Application of Neural Network in Shop Floor Quality Control in a Make to Order Business

A make to order business has to produce the products that are customized to the customer\u27s current need. The customization can be realized by assembling different standard parts with various \u27configurations\u27. The oil field service industry is a typical example where most products produced are cylindrical assemblies made up of standard parts customized in their size, material specifications, coating specifications, and threading suited for the particular load rating and environment. As business cycles go up and down, hiring and firing of personnel is the routine of the day. Thus, it is very hard to keep experienced inspectors due to high turnover of the staff on shop floor and thus intensive endeavor to train the inspectors for the same recurrent problems of the same standard parts is required. This paper proposes a neural network model to help the industrial practitioners address such a concern. The neural network is trained with ample \u27judgment calls\u27 from the manufacturing experts so that it can properly generate the decision to \u27scrap\u27, \u27rework\u27 or \u27use as is\u27 for the inspected parts. The real quality data from an oil field service industry is used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed tool

Make-to-order business model: slow fashion as a strategy

AALTO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Mikkeli Campus ABSTRACT OF BACHELOR’S THESIS Author: Aino Kreetta Helena Valonen Title of thesis: Make-to-order business model: slow fashion as a strategy Date: 6 April 2021 Degree: Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration Supervisor: Susan Grinsted Objectives The main objective of this study was to create an effective strategy for an online make-to-order business that practices slow fashion and targets mainly women as customers. Additional objectives of this study were to 1) reveal customer segments and markets that make-to-order businesses could target 2) define what is the unique value that make-to-order businesses bring to customers 3) identify the core resources and capabilities that make-to-order businesses utilize. Summary This research conducted both individual in-depth interviews and a survey. Individual in-depth interviews aimed to add to the understanding of what current made-to-order businesses offer and why. The survey aimed to understand what consumers demand and expect from made-to-order businesses. Conclusions The aspects of an effective made-to-order strategy included consideration to slow fashion, creating a unique customer experience and choosing the right production process regarding desired flexibility. Additionally, the made-to-order business model is suitable to compete in the middle market segment or in the luxury market. Made-to-order businesses should consider customization strategies and using online presence and technology strategically. Key words: slow fashion, made-to-order fashion, sustainable fashion Language: English Grade

An extensible product structure model for product lifecycle management in the make-to-order environment

This paper presents a product structure model with a semantic representation technique that make the product structure extensible for developing product lifecycle management (PLM) systems that is flexible for make-to-order environment. In the make-to-order business context, each product could have a number of variants with slightly different constitutions to fulfill different customer requirements. All the variants of a family have common characteristics and each variant has its specific features. A master-variant pattern is proposed for building the product structure model to explicitly represent common characteristics and specific features of individual variants. The model is capable of enforcing the consistency of a family structure and its variant structure, supporting multiple product views, and facilitating the business processes. A semantic representation technique is developed that enables entity attributes to be defined and entities to be categorized in a neutral and semantic format. As a result, entity attributes and entity categorization can be redefined easily with its configurable capability for different requirements of the PLM systems. An XML-based language is developed for semantically representing entities and entity categories. A prototype as a proof-of-concept system is presented to illustrate the capability of the proposed extensible product structure model

Co-operative planning in dynamic supply-chains

This paper describes an order planning system for dynamic supply-chains,addressing the requirements of a make-to-order business environment. Adistributed and decentralised information system, based on an architecture ofagents and extensively using the internet, was designed and implemented toprovide new and more powerful decision support. The system aims atresponding to the basic requirements of cooperativeness, integration andconfigurability. It was developed under the scope of the CO-OPERATEEuropean Project, and implements the functionality defined in the context ofthe "request feasibility studies for the network" business solution

Advanced order planning in networked enterprises

This paper describes an order planning system for dynamic networked enterprises, addressing therequirements of a make-to-order business environment. A distributed and decentralised informationsystem, based on an architecture of agents and extensively using the internet, was designed andimplemented in order to provide new and more powerful decision support concerning order managementacross each node of the network. The system aims at responding to the basic requirements ofcooperativeness, integration and configurability in business networking environments. It was developedunder the scope of the Co-Operate European Project, and implements the functionality of a general orderpromising process viewed as a distributed business process

Negociação de encomendas com recurso à capacidade produtiva

Mestrado em Gestão de OperaçõesA evolução dos mercados tem sido caracterizada por um crescimento acentuado dos modelos de negócio “make-to-order” em virtude de ser exigido, cada vez mais, uma especialização nas necessidades do cliente. Esta vertente, associada à imprevisibilidade da procura, obriga as empresas a avaliar e afectar constantemente os seus recursos (desistindo dos tradicionais sistemas MRP) e recorrer a técnicas de planeamento que incluem várias restrições para a gestão da capacidade. Alguns sistemas ERP existentes no mercado foram analisados sobre diversos critérios e todos eles apresentaram lacunas na análise de repercussões (fundamental para empresas com mais do que uma variável de capacidade produtiva) e no auxílio à tomada de decisão para pedidos de cotação incompletos (muito usual, em modelos “make-to-order” só fornecer a descrição completa da lista de materiais ou rotas de produção em períodos posteriores à negociação). Perante isto, foi proposto um novo sistema para a construção de um modelo de capacidades inovador, de elevada integração e grau de “nervosismo” (atento a qualquer alteração das suas variáveis), que fornecesse ao gestor várias panorâmicas da sua capacidade produtiva. Este sistema deverá permitir, em pouco passos e num único ecrã, visualizar a globalidade da capacidade produtiva segundo várias parâmetros e efectuar um conjunto de acções rectificativas.Market evolution has been characterized for a deep growth of "make-to-order" business models since specialization of the customer needs are more and more required. This source, associated to an uncertain demand, compels companies to evaluate and afect its resources constantly (giving up the traditional MRP systems) and to decide for planning techniques that include management capacity restrictions. Some ERP systems in the market were studied based on some defined criteria and they all presented some gaps in the analysis of repercussions (basic situation for companies working with more than one variable when calculating their capacity) and when helping in the decision process for quotation requests' incomplete (in " make-to-order" business models ", it is common to supply the full description of the materials' list and of the production routes just after the negotiation process). During this work a new system for the development of an innovative model of capacities is introduced, with a high level of integration and degree of "nervousness" (subject to any change of its capacity variables), in order to provide the manager with a set of different "views" from its productive capacity. This system should allow, in few steps and only in one screen, a complete visualization of the productive capacity, according to some parameters, and to perform a set of actions

К вопросу о численности сибирских организаций РСДРП(б) – РКП(б) в 1917–1918 гг.

Order fulfillment process is one of the key processes in the make to order manufacturing environment. The order fulfillment process usually includes order processing, manufacturing planning and shipping of goods. To complete these phases the order fulfillment process requires a lot of information. This means that the information flow and management need to be in order and the order fulfillment process should be integrated to previous phases where the information is processed. For this integration the process structure should be defined for the business. This master’s thesis reviews literature that helps to understand the process structure that links to order fulfillment process in make to order business. On top of the process structure the information flow and information systems for improving order fulfillment process are investigated. The case study is done in make to order business that is part of a larger company. The case business provides consumable products to paper mills globally. These products are configured according to customer paper machine specifications. The case business has made organizational changes that created the process level organization for order fulfillment process. This created a need to analyze the order fulfillment process in the case business to see how it should be developed and streamlined. The order fulfillment process is analyzed based on the collected interview data. Support for the current state analysis gives benchmarking of three other business units in the target company. Comparison of these business units is made in product delivery strategy, order management process, system usage and identified problems. From this analysis the main challenges were identified in the target business. The results can be divided to two parts. Firstly, the good practices for order fulfillment process in make-to-order companies are summarized to two main themes of process structure and information flow. The process structure creates a basis for operations that collect, and process data required for order generation and delivery. Process structure also defines the links between process. These links define what information each of the processes in the process structure need to provide to other process in the process structure. On top of the process structure the information flow is built. The information flow makes the data available to right roles at the right time through information technology system usage. This improves the transparency of the operations and opens the possibilities for measuring, development and optimization in the order fulfillment process. The good practices were used to solve the main challenges that were identified. From this development propositions were made for the target business and roadmap generated for implementing these development propositions. The found good practices are applicable to make to order businesses and the roadmap offers a way to implement them in right order on different level of the business

Application of Customer Lifetime Value Model in Make-to-Order Manufacturing

PURPOSE: The applicability of the customer life time value (CLV) concept goes beyond consumer markets. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to show how a make-to-order manufacturing company in a supply chain can set customer-focus manufacturing strategies using CLV. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Data from an integrated steel plant is used to calculate the life time value of customers based on the past value, the potential value, and their loyalty. The past value of a customer is based on the historical data and the future value of a customer is then forecasted. The loyalty index of a customer is determined by survey results. FINDINGS: In general, it was found that the CLV for the most valuable customers increases exponentially and the top 28 percent of customers constitute 80 percent of the total value of all customers. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: This study focuses on make-to-order manufacturing organizations and the three strategies suggested for business process improvement need to be re-evaluated for make-to-stock or mass production. PRACTICAL IMPLCATIONS: Based on these results, the authors suggest three strategies for business process improvement and revenue growth for the plant. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study constitutes an initial effort to develop a CLV model for make-to-order manufacturing organizations for improving plant performance. The model links customers with not only the front office functions but also with ERP systems. Organizations that are part of value chains can benefit significantly from CLV applications

Marketing meal kits:from customer agency to corporate social responsibility

Meal kits delivered to the home have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Several companies offer these through monthly subscription with a vast range of ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes based on chef-inspired meals that customers can cook themselves. This paper examines the marketing of meal kits from three UK companies in terms of how they discursively construct the agency of the consumer. The study is based on a thematic analysis of web-based marketing material from the companies in terms of more or less coherent rhetorical ways of constructing matters in terms of common place descriptions, tropes, figures of speech, and metaphors. The findings point to several ways in which such a positioning is achieved under four thematic headings: the creative and committed consumer, the ethical consumer committed to sustainability, the consumer as an efficient time-saver, and the consumer aligned with corporate social responsibility. It is argued that this marketing approach is more elaborate than conventional identity approaches associated with brands, in that it taps into the consumer’s sense of agency both with and beyond the product

Finite capacity planning algorithm for semiconductor industry considering lots priority

International audienceA finite capacity planning heuristic is developed for semiconductor manufacturing with high-mix low-volume production, complex processes, variable cycle times and reentrant flows characteristics. The proposed algorithm projects production lots trajectories (start and end dates) for the remaining process steps, estimates the expected load for all machines and balances the workload against bottleneck tools capacities. It takes into account lots' priorities, cycle time variability and equipment saturation. This algorithm helps plant management to define feasible target production plans. It is programmed in java, and tested on real data instances from STMicroelectronics Crolles300 production plant which allowed its assessment on the effectiveness and efficiency. The evaluation demonstrates that the proposed heuristic outperforms current practices for capacity planning and opens new perspectives for the production line management