A CUSTOMIZING PLATFORM FOR INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL SOLUTIONS

In production planning and control, decision support has to face the special properties of production processes and systems. To find an optimal solution for decision problems in this domain is usually np-hard and a proper definition of objective functions and constraints is extremely difficult. One reason for the problem of proper model definition for classical optimization methods is the individual character of production systems. Thus, in many cases only individual solutions for PPC offer satisfying results. In this paper, we introduce a framework for efficient implementation of PPC tools in serial manufacturing

A Framework for Understanding the Interdependencies between Mass Customization and Complexity

Mass customization is a business strategy that aims at satisfying individual customer needs, nearly with mass production efficiency. It induces a high complexity level because of various customer requirements and a steadily changing environment. However, mass customization has some potential to reduce complexity. The interdependencies between mass customization and complexity are discussed in order to demonstrate that mass customization is not just an oxymoron linking two opposite production concepts, but a business strategy that contributes towards reaching a competitive advantage. On the one hand, mass customization increases the production program, manufacturing and configuration complexities. On the other hand, it contributes to reduce complexity at the levels of order taking process, product and inventories. The main results attained through the analysis are integrated in a comprehensive framework that shows the complexity increasing and complexity decreasing aspects due to mass customization.Mass Customization; Complexity Management; Product Variety

Mass Customization vs. Complexity: A Gordian Knot?

Mass customization is a business strategy that aims at satisfying individual customer needs, nearly with mass production efficiency. It induces a high complexity level because of various customer requirements and a steadily changing environment. However, mass customization has some potential to reduce complexity. These interdependencies between mass customization and complexity form a Gordian knot that should be cut in order to point out that mass customization is not just an oxymoron linking two opposite production concepts, but a business strategy that contributes towards reaching a competitive advantage. On the one hand, mass customization increases the production program, manufacturing and configuration complexities. On the other hand, mass customization can contribute to reduce complexity at the levels of order taking process, product and inventories. The main results attained through the analysis are integrated in a comprehensive framework that shows the complexity increasing and complexity decreasing aspects due to mass customization.complexity; mass customization

Using Microservices to Customize Multi-Tenant SaaS: From Intrusive to Non-Intrusive

Customization is a widely adopted practice on enterprise software applications such as Enterprise resource planning (ERP) or Customer relation management (CRM). Software vendors deploy their enterprise software product on the premises of a customer, which is then often customized for different specific needs of the customer. When enterprise applications are moving to the cloud as mutli-tenant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), the traditional way of on-premises customization faces new challenges because a customer no longer has an exclusive control to the application. To empower businesses with specific requirements on top of the shared standard SaaS, vendors need a novel approach to support the customization on the multi-tenant SaaS. In this paper, we summarize our two approaches for customizing multi-tenant SaaS using microservices: intrusive and non-intrusive. The paper clarifies the key concepts related to the problem of multi-tenant customization, and describes a design with a reference architecture and high-level principles. We also discuss the key technical challenges and the feasible solutions to implement this architecture. Our microservice-based customization solution is promising to meet the general customization requirements, and achieves a balance between isolation, assimilation and economy of scale

The Impact of Information Technology on Mass Customization

Increasingly, companies are adopting mass customization as a business strategy to meet increasing customer demand for product variety to help compete in the global marketplace. This paper examines the effects and impacts of Information Technology (LT) on mass customization and how various IT tools are used as customizing mediums to enable mass customization and provide unique value to customers in the most efficient way possible. Examples are drawn from companies who leveraged IT technologies in their mass customization efforts. Recognizing the critical value of technology professionals, this paper further discusses IT professionals\u27 roles and how they are an integral part of the mass customization decision process. Additionally, some of the challenges that companies face when attempting to adopt Information Technology as an instrument to enable mass customization are examined. In this process, some possible solutions to these challenges are explored. Finally, some of the benefits and outcome of mass customization are discussed

Process Planning for Assembly and Hybrid Manufacturing in Smart Environments

Manufacturers strive for efficiently managing the consequences arising from the product proliferation during the entire product life cycle. New manufacturing trends such as smart manufacturing (Industry 4.0) present a substantial opportunity for managing variety. The main objective of this research is to help the manufacturers with handling the challenges arising from the product variety by utilizing the technological advances of the new manufacturing trends. This research focuses mainly on the process planning phase. This research aims at developing novel process planning methods for utilizing the technological advances accompanied by the new manufacturing trends such as smart manufacturing (Industry 4.0) in order to manage the product variety. The research has successfully addressed the macro process planning of a product family for two manufacturing domains: assembly and hybrid manufacturing. A new approach was introduced for assembly sequencing based on the notion of soft-wired galled networks used in evolutionary studies in Biological and phylogenetic sciences. A knowledge discovery model was presented by exploiting the assembly sequence data records of the legacy products in order to extract the embedded knowledge in such data and use it to speed up the assembly sequence planning. The new approach has the capability to overcome the critical limitation of assembly sequence retrieval methods that are not able to capture more than one assembly sequence for a given product. A novel genetic algorithm-based model was developed for that purpose. The extracted assembly sequence network is representing alternative assembly sequences. These alternative assembly sequences can be used by a smart system in which its components are connected together through a wireless sensor network to allow a smart material handling system to change its routing in case any disruptions happened. A novel concept in the field of product variety management by generating product family platforms and process plans for customization into different product variants utilizing additive and subtractive processes is introduced for the first time. A new mathematical programming optimization model is proposed. The model objective is to provide the optimum selection of features that can form a single product platform and the processes needed to customize this platform into different product variants that fall within the same product family, taking into consideration combining additive and subtractive manufacturing. For multi-platform and their associated process plans, a phylogenetic median-joining network algorithm based model is used that can be utilized in case of the demand and the costs are unknown. Furthermore, a novel genetic algorithm-based model is developed for generating multi-platform, and their associated process plans in case of the demand and the costs are known. The model\u27s objective is to minimize the total manufacturing cost. The developed models were applied on examples of real products for demonstration and validation. Moreover, comparisons with related existing methods were conducted to demonstrate the superiority of the developed models. The outcomes of this research provide efficient and easy to implement process planning for managing product variety benefiting from the advances in the technology of the new manufacturing trends. The developed models and methods present a package of variety management solutions that can significantly support manufacturers at the process planning stage

An analytical surver on customization at modular systems in the context of industrial design

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Industrial Design, Izmir, 2006Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 96-99)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxi, 99 leavesEnterprises in all branches of industry are being required to become more user focused, yet, at the same time, increasing competitive pressure dictates that costs must also continue to decrease. Mass customization and modularity are strategies developed to address this challenge by producing goods and services meeting individual customer's needs with near mass production efficiency. However, while mass customization and modular systems have already been discussed in the literature, reports on practical implementation of the principles of mass customization in businesses can be found only within the last years. It is a challenge of manufacturing to produce variety of products with limited resources. As corporations strive to rationalize their manufacturing facilities and to produce a large variety of products at lower cost, modularity is becoming a focus of attention. Modular products and reconfigurable processes are crucial to agile manufacturing and provide a way to produce a variety of products that satisfy various customer requirements in time. This modular approach promises the benefits of high volume production (that arises from producing standard modules) and at the same time, the ability to produce a wide variety of products that are customized for individual customers. Such modular product design has been stated as being a goal of good design. Mass Customization target is the transformation of knowledge into "new" products or services, thus customizing and adapting first knowledge then the product itself. Customizing knowledge happens through instantiation and adaptation of design prototypes of the products or the component to fit the individual needs of the customer. This thesis. emphasis is placed on mass customization and modularity which can be seen as key strategies for making firms more customer centric. Furthermore, provide an introduction into principles, concepts, and demarcations, for mass customization and modularity. As the case study Aye Birsel.s resolve model for Herman Miller is a very good example for the relationship between mass customization and modularity