Optimizing 3PL service delivery using a cost-to-serve and action research framework

Full spectrum visibility and real-time management of increasingly complex, high-velocity operations will be the landmark practices of supply chain management in the twenty-first century. Integrating various business processes across functions is at the heart of supply chain management. As we survey the landscape, we can identify two sets of converging forces and newly emerging capabilities that will shape the way supply chains will develop in the near future. The first issue deals with the rapid rise of global third party logistics (3PL) companies that manage entire supply chains. The second issue has to do with how supply chain organizations plan and budget for a process of change, while simultaneously maintaining focus on full supply chain costs using a method known as the cost-to-serve (CSM) method. It is precisely these two issues that we address in this paper. Our first objective is to document the research conducted by the authors in the offshore oil and gas exploration and production industry. Our second objective is to use the CSM method to identify relevant cost drivers of 3PL services by nesting within an action research approach that pinpoints relevant operational constraints. The third objective is to use the action research framework and CSM to model various cost elements that could be incorporated into the objective function of a mathematical programming model. We compared the current design to the optimal design that we obtained from the model, and performed cost-benefit analysis to show the superiority of our procedure.     

企业横向并购中的供应链整合模型

横向并购作为企业快速扩张的模式已成为当代经济生活的重要内容。从基于成本协同的横向并购入手,研究了横向并购中并购企业所处供应链与目标企业所处供应链的整合问题,建立了具有模糊参数和随机参数的规划模型,给出了模型的求解方法。算例进一步验证了模型和求解思路的有效性,为实现并购后的供应链协同效应打下了理论基础。     

Framework for flexibility in dynamic supply chain management

Effective Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a pivotal issue in the dynamically changing business environment. Dynamic SCM requires integrated decision-making amongst autonomous chain partners with effective decision information synchronization amongst them. By exploiting flexibility in supply chain structures, better performance can be achieved. Similarly, by judiciously employing decision flexibility and the associated dynamic control amongst autonomous supply chain nodes, many improvements are possible. The paper presents a study on the role of different flexibility options (i.e. no flexibility, partial flexibility and full flexibility) in a dynamic supply chain model based on some key parameters and performance measures. Supply chain flexibility has significant potential and needs a greater research attention. The paper attempts to advance the knowledge of dynamic control on effective flexibility exploitation in the context of dynamic supply chains. A simulation model of a dynamic supply chain is used for this purpose. The key results are highlighted along with industry implications. Here each supply chain node involves decision-making. Based on the order and sample information available from the immediate buyers or customers, the supplier selection decisions are dynamically made. A seemingly good decision at a stage based on local information often ends up as detrimental not only to the total chain cost, but also to the total costs of the node itself. These observations are important for the designers and managers of the flexible supply chain systems to arrive at appropriate types and a judicious level of flexibility to attain significant improvements in total cost reduction. The modelling of dynamic supply chains with a focus on flexibility can offer enormous potential to the industry. This paper addresses this interesting and challenging domain.     

Integration of global manufacturing networks and supply chains: a cross case comparison of six global automotive manufacturers

Striving for new business opportunities automotive original equipment manufacturers established overseas plants in emerging markets and global manufacturing networks evolved. In this regard so-called knocked down supply chains have been the key for the establishment of successful overseas operations. Importing all parts required from the original plants in form of easy to be handled kits secures a high product quality and stable supply despite lacking qualification of local workforce and supplier bases. Over time the overseas plants and global manufacturing networks have matured by increasingly taking over value adding processes and integrating local suppliers. However, the supply chain structure and management have not been adapted accordingly and still comprise high inventory buffers and lead times. There is little research on the integrated design of global manufacturing networks and knocked down supply chains. This research aims to contribute to close this research gap by means of a cross-case study with six globally operating OEMs investigating the fit of knocked down supply chains and global manufacturing networks. On the basis of transaction cost theory, we develop an integrated framework to align global manufacturing networks and knocked down supply chain design that can serve as guideline to open logistics performance and cost potentials.     

Flexible fixture design and automation: Review,issues and future directions

The cost of designing and fabricating fixtures can amount to 10-20% of the total manufacturing system costs. To reduce manufacturing costs, a fixture system is designed to be competent in fixturing as many workpieces as possible. In mass volume production, this can be achieved by fixturing a large quantity of the same kind of workpieces. In low-to-medium volume production, however, improvement of the flexibility of fixture systems becomes a favourable way to reduce the unit cost of product. This paper summarizes the latest studies in the field of flexible fixture design and automation. First, a brief introduction is given on this research area. Secondly, taxonomy of flexible fixture design activities is presented. Thirdly, the flexibility strategies based on the existing flexible fixture systems are discussed. Fourthly, the contributions on design methodologies and verifications are examined. Fifthly, advances on computer-aided design and see-up systems are summarized. Finally, some prospective research trends are presented.     

Biomass-Derived Laser-Induced Graphene and Its Advances in the Electronic Applications

Due to its porous architecture, laser-induced graphene (LIG) has become a viable option for prospective use in a variety of sectors, particularly the electrical field. LIG is essential for flexible electronics, especially in bioelectronics, sensors, and actuators; these cutting-edge applications are made possible by specially designed porosity, electrical conductivity, composition, and morphology. Due to the environmental concerns with the synthetic polymers typically employed for the synthesis of LIG, the production of LIG from biomass is a new step in the direction of sustainable development and blossoming research areas. However, the research is still in its early stages, and there are relatively few studies on the use of LIG generated from biomass. As a result, this study aims to shed light on the developments of biomass-derived LIG and thereby inspire young researchers.     

Rolling horizon planning in supply chains: review,implications and directions for future research

Due to their complexity and extensive application in industry, rolling horizon planning systems have received considerable attention in the literature. Of particular interest is the impact of different lot-sizing rules and policy variables on replenishment schedule cost and stability. Past research indicates that exact lot-sizing approaches may not perform the best in rolling horizon environments and that a single algorithm seldom performs well on both schedule cost and stability. In addition, a rolling horizon policy that performs well in one operating environment may perform poorly under different conditions. While rolling horizon research typically assumes a single planner, or planning layer, recent trends in outsourcing and global operations call for the study of supply chains that are characterised by multiple planning layers with information sharing and coordination among them. This article reviews the rolling horizon planning literature and synthesises the findings, extends the research taxonomy to include emerging research on supply chain systems with multiple planning layers and joint inventory replenishment, and provides several promising future research directions. This survey provides a starting point for anyone conducting research in this important research area.     

Simulations on aspects of elastomer structure that provide unusual toughness

Summary A variety of examples are given to illustrate how computer-modeling techniques are being used to elucidate the structures of elastomeric polymer networks, and to provide guidance on how to control this structure to maximize mechanical properties such as toughness. One topic involves generation of distribution functions of chain end-to-end distances to replace the Gaussian limit, since non-Gaussian behavior can correspond to substantial increases in modulus and ultimate strength. Attempts are also being made to simulate the structure and properties of networks having trimodal distributions of chain lengths, in hopes of getting additional improvements beyond those shown in experiments on bimodal networks. Strain-induced crystallization has always been important in the area of elastomers (since the crystallites thus generated provide substantial in situ reinforcement) and is being simulated using Monte Carlo methods to generate chains having representative sequence distributions for different polymerization conditions. The chains are then placed alongside one another to determine matched-sequence runs that could lead to the formation of crystallites. Finally, the long-standing problem of clarifying exactly how fillers reinforce elastomeric materials is being approached using Monte Carlo simulations of chains in the vicinity of impenetrable filler particles. In this way it is possible to determine how reinforcement depends on the perturbation of distributions caused by this excluded-volume effect. Important extensions would include physical adsorption and chemisorption of the chains onto the filler particles.     

Exploring improvement trajectories with dynamic process cost modelling: a case from the steel industry

Improvement trajectories are sequential managed chains of improvement initiatives required to handle changes in competition and market. This paper presents a five-step framework, based on dynamic process cost modelling, which was developed during a four-year research project at a major stainless steel producer, to support the selection of an improvement trajectory based on strategic requirements to combine high product diversity with cost reduction. The framework aims to develop insight into what manufacturing capabilities are required to reach the strategic goals by combining system dynamics simulation with process cost modelling and visual exploratory data analysis in an iterative modelling procedure. The applicability of the five-step framework is demonstrated through a case study from the steel industry, in which a goal driven analysis is used to assess process requirements based on performance and market considerations.     

空气中均匀介质阻挡放电研究进展

介质阻挡放电(DBD)可以在大气压下产生低温等离子体,在工业领域具有广泛的应用前景.相对于低气压均匀DBD和大气压丝状DBD,大气压均匀DBD在节约生产成本、提高生产效率以及优化处理效果等方面都体现着明显的优势.目前,大气压均匀DBD的工作气体多为惰性气体,这不仅增加了生产成本而且降低了生产效率.近期研究表明,通过改变DBD系统的一些参量,如供电电源、电极结构、阻挡材料等,可以在空气中实现均匀稳定的DBD.目前国内外一些研究小组已经在这些方面取得了可喜的研究成果.本文在讨论DBD的产生方法、机理以及诊断技术的基础上,分别从电源类型、电极结构以及预电离技术等方面综述了空气中均匀DBD的研究现状,最后分析了实现空气中均匀DBD需要解决的问题.     

Aerial Bots in the Supply Chain: A New Ally to Combat COVID-19

The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has caused disruptions in various supply chains and people's lives. At the same time, it has paved the way for drone technology (Aerial bots). With the countries gone into lockdown for an unspecified time, it is self-evident that people will run out of food, medicine, and other essentials because of the middleman's unavailability to move products from supply to demand point. Lack of medical infrastructure and distant testing laboratories is another challenge faced by the countries, which result in a delayed testing report leading to delay in medical treatment—such critical problems arising in the fight against COVID-19 highlight the need for improving the efficiency of supply chains. Recently used for commercial purposes, drone technology has already proved its utility in inventory and logistics management. Therefore, we argue that drones could be a viable option to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chains working for humanitarian aid to combat COVID-19. Specifically, the focus is on food, administrative, and healthcare supply chains that are the core to combat the pandemic. Moreover, in this article, we highlight various present and future application areas for drone technology, which could pave the way for future research and industry applications.     

The influence of additive manufacturing on the configuration of make-to-order spare parts supply chain under heterogeneous demand

Additive manufacturing (AM), alongside technological developments, has been used in the production of spare parts with positive results for spare parts supply chains. In this study, we investigate spare parts supply chains serving heterogeneous demands from multiple service locations under the mode of make-to-order. We aim to compare different configurations (i.e. centralised and distributed) of spare parts supply chains in terms of their performance (e.g. sojourn time and cost) and to further propose suggestions to better configure AM-based spare parts supply chains by effectively allocating AM machines at service locations (SLs) or regional distribution centres (RDCs). In order to realise these research objectives, the simulation approach is used as the main research method. Different from the existing perception, our results illustrate that the distributed deployment of AM machines does not always guarantee a quick response, and that centralised configuration is desirable when the demand rate is relatively high due to the pooling effect. The distributed configuration, however, can still be suitable, considering the development of AM technology. Our results also indicate the possibility of a mixed configuration of AM-based supply chains with the potential for outperforming the purely centralised/distributed configuration. The criteria to design such a mixed configuration are also offered.     

Nature inspired supply chain solutions: definitions,analogies, and future research directions

ABSTRACT

Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, and many companies and researchers are looking to nature for finding solutions. In this paper, we provide a narrative synthesis and systematic review to explore state-of-the-art, and identify key areas for exploration of nature inspired solutions in the supply chain area. We consider strategic, tactical, and operational decisions within supply chains and identify analogies between biological systems and supply chains to create a new research agenda. Our findings show that the majority of the research in nature inspired supply chains from the systemic perspective focuses on closed loop supply chains. In contrast, similar systemic solutions such as industrial symbiosis, circular economy, and industrial ecology have not been explored as frequently. Reducing production waste (industrial symbiosis) in addition to end-of-life product waste (closed loop supply chains), optimising raw material use and extending the life of used resources (circular economy), investigating the interactions between biosphere and technosphere (industrial ecology), and seeking solutions to industrial problems from nature (biomimicry) are all possible paths for reaching a zero-waste economy. These systemic solutions have a considerable impact on the supply chains at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels, which need to be explored to identify efficient and effective solutions.     

Concurrent optimal allocation of design and process tolerances for mechanical assemblies with interrelated dimension chains

Concurrent tolerance allocation has been the focus of extensive research, yet very few researchers have considered how to concurrently allocate design and process tolerances for mechanical assemblies with interrelated dimension chains. To address this question, this paper presents a new tolerance allocation method that applies the concept of concurrent engineering. The proposed method allocates the required functional assembly tolerances to the design and process tolerances by formulating the tolerance allocation problem into a comprehensive model and solving the model using a non-linear programming software package. A multivariate quality loss function of interrelated critical dimensions is first derived, each component design tolerance is formulated as the function of its related process tolerances according to the given process planning, both manufacturing cost and quality loss are further expressed as functions of process tolerances. And then, the objective function of the model, which is to minimize the sum of manufacturing cost and expected quality loss, is established and the constraints are formulated based on the assembly requirements and process constraints. The purpose of the model is to balance manufacturing cost and quality loss so that concurrent optimal allocation of design and process tolerances is realized and quality improvement and product cost reduction is achieved. The proposed method is tested on a practical example.     

Channel coordination for multi-stage supply chains with revenue-sharing contracts under budget constraints

Real-life situations show that revenue-sharing (RS) contracts used in multi-stage supply chains have more complex structures than those that have been studied in recent research. In this paper, we study RS contracts in multi-stage supply chains where some members work with more than one upstream member. This general supply chain structure closely resembles those in actual practice under RS contracts. The literature on supply chain contracts has not adequately addressed contract design for supply chains with members who face budget constraints. We show that the RS contract could fail to coordinate supply chains when members are under particular budget constraints. In response, we propose a revenue-sharing with budget constraints (RSB) contract that adds no administrative cost. A properly designed RSB contract can be used to achieve supply chain coordination and to arbitrarily allocate profits in multi-stage supply chains. Our numerical results provide insights into ways supply chain coordination can be achieved under budget constraints through the RSB contract.     

经济批量与运送排产问题中的协调机制研究

针对现有研究采用集中决策的局限,研究了分散决策情形下经济批量与运送排产问题的最优决策。分析表明在无协调机制作用时,分散决策无法实现供应链系统的最优绩效,进一步提出一种利润共享和成本分担协议（PCS）,并证明在PCS协议作用下,采用分散决策可以实现供应链协调,同时供应链利润可以在供需双方任意分配,具有很好的柔性。     

Biomass feedstock supply chain design – a taxonomic review and a decomposition-based methodology

In this paper, we present a taxonomic review of the literature devoted to the use of operations research approaches for the design and operation of biomass feedstock supply chains (BFSCs). A total of 185 publications that have appeared from 1989 to 2017 are classified based on (1) the embedded optimisation subproblems; (2) the modelling methodologies used for their formulations; and (3) the methods employed for their solution. Our objective of using this classification scheme is to highlight the presence of some useful substructures in a BFSC problem that can, then, be exploited in developing its solution procedure. We illustrate this idea on some generic BFSC problems and present a Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition-based methodology for developing customised approaches to effectively tackle these difficult and large-sized BFSC problems. Finally, we suggest several promising future research directions.     

Constrained optimization model for the design of an adaptive X chart

An economic-statistical model is developed for variable parameters (VP) X charts in which all design parameters vary adaptively, that is, each of the design parameters (sample size, sampling interval and control-limit width) vary as a function of the most recent process information. The cost function due to controlling the process quality through a VP X chart is derived. During the optimization of the cost function, constraints are imposed on the expected times to signal when the process is in and out of control. In this way, required statistical properties can be assured. Through a numerical example, the proposed economicstatistical design approach for VP X charts is compared to the economic design for VP X charts and to the economic-statistical and economic designs for fixed parameters (FP) X charts in terms of the operating cost and the expected times to signal. From this example, it is possible to assess the benefits provided by the proposed model. Varying some input parameters, their effect on the optimal cost and on the optimal values of the design parameters was analysed.     

Effect of firm characteristics,supplier relationships and techniques used on Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM): an empirical investigation on French industrial firms

Recent years have witnessed a focus on managing risks in supply chains. On the one hand, there are many cases where events like natural disasters, strikes and terrorism have significantly influenced the performance of organisational supply chains and in turn their competitiveness. And on the other hand, operational activities and strategic decisions of the firms (concerning, for e.g. supply, procurement, production, delivery, commercialisation, demand management, planning, etc.) can be different than expected and so create uncertainties. Uncertainties, whether they are external or internal, impact organisations leading to increased supply chain risk. Realising the potential implications of these situations on supply chain competitiveness, an attempt has been made to define risks and their sources and to identify the management that can help reduce the negative impact of risks on supply chains. In this paper, a framework for supply chain risk management (SCRM) is proposed and is applied using the data collected from 164 French companies, in manufacturing sector. The literature review, theoretical framework and empirical research undertaken in this work have led to identifying critical success management for SCRM. The focus of this paper is the inter-organisational management of supply chain risk: the collaborative relationship (with industrial and supply partners) can be considered as an efficient way to make SCRM. The paper finishes with a summary of the findings and conclusions, along with suggestions for future research projects.