲醇产品的需求，分析国外内甲醇市场的价格变化，提出了投资甲醇生产的必要性。结合南京化学工业园周边市场资源，分析合成甲醇的两种工艺路线，即以煤为原料通过煤气化合成甲醇和以天然气为原料通过蒸汽转化合成甲醇的可行性和经济性。通过分析对比认为，在该区域用煤气化合成气同时供给合成氨装置和甲醇装置，投资省，生产成本低，扩容能力强，更有现实意义和经济性。