An integration of assembly planning by design into supply chain planning

A supply chain needs to consider the quality of a product as well as the quality of manufacturing process to satisfy customer requirements at efficient resources planning in terms of safety stock allocation and vendor–buyer coordination. The objective of this article is to use an axiomatic approach to make assembly planning by designing and integrating assembly into supply chain planning, particularly during supply chain reconfiguration. The effect of fixture layout planning, the accuracy of demand forecast, and the supplier capability of providing the required material quality are studied. An optimum supply chain network is configured by combining the product, assembly, and supply chain planning. Heuristic-based optimization is used to validate the proposed solution. The performance of the system is measured in terms of lead time variability, the number of backorders, and the level of safety stock. The results and analysis indicate that the axiomatic approach is capable of reducing the assembly variation and employing necessary fixture layout planning to deliver product intents. In addition, the reduction of assembly variation also reduces the safety stock, lead time variability, and backorders. Finally, management decision making is discussed among other concluding remarks.     

Capacities-based supply chain network design considering demand uncertainty using two-stage stochastic programming

The design of a supply chain (SC) aims to minimize cost so the product can reach the customer at the cheapest cost with flexible demand. The demand of a product is variable with time and environment. Most of the researchers have considered investment cost, processing cost, and transportation cost as variable costs to minimize the cost while considering a constant demand. In actual practice, the demands are flexible. In this paper, a two-stage stochastic programming model has been proposed for a capacities-based network design of a supply chain for flexible demands while considering inventory carrying cost and missed opportunity cost in addition to the above-mentioned costs. It will enhance the logistic planning and seek the location network optimally. Furthermore, in the first stage, decision variables represent different nodes (facility locations of echelons) of the supply chain, with the assumption that they will be considered at the design stage before uncertain parameters are unveiled. On the other hand, decision variables related to the amount of products to be produced and stored in the nodes of the SC, the flows of materials among the entities of the network, and shortfalls and excess at the customer centers are considered as second-stage variables. The methodology has been illustrated by solving an example. It was found that the proposed model yields more feasible and advantageous results.     

基于客户需求的销售活动评价体系构建

为了有效地获得客户需求,从客户认知的角度出发,以组织的销售活动为研究对象通过对客户需求决策的分析,运用PDCA的循环方法,建立了从客户决策循环模型（CDM）到销管活动循环模型（SAM）和销售活动推进循环模型（SAPM）相互关联的组织销售活动推进的模型框架,对客户需求进行了定性识别,构建了以客户的组织销售活动客户关系推进能力评价体系,最后给出了应用实例。     

Coordination of order and production policy in buyer–vendor chain using PROSA Holonic architecture

Supply chain (SC) coordination can be pursued by adopting a centralized or decentralized decision-making approach. In recent years, new software architecture for managing the supply chain at the tactical and operational levels has emerged. It views the supply chain as a set of intelligent software agents, each responsible to perform one or more activities in the supply chain while interacting and negotiating with other agents in the planning and execution of these responsibilities. This paper describes a practical system framework for coordination activities in a buyer–vendor chain to determine the best decision making in the chain using the holonic paradigm. In the present article, while reference is made to the holonic paradigm, its related concepts as well as the implementation aspects of the mentioned paradigm within a supply chain are discussed. Throughout the article, as we try to cast light on the Product-Resource-Order-Staff Architecture of this approach, attention is paid to the operational advancements of the model in order for the model to be responsive to the needs of coordination of product and information flows within a buyer–vendor chain under present stochastic environments. The proposed holonic model in this article makes use of intelligent agents and mathematical models to build decision-making models in the proposed holons, as well as solution algorithms, negotiation mechanisms, and coordination-expanded policies in the mentioned architecture. Numerical studies are also provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed models and methods.     

Adaptive inventory control models for supply chain management

Uncertainties inherent in customer demands make it difficult for supply chains to achieve just-in-time inventory replenishment, resulting in loosing sales opportunities or keeping excessive chain-wide inventories. In this paper, we propose two adaptive inventory-control models for a supply chain consisting of one supplier and multiple retailers. The one is a centralized model and the other is a decentralized model. The objective of the two models is to satisfy a target service level predefined for each retailer. The inventory-control parameters of the supplier and retailers are safety lead time and safety stocks, respectively. Unlike most extant inventory-control approaches, modelling the uncertainty of customer demand as a statistical distribution is not a prerequisite in the two models. Instead, using a reinforcement learning technique called action-value method, the control parameters are designed to adaptively change as customer-demand patterns changes. A simulation-based experiment was performed to compare the performance of the two inventory-control models.     

Approche non-probabiliste de fiabilité basée sur les modèles convexes

A knowledge of the variability in structural responses due to uncertainties in manufacturing tolerances, boundary conditions and excitations is essential for design in order to ensure reliable performance. We are interested in making a reliable decision when knowledge of uncertainties is quite limited and when the use of a probabilistic law is unjustified. A non-probabilistic concept of reliability based on the info-gap robustness function allows us to define the three main components of the uncertainty analysis: structural model, uncertainty model represented by info-gap models, and a performance criterion. This article concentrates on the inverse problem which consists in determining the maximal volume in the domain of uncertainty within which the performance criterion is guaranteed. The proposed methodology is illustrated based on two applications in the field of linear elastodynamics.     

供应链协调机制研究现状及发展趋势

供应链是基于“竞争—合作—协调”机制的,协调是供应链稳定运行的基础。本文主要通过供应链成员间的信息共享和供应链契约两方面分析了供应链协调问题的研究现状,并提出了供应链协调研究的发展趋势。     

考虑运费共担的三级时滞变质品供应链定价与协调

在"制造商—运输服务商—分销商"组成的三级时滞变质品供应链中,市场需求受产品销售价格与变质时间影响,且运输费用由制造商和分销商共同分担,分别考察了各成员企业在无合作、局部合作及全面合作3种决策模式下的产品定价策略与期望收益水平.结果表明:随着各成员企业间相互合作的不断深入,时滞变质品的销售价格降低,市场供给量与供应链系...     

Costing the supply chain

Supply chains, as well as individual organisations have two sources of competitive advantage, value and costs. Improving value to the customer, by offering better products and services. On the other hand, reducing costs can lead to improvements in profitability or market share, by offering lower prices to the customer. All of these benefits, if appropriately shared, can improve the competitive position of both the individual partners and the complete supply chain. The authors offer solutions to some increasingly complex supply network accounting problems.     

Mass customisation

Mass production and personally tailored products are no longer considered opposite ends of the spectrum. The author recounts IBM's experiences in the days of the commodity PC. Once mass production relied on making all products exactly the same. `Customisation' is the opposite of this: making a product specifically for the individual customer. `Mass customisation' is a paradoxical idea that has only become possible with the arrival of modern manufacturing practices, such as just in time and total quality management. The author's interpretation of the phrase is simply: the process of reflecting very specific and varied customer requirements within a high volume production process without affecting lead time, cost or quality. Customers around the world, and in every conceivable activity, rightly demand more and more from their suppliers-impeccable quality, competitive prices, solutions as opposed to commodities and, of course, responsive and efficient after sales service. The author focuses on IBM's attempts to meet these demands in the arena of the personal computer     

A fuzzy bi-objective mixed-integer programming method for solving supply chain network design problems under ambiguous and vague conditions

Supply chain (SC) network design problems are complex problems with multi-layer levels and dynamic relationships which involve a considerable amount of uncertainty concerning customer demand, facility capacity, or lead times, among others. A large number of optimization methods (i.e., fuzzy mathematical programming, stochastic programming, and interval mathematical programming) have been proposed to cope with the uncertainties in SC network design problems. We propose a fuzzy bi-objective mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to enhance the material flow in dual-channel, multi-item, and multi-objective SCs with multiple echelons under both ambiguous and vague conditions, concurrently. We use a computationally efficient ranking method to resolve the ambiguity of the parameters and propose two methods for resolving the vagueness of the objective functions in the proposed fuzzy MILP model. The preferences of the decision makers (DMs) on the priority of the fuzzy goals are represented with crisp importance weights in the first method and fuzzy preference relations in the second method. The fuzzy preference relations in the second method present a unique practical application of type-II fuzzy sets. The performance of the two methods is compared using comprehensive statistical analysis. The results show the perspicuous dominance of the method which uses fuzzy preference relations (i.e., type-II fuzzy sets). We present a case study in the food industry to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model and exhibit the efficacy of the procedures and algorithms. To the best of our knowledge, a concurrent interpretation of both ambiguous and vague uncertainties, which is applicable to many real-life problems, is novel and has not been reported in the literature.     

替换胎增速持续放缓新动态掀绿色环保浪潮——中国乘用车替换胎零售市场2012年第1季度回顾及展望

众所周知,汽车产销量的增减直接关系到国内轮胎市场销量走势,但汽车市场的持续疲软也让不少轮胎厂商只能感受着"巧妇难为无米之炊"的遭遇.     

Using a Markov chain model in quality function deployment to analyse customer requirements

This study applies a Markov chain model in quality function deployment to analyse customer requirements from probabilities viewpoints. In reality, both initial and transition probabilities can be computed based upon customers' surveys by asking their past and present choices. For a decision maker, each customer requirement can be analysed as time goes by, and the changes for each technical measure can be closely examined from time to time. Moreover, when new customer's surveys are conducted and available, customer requirements and technical measures can be updated in a timely basis to reflect and fulfil the dynamic customer needs. Therefore, this proposed approach provides a decision maker to analyse and then satisfy both present and future customer needs early on such that a better strategy can be made based upon the most updated customers' surveys.     

The use of expert systems in the design of multi-echelon production distribution systems

Strategic decision making within multi-echelon production distribution systems is a difficult task due to the complex chain structures and inherent operating uncertainties of such systems. Hence there is a need for the application of expert systems methodology in this field. This paper reviews an approach in which industrial dynamics modelling techniques are used to simulate the dynamic behaviour of target systems over specified time horizons. Subsequently, control design techniques are utilised for performance sub-optimisation in order to generate a scenario-oriented knowledge base. A method is also presented for optimised design selection, based on interactive management performance objectives. Mutually conflicting objectives both within and between sub-systems in a multi-echelon production distribution system are also resolved as part of the optimised design. It is felt that such techniques are key components in an expert system for improving the design of high volume process production and distribution chains.     

论服务营销中的7Ps策略

随着服务经济的发展，服务营销的概念应运而生，现在已成营销的热点。针对无形服务论述。在4Ps的组合上还应再加上三个要素：人员、顾客服务的提供和过程，即服务业的7Ps营销组合。     

Enlightening supplies [supply chain information]

Speed of information flow through a supply chain directly affects its operating success. There are 2 “pipelines”, one conveying orders from the customer towards the raw materials supplier and one conveying product the other way. The authors present the case for retail sales information to be shared freely with all tiers of the supply chain     

Integrated supply chain design using multi-criteria optimization

Supply chain management (SCM) presents significant opportunities for improving profit margins and reducing cost. It encompasses functional and geographical integration as well as integration of tactical and operational decisions. The functional integration aspects involve purchasing, manufacturing, and logistics within the company and across the supply chain. A supply chain design framework has been developed including linear/mixed integer multi-criteria optimization models for determining the identified supply chain design parameters. The selection of suppliers, determination of production quantities, inventory locations and sizes, selection of transportation method and transported quantities in a multi-stage, multi-level supply chain are investigated. Additional criteria including first-time quality (FTQ) and suppliers on-time delivery risk with and without allowing splitting of customer demand between suppliers are considered. An example of typical automotive power train supply chain design and decision issues is used to illustrate the effect of various factors.     

不确定偏好信息下质量管理的含糊群体决策

为实现质量管理的定量决策和信息集结,将质量管理决策问题归结为偏好信息不确定下群体决策问题.建立了质量管理多属性群体决策模型,分析了决策中语言偏好信息和权重偏好信息的不确定性.采用双重模糊的含糊集表达决策语言的不确定性,同时将模糊集的基本运算引入到含糊集中,定义了四种处理权重偏好信息的决策函数,分别实现了质量管理决策量化结果的集结处理.比较了这些决策函数在权重偏好信息不同的情况下的集结行为,通过案例计算验证了这些决策函数对信息集结的不同效果和应用场合.     

大型煤炭供应链集成决策模型及应用

为研究大型煤炭供应链的集成决策问题,建立了一个多目标的大型煤炭供应链集成决策模型。该模型以大型煤炭供应链系统总利润最大化和客户满意度最大化为目标,集成了大型煤炭供应链供产销的决策问题,提出了用目标规划法求解该多目标决策模型的策略。最后,应用模型进行了实证分析,结果表明该模型合理且有效。     

“十一五”时期我国工程机械行业市场分析(续上期)

2010年我国工程机械行业取得了高速发展,全行业销售收入达到4000亿元左右,同比增长20%以上。三一重工、山东重工、徐工集团、中联重科、柳工集团5家龙头企业已提出了十二五末年实现销售收入1000亿元的目标。2011年工程机械行业继续保持较好的发展势头,但是面对2011年新的经济形势和新的政策变化,行业发展仍然面临很多不确定性,如挖掘机销量是否会继续保持火爆增长?本土品牌的占有率增长空间在哪里?如何开辟再制造的利润增长点?代理商能否打造自己的品牌?租赁行业的发展前景如何?近期,为了给十二五时期我国经济发展开好局、起好步,我国政府出台了一系列关系国计民生的重大政策措施,如中央一号文件首次将水利提至国家战略高度,保障性住房建设立下军令状等。通过对未来五年中可能拉动工程机械行业发展的五大引擎——水利、铁路、保障房、公路、轨道交通特点的梳理,希望能为行业人士提供一定的借鉴作用。