Product and process modularity: improving flexibility and reducing supplier failure risk

As the dependence on suppliers intensifies, companies can adopt product and process modularity to reduce the potential negative effects of supply disruptions. Indeed, enabling manufacturing postponement can provide firms with a prompt response; by reducing the complexity of the system and allowing for easier configuration of the production process, the negative impact of a supply disruption, such as supplier failure, can be absorbed. This study provides a framework that relates the adoption of postponement enablers (i.e. product modularity and process modularity) to the reduction of the negative impact of a supply disruption. We attempt to determine whether the direct effect can be explained by the impact of these practices on companies’ flexibility. Based on data collected from 54 Italian manufacturing companies, we show that the adoption of manufacturing postponement enablers directly reduces the negative impact of the occurrence of supplier failure. Furthermore, we show that this relationship can only be partially explained by an indirect path through companies’ flexibility.     

Optimal order quantity and product modularity for a two-echelon returnable supply chain

This study considers a supply chain consisting of a manufacturer, a retailer, customers and a returnable and modular product with uncertain demand, in which customers return the unsatisfactory products to the retailer, and the retailer returns the unsold products to the manufacturer. We investigate the effects of the manufacturer’s refund for the retailer’s unsold products and the product modularity under the decentralised and the centralised strategies. We confirm that the order quantity and customer’s return probability both affect the optimal modularity level of the product, and that the optimal modularity level is related to the refund policy. Also, a strategic alliance between the supply chain members is more advantageous to product innovation based on modularity for a returnable chain. Finally, managerial insights and remarks are offered.     

A heuristic-based approach to integrate the product line selection decision to the supply chain configuration

Product platform development (PPD) as an approach to mass customisation (MC) helps an organisation to reduce costs as well as ensure timely deliveries. Varieties are offered to different market segments by combining and incorporating different modules at different levels. Modules at different levels are essentially features that a customer segment is looking for. It is apparent that overall optimisation would require simultaneous consideration of not only PPD but also other supply chain constraints. In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model for sourcing, production planning, and PPD decisions. Based on analyses of the model, a heuristic solution procedure has been suggested. The heuristic developed in this paper attempts to decompose the problem and then assimilate the outputs from the simpler parts to obtain the final solution. Finally, a simple example to illustrate the solution procedure is presented.     

基于模块度和均衡度的复杂产品架构评价方法

产品的制造和装配效率与产品模块划分方案有关。为了进一步提高复杂产品的制造和装配效率,提出了一种新的产品模块划分和架构评价方法。首先,利用复杂产品已有的模块划分方案,建立产品各模块中零件间的相关度矩阵,将各相关度矩阵（子矩阵）组合到一起并添加模块间的相关度值,得到整个产品零件间的相关度矩阵;其次,基于信息熵理论,提出成本均衡度和复杂度均衡度的概念,并结合模块度、最小描述长度,通过熵权法算得各评价指标的权重,得到综合评价指标并对不同的模块划分方案进行评价;最后,以盾构螺旋输送机模块划分为例来验证所提出方法的合理性和可行性。通过盾构螺旋输送机已有的模块划分方案建立其零件间的相关度矩阵,利用层次聚类得到其不同的模块划分方案,并对其综合评价指标进行比较,从中选择一种最优的模块划分方案来表达盾构螺旋输送机的产品架构组成。基于模块度和均衡度的产品架构评价方法可以对复杂产品的架构进行有效、合理的评价,为提高复杂产品的制造和装配效率提供理论依据。     

中国地区制造业竞争力比较--从行业角度分析

通过测定31个省市区制造业及行业的市场占有率和竞争优势系数，分别从市场优势和竞争优势两个方面比较分析了各地区制造业及行业的竞争力水平及差异，得出了几点最重要结论及启示。     

面向动态环境的制造联盟

经济的全球化、知识经济的来临以及消费者偏好的改变使制造商面临的环境发生了巨大的变化，呈现出动态变化趋势；动态环境导致商的竞争优势的持续时间越来越短而其面临的风险越来越大；面向动态环境建立制造联盟是制造商为迎接动态环境带来的挑战的有效策略。结合先进制造技术与共生的有关理论界定了制造联盟的概念，讨论了制造联盟区别于传统组织模式的特征；分析了实施制造联盟的难点、提出了相应的对策。     

The influence of manufacturing flexibility on the interplay between exploration and exploitation: the effects of organisational learning and the environment

This paper analyses whether the firm can combine exploration and exploitation and seeks to determine whether implementing manufacturing flexibility will facilitate the development of either of these two terms or both simultaneously. This relationship was measured in 231 Spanish production firms. The results obtained show that: (1) firms develop exploration of new knowledge at the same time as they exploit their abilities; (2) manufacturing flexibility encourages the development of both exploration and exploitation; (3) this relationship is even more significant if we take into account dynamism of the environment and organisational learning.     

Managing production level in new product diffusion: an agent-based simulation approach

Managing production level after the launch of a new product is a challenging problem and is critical to the overall profit of manufacturing firms. The problem involves concepts from different fields including production planning, manufacturing flexibility, forecasting, and marketing. In this paper, the gaps in the existing literature are first illustrated. With the goal of addressing the identified research gaps, agent-based modeling and simulation is employed to analyze the performance of different production planning strategies under various levels of volume flexibility and consumer social network structures. The key distinguishing feature of the developed model is the capability of the manufacturing firm to adjust its production level by forecasting the future demand. The analysis of the simulation outputs yields substantial results by challenging some intuitive and traditional understandings of manufacturing systems. The paper also provides a discussion on managerial implications of the results in order to provide the managers with guidelines on the implementation of the model in real-world diffusion environments.     

A hybrid model of component sharing and platform modularity for optimal product family design

Today's industry faces new challenges such as diverse customer demands, shorter product development cycles and cost pressure, which compel manufacturing firms to change their production paradigm from one-size-fits-all mass production toward mass customisation. Over the past decades, modular design has received great attention as a key enabler for mass customisation, and component sharing and platform modularity have been quite popular strategies for modular design. While modular design approaches and their strategies offer a number of advantages such as late product differentiation and changeability, there are unfortunately negative aspects, for example, sales loss due to reduced performance compared to integral design approaches, which have received little attention. Therefore, we propose a hybrid model of the two strategies in order to develop the most profitable product family. A detailed numerical analysis provides empirical support for the feasibility and effectiveness of the hybrid model.     

电磁轨道发射系统总体情景规划研究

在对电磁轨道发射系统总体分析的基础上,引人情景规划理论,探讨了基于情景规划理论的电磁轨道发射系统总体发展战略。通过对目前世界形势等宏观变量的诊断与分析,结合电磁轨道发射系统的关键技术变量,构造出未来电磁轨道发射系统的三种发展战略模式,并提出了今后的发展战略重点。     

基于基因调优算子的产品平台进化设计研究

市场的发展和技术的进步使得产品平台的衍生产品对需求的匹配度降低,产品竞争力下降。为了维持平台先进性,需适时对平台进行进化。从平台架构和平台元素两个角度,定义了平台DNA和平台基因,提出了实现平台进化的重组、变异、替换、删除、增添五种基因调优算子,构建了基于这5种算子的产品平台进化模型,以平台模块和模块特性的调整优化为手段,形成了具有可实施性和可操作性的平台进化方法。最后应用该方法指导了一种冲压机械手产品平台的进化,验证了该理论的可行性。     

Cost estimation of a service family based on modularity

Companies are competing to offer high varieties of customised services on top of customised products to increase revenues and customer satisfaction. By adopting product family design methodologies, new concepts such as service families and service platforms are adopted in the service sectors. Despite that, increasing diversity in service offerings induces complexity and difficulty in service cost estimation. This research presents a service family cost estimation methodology that is based on service modularity and activity based costing (ABC). A service family is identified by selecting a set of similar services. Subsequently, activities of each service are identified with an activity diagram. The service family is then decomposed into functional and physical elements, where service modules are identified. Service activities are then mapped into relevant service modules using k-mean clustering algorithms, and activities of each service module are segregated into common and specific services using un-weighted pair group method with arithmetic mean. Finally, modified two-stage ABC methodology is applied to estimate the costs for a service family. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodology, a case study is carried out to estimate the cost for a family of aircraft engines.     

The paradox of driving speed: two adverse effects on highway accident rate

Whereas speeding is known to be a substantial risk factor in driving, there is no unequivocal evidence that accident rate on limited-access motor highways is considerably affected by average speed or by speed limits meant to regulate it. It is suggested here that the seeming puzzle actually may have a straightforward explanation: accident-prone interactions (APIs) between cars occur when they pass each other--mostly moving in the same directions or in opposite ones. Such interactions are shown here to happen more frequently, the lower average speed is. To the extent that high speed limits contribute to increase in average speed, they serve to reduce the number of such interactions, thereby to moderate at least part of the negative effect of speed on the driver's ability to avoid an impending accident.     

基于优化的产品平台参数规划方法

 为满足客户化和全球竞争的需求,企业要实现大规模定制(mass customization,MC).基于公共产品平台的产品族设计是实现大规模定制的一种有效方式,而平台规划是面向产品族设计方法学的核心内容,也是目前研究中的一个热点问题.基于模型参数的平台设计是其方法之一.针对基于一系列标准可变参数的产品平台,用优化方法对产品平台参数进行规划,以满足各种客户需求.该规划方法无需事先人为指定,而是在满足客户需求的前提下,尽可能提高产品族中设计变量的共性,从而确定最好的产品平台的公共参数及其最优值,以及个性参数及其变化值,并以带式输送机为例验证了该方法.     

Development of navigation guidance and control technology for Indian launch vehicles

The orbital injection accuracy of any payload depends on the calibre of the inertial guidance system used on board the launch vehicle. This paper outlines the mission definition and the rationale for the selection of a proper guidance system to meet final mission objectives. The functions and the architecture of the navigation, guidance and control are discussed. The developmental aspects of the sophisticated inertial sensors, inertial systems, associated complex electronics, on-board computers, control actuators and systems are reported. The complexity of the on-board control and guidance software and the test and evaluation procedures used for their validation are included. The general scheme of the inertial guidance systems and the critical role played by them in the realization of Indian satellite launch vehicles SLV-3, ASLV and PSLV are presented in brief.     

Strategies for evaluating performance of flexibility in product recovery system

In view of the increasing business opportunities with changing customer attitudes and stricter legislations, the handling of returns has become a daunting challenge. The need for decision models for evaluating return performance has been observed in the academia and the corporate world. To improve return system performance, integrated flexible reverse enterprise systems have attracted attention from researchers as well as practitioners. This paper addresses these critical issues and proposes a novel integrated and Flexible recovery system decision model. The proposed model aims to facilitate enterprises in assessing their product recovery system capability, and in improving overall performance. The proposed model is a natural extension of several well-grounded policies for conventional reverse supply chains and can be verified on a simulation platform.     

IT能力对竞争优势的影响机制:以制造柔性为中介

为研究IT能力对企业竞争优势的影响机制,以制造柔性为中介变量,运用结构方程模型对来源于珠三角地区制造企业的381份调查数据进行了实证分析。研究结果表明,IT能力对制造柔性具有显著的正向影响,制造柔性对企业竞争优势也有显著的正向影响。此外,制造柔性在IT能力与竞争优势的关系起着显著的部分中介作用,并且IT能力通过制造柔性对竞争优势的影响效应占总效应的44.3%。     

Analytic hierarchy prioritisation of new product development activities for electronics manufacturing

New product development (NPD) is a managerial process, performed by many activities. The purpose of this paper is to present the application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritise activities of NPD for manufacturing companies of electronic products. Mathematical modelling was the research method adopted. An electronics cluster located in the southeast region of Brazil was studied. Therefore, 10 of the 42 activities from an NPD model were suggested to be excluded for the electronics companies. These activities have less than 0.5% overall priority. The results from the AHP application were welcomed by the companies’ NPD experts.     

基于价值工程的可适应性评价方法

可适应设计是为适应用户需求不断变化、降低资源消耗而提出的一种新的设计方法,对产品的可适应性进行评价是其关键技术之一.在分析可适应设计原则及实现途径的基础上,给出了一种基于价值工程的产品可适应性的评价方法.该方法将产品的资源消耗总量、产品性能以及用户的使用环境等因素综合考虑,将用户使用产品后获得的效益与在完成这一系列任务时所消耗的资源量的比值作为评价产品可适应性的指标.通过该方法,可以选择使用户在产品的全生命周期内资源消耗量最少的产品设计方案.最后,将该可适应性评价方法用于高效圆柱齿轮机床的设计中,验证了该方法的有效性.     

面向可适应性的产品平台设计参数规划方法

 在分析已有产品平台特点的基础上,将模块化和参数化产品平台统一表示为基于“设计参数”的产品平台,提出了面向可适应性的产品平台设计参数规划方法．引入可适应设计理念,分析了产品平台结构及变型方式;以公理设计理论为指导,进行产品功能要求 设计参数的映射,建立公理设计矩阵;分析各设计参数之间及其与功能要求之间的敏感性,构建设计关联矩阵并对其进行关联度分析;然后通过变型产品关于设计参数的差异度计算,合理识别平台参数和变型参数,确定设计参数在产品平台中的共享策略．通过桥式起重机产品族的柔性配置实例,证明了该方法的可行性和实用性．