Digitalized manufacturing logistics in engineer-to-order operations

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Advances in Production Management Systems. Production Management for the Factory of the Future. APMS 2019. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 566. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30000-5_71. The high complexity in Engineer-To-Order (ETO) operations causes major challenges for manufacturing logistics, especially in complex ETO, i.e. one-of-a-kind production. Increased digitalization of manufacturing logistics processes and activities can facilitate more efficient coordination of the material and information flows for manufacturing operations in general. However, it is not clear how to do this in the ETO environment, where products are highly customized and production is non-repetitive. This paper aims to investigate the challenges related to manufacturing logistics in ETO and how digital technologies can be applied to address them. Through a case study of a Norwegian shipyard, four main challenges related to manufacturing logistics are identified. Further, by reviewing recent literature on ETO and digitalization, the paper identifies specific applications of digital technologies in ETO manufacturing. Finally, by linking manufacturing logistics challenges to digitalization, the paper suggests four main features of digitalized manufacturing logistics in ETO: (i) seamless, digitalized information flow, (ii) identification and interconnectivity, (iii) digitalized operator support, and (iv) automated and autonomous material flow. Thus, the paper provides valuable insights into how ETO companies can move towards digitalized manufacturing logistics

Requirement Analysis for the Design of Smart Logistics in SMEs

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Application of axiomatic design in manufacturing system design: A literature review

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Distributed manufacturing network models of smart and agile mini-factories

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A lean approach for real-time planning and monitoring in engineer-to-order construction projects

Engineer-to-order (ETO) construction companies are characterized by an off-site and on-site production. Often, budget deviations for installation works on-site are identified in a late stage when improvement actions cannot be applied anymore. Consequently, installation tasks are often affected by significant delays and/or reworks. This work proposes a "real-time" capable approach for planning and monitoring in construction and a corresponding information technology (IT) framework. The core is represented by the so-called "pitching" concept known from lean management, which breaks down large job orders into smaller controllable parts. It can be considered as the main enabler for gathering management information in real-time and to identify problems and their causes on time. The most noticeable consequence lies in smaller jobs and a software-aided punctual control that allows a better rescheduling capability and, thus reduced, delays. A case study is provided, showing how the model was applied and validated in an ETO façade supplier company

Synchronization of the manufacturing process and on-site installation in ETO companies

Traditional Engineer-to-Order (ETO) companies are typically engaged in the production of capital goods or building projects in the construction industry. While parts or assemblies are manufactured and pre-assembled in the factory, the completion and final assembly will be concluded on-site. In usual construction supply chains, manufacturing processes are disconnected from the installation on site and scale effects of large batch production and economics of transportation charges determine the assembly sequence on site. This fact requires from ETO companies in the future a close coordination and synchronization between factory and construction site. After years of research in the field of industrialization, prefabrication and pre-assembly in ETO companies, particularly the issue of Lean Construction on site was discussed in recent years. The ambitious objective of this research is to analyze and to improve the entire value chain to enable a more sustainable production system in construction. Thus, this paper focuses on the merging of manufacturing processes and installation on-site to realize a synchronous coordinated supply chain. The research was carried out and tested in practice in collaboration with several ETO companies in the construction-related industry

Complexity reduction in engineer-to-order industry through real-time capable production planning and control

The engineer-to-order industry is under constant pressure to optimise production and handle complexity in the delivery of the right components at the right time. In many cases, e.g. in the building industry, they have to install their components at the construction site. Synchronisation between fabrication and on-site installation is difficult to realise with traditional planning techniques and instruments. The purpose of this study is to outline the potential of real-time-capable production planning and control in engineer-to-order companies as a successful approach to minimise time-dependent combinatorial complexity in the value chain. This research is based on axiomatic design theory in order to explain and confirm the hypothesis of complexity reduction through a near real-time feedback request at the installation site. We have demonstrated this through the information axiom of axiomatic design which states that complexity can be reduced to a minimum through a digitally automated continuous (re-)planning in order to avoid the system range shifting outside of the design range. Thus, the research team has described the first results of an industrial case study to develop a digital software tool to overcome this limitation. Our research contributes to complexity management in engineer-to-order manufacturing companies and further provides future direction towards digitalisation

Safe human-machine centered design of an assembly station in a learning factory environment

Learning factories allow both, students and professionals, to learn new approaches in production technology in practice. The transition from manual assembly to hybrid assembly towards an almost fully automated assembly can be arranged in learning factories in a practical way. Hybrid assembly specially shows a lot of potential, as it is designed to be adopted in situations with an increasing number of variants or customized products as well as the need for a scalable production system. In the modern view of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) in hybrid assembly systems, machines or robots are operating hand in hand with the human worker. This paper provides an approach to human-machine centered design of assembly systems and describes their implementation on a case study in the mini-factory laboratory of the Free University of Bolzano. The paper describes a case study, where a previously only manually produced product is produced in a hybrid assembly system i n combination with a lightweight robot. As part of the man-machine interaction this work analyses risks for the safety of the human worker and provides appropriate measures. The work finally concludes with a summary and an outlook for the future

Sustainable city logistics through shared resource concepts

The global trend of urbanization has important consequences on society and the environment in urban areas. Growing population, scarcity of resources and rising freight transport in urban areas result in completely overloaded infrastructures. The "last-mile" delivery in the city is considered to be particularly complex and occurs in most cases not comprehensively structured. The consequences are far-reaching environmental problems, noise pollution and a general reduction in the quality of life in the city. Therefore, in the field of urban logistics is a great potential for optimization. The subject of this article is a logistics shared-resources approach for a structured, organized and bundled supply in urban areas