Intelligent Products: Shifting the Production Control Logic in Construction (With Lean and BIM)

Production management and control in construction has not been addressed/updated ever since the introduction of Critical Path Method and the Last Planner® system. The predominant outside-in control logic and a fragmented and deep supply chain in construction significantly affect the efficiency over a lifecycle. In a construction project, a large number of organisations interact with the product throughout the process, requiring a significant amount of information handling and synchronisation between these organisations. However, due to the deep supply chains and problems with lack of information integration, the information flow down across the lifecycle poses a significant challenge. This research proposes a product centric system, where the control logic of the production process is embedded within the individual components from the design phase. The solution is enabled by a number of technologies and tools such as Building Information Modelling, Internet of Things, Messaging Systems and within the conceptual process framework of Lean Construction. The vision encompasses the lifecycle of projects from design to construction and maintenance, where the products can interact with the environment and its actors through various stages supporting a variety of actions. The vision and the tools and technologies required to support it are described in this pape

Information technology and performance management for build-to-order supply chains

En las siguientes líneas se plantea un artículo de reflexión que tiene en cuenta parte del marco teórico que sustenta la investigación titulada “Prácticas pedagógicas que promueven la competencia argumentativa escrita (CAE) en niños campesinos de los grados 4° y 5° del Centro Educativo Municipal La Caldera, Sede Principal de Pasto”, desarrollada en el año 2012. En él se contemplan los aportes de las ciencias del lenguaje y la comunicación, la teoría de la argumentación, la didáctica de la lengua escrita y los géneros discursivos, que dan cuenta de la necesidad de desarrollar la capacidad crítica en los estudiantes a través de la argumentación, lo cual implica transformar las prácticas pedagógicas para que se alejen de la transmisión de conocimientos y den paso a la comunicación, para que la palabra escrita sea apropiada de manera significativa

Alternative line delivery strategies support a forklift free transition in a high product variety environment

Forklift transport fails when it comes to efficiency. As a result, more and more attention is going to alternative transport systems that automate or further structure the material flow; such as line deliveries by train and conveyor technology. Only substituting the transport system itself is not cost-effective. The resulting improvements are rather low compared to the high investment cost. Therefore, in this paper alternative material flow and line delivery strategies are taken into consideration. Within a high product variety environment a combination of materials kitting and line stocking is proposed. This approach has some important benefits on top of the pure forklift free transition. A basic model is constructed to calculate the kitting area and transport system requirements. A truck assembly company is used as case study. A feasibility study is carried out, to give a rough indication of the cost-effectiveness of the model

Towards the integration of enterprise software: The business manufacturing intelligence

Nowadays, the Information Communication Technology has pervaded literally the companies. In the company circulates an huge amount of information but too much information doesn’t provide any added value. The overload of information exceeds individual processing capacity and slowdowns decision making operations. We must transform the enormous quantity of information in useful knowledge taking in consideration that information becomes obsolete quickly in condition of dynamic market. Companies process this information by specific software for managing, efficiently and effectively, the business processes. In this paper we analyse the myriad of acronyms of software that is used in enterprises with the changes that occurred over the time, from production to decision making until to convergence in an intelligent modular enterprise software, that we named Business Manufacturing Intelligence (BMI), that will manage and support the enterprise in the futurebusiness manufacturing intelligence, enterprise resource planning; business intelligence; management software; automation software; decision making software

Understanding The Roles Of Is/It In Sustainable Supply Chain Management

A growing focus on sustainability issues has permeated the area of Supply Chain Management (SCM) over the past two decades. The concept of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has been introduced to reflect a commitment to addressing economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability in managing supply chain activities. The transition from traditional SCM to the new landscape of SSCM implies that the roles of IS/IT supporting SCM may need to be revisited as a result of the shift to a SSCM focus. Currently, the role of IS/IT in SSCM has only been discussed in a fragmented manner in a handful of studies. In this conceptual paper, we therefore explore current understandings of SSCM practices focusing on identifying the way IS/IT roles are played out in supporting SSCM practices. We find that SCCM presents a serious challenge to the IS/IT community for leveraging the transformation role of IS/IT that can help increase the adoption of SSCM practice

Optimizing Goods Claims Processing Time in Logistics Operations Through Website-Based Applications with the DMAIC Approach

PT XYZ is an e-commerce company which offers an electronic buying and selling platform for a wide variety of products from many sellers to buyers. As an industry engaged in the commercial sector, logistics has a vital role in shipping goods from upstream to downstream to meet consumer desires. However, conditions in the field are not always in accordance with the plans. Lost or damaged goods during delivery or at the Warehouse are a frequent problem. PT XYZ, through its XYZ Logistics team, implements a claims system for replacing items lost or damaged during the operational process. Currently, the claim submission system is done manually via email. This manual claim system creates many problems due to the lack of proper coordination between stakeholders. Therefore, this study proposed a solution with a lean six sigma approach using the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) method. The solution offered to improve PT XYZ's claim system is to design an automated claim system using a website-based application. After implementing a website-based application to automate the XYZ logistics claim process, it was proved that the company was able to reduce lead time by up to 60% from initial conditions, up to 33% of stakeholder workload, and improve data security and real-time supervision

Systematic analysis of needs and requirements for the design of smart manufacturing systems in SMEs☆

Abstract With the increasing trend of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0 or smart manufacturing, many companies are now facing the challenge of implementing Industry 4.0 methods and technologies. This is a challenge especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, as they have neither sufficient human nor financial resources to deal with the topic sufficiently. However, since small and medium-sized enterprises form the backbone of the economy, it is particularly important to support these companies in the introduction of Industry 4.0 and to develop appropriate tools. This work is intended to fill this gap and to enhance research on Industry 4.0 for small and medium-sized enterprises by presenting an exploratory study that has been used to systematically analyze and evaluate the needs and translate them into a final list of (functional) requirements and constraints using axiomatic design as scientific approach

Logistics Improvement Strategy for Medical Units following the Lean Approach

Treballs Finals de Grau d'Enginyeria Biomèdica. Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut. Universitat de Barcelona. Curs: 2016-2017. Director: Eugeni Freixas, Co-Director: Rosa Oliveras, Tutor: Manel Puig.The logistics portrayed in medical environments is a field which is not usually visible towards patients, but directly affects the health service quality, so it is a very important aspect for healthcare organizations to take into account. Hospital logistics are in charge of managing the supply of drugs, equipment, materials, laundry and sometimes even the food catering, through transport, storing and heavy organization skills. This final degree project focuses on the elaboration of a new scheme for improving the logistics set behind Hospital Clinics' medical units, this being the management and supply chain of medical material and other items the hospital makes use of, by adopting more sophisticated technology. The improvement plan basically comes down to automating the systems used in the warehouse and storage rooms by using the popular Lean approach designed by the Japanese Toyota company in the mid 90s. In the paper, several Lean management and healthcare techniques are used - to study, analyse and advance the current logistics, the goal is to automate the main warehouse with robotic load systems and to pre set the current faulty Kanban used in the storage rooms with a new and improved Smart Kanban technique, based on radiofrequency and more advanced technology. The project verifies the necessity of biomedical engineers to not only provide a critical engineering point of view towards the systems used in hospital environments, but also to improve the lack of communication between the logistics team and the rest of the medical departments, which is a serious issue