Linking Supply Chain Strategy and Processes to Performance Improvement

AbstractThis paper proposes a model that will assist companies, particularly the small and medium-sized enterprises, assess their performance by prioritizing supply chain processes and selecting an adequate strategy under various market scenarios. The outlined model utilizes and integrates the SCOR framework standard processes and AHP approach to construct, link, and assess a four level hierarchal structure. The model also helps SMEs put more emphasis on supply chain operations and management. The use and benefits of the proposed model are illustrated on a case of a family owned, medium-sized manufacturing company

Games, Planes and Other Useful Distractions:Teaching Online Diverse International Students

The global pandemic triggered a rapid shift to online delivery of courses, and necessitated a re-evaluation of which in-class, active learning activities can be effectively migrated to the online environment without losing their original pedagogical purpose. In particular, team-based interactions or interactions involving physical objects posed a set of instructional design challenges online. Context of this presentation are online teaching experiences from a large, second-year engineering class with a culturally diversified student body. A key part are weekly studio sessions, which focus on a set of hands-on exercises, providing students with opportunities to bridge general concepts/theories and their practical applications in the context of each team-based project. It describes a ground-roots approach of faculty incorporating learning activities that help students develop teamwork, collaboration, communication, etc. skills. Additional aims are also to help students to lower cultural anxieties, develop interpersonal connections, and a sense of belonging

Simulation-based Verification of Lean Improvement for Emergency Room Process

One of the key challenges to health care access in Canadian hospitals is growing overcrowding of the Emergency Departments (EDs), leading to the medical personnel overload, and the excessive waiting times to receive proper care. These adverse effects directly impact the patient satisfaction levels, the ability of the medical professionals to attend promptly to patients\u27 health issues, and generate unnecessary costs. Addressing the sources of waste and improving the process provides better care and higher patient satisfaction, as well as increases operational efficiency and the ability of the medical professionals to intervene on time. This paper describes an effort aimed at improvement of patients\u27 experience over their ED stay. A combination of Lean tools were used to analyze, assess and improve the current situation. Simulation models based on current and future (desired) states were developed. Comparative analysis of both enabled verification of feasibility of proposed solutions, and provided quantifiable results

On-line scheduling method of manufacturing system based on VS algorithm for reference pattern

In this paper, a scheduling method is developed provide planning for manufacturing plants with multiple coordinating cells. The controls for reconfigurable manufacturing systems have to be capable not only of identifying exceptions on-line, but also simultaneously developing on-line strategies for unpredictable customer order changes or inaccurate estimate of processing times. The approach exploits virtual supervisor (VS) concept developing an algorithm which provides access to all system information during program execution and thus can readily monitor the overall system performance creating reference pattern. The goal is to minimize expected costs of part tardiness and/or earliness. A solution methodology based on a combined Lagrangian relaxation, VS-Patterns, Maxwell equations and temporal difference is developed to reduce the computational requirements for large problems. Sequences pattern shows that near optimal schedules can be obtained a dual solution for on-line implementation

An Approach to Line Balancing on Virtual Supervisor Induction Method and Intelligent Agents

This approach develops a method for solving the line-balancing problem, which is based on two stages. The works in a first stage is to identify the task of workstation, the assignment of the tasks to stations on the line and the recognized balance delay. In this stage we propose the induction VS method, which allows further identify the exact position between pieces, machine into a workstation and also between extern workstation, as well as intracellular and intercellular part. This way each task is identified and measured. In the second stage is to carry out a macro-approach to choose the resource to perform each of them. The hybrid intelligent agent architecture is proposed for this second stage, which has consideration of machining sequence. The integration between both technologies allows us to develop new hybrid architecture capable to reduce the computational time in the deliberative layers fundamentally. Finally, a reconfigurable testbed has been proposed for future experiments and results to evaluate this new balancing method. Some previous computational experiments provide that the proposed approach is efficient to solve practical transfer line design for balancing problem

Modeling and compensation of geometric errors in simultaneous cutting using a multi-spindle machine tool

A volumetric error compensation method for a machining center that has multiple cutting tools operating simultaneously has been developed. Due to axis sharing, the geometric errors of multi-spindle, concurrent cutting processes are characterized by a significant coupling of error components in each cutting tool. As a result, it is not possible to achieve exact volumetric error compensation for all axes. To minimize the overall volumetric error in simultaneous cutting, a method to determine compensation amount using weighted least squares has been proposed. This method also allows tolerance distribution of machining accuracy for different surfaces of a workpiece. A geometric error model has been developed using an arch-type, multi-spindle machine tool, and the error compensation simulation results based on this model are presented. The simulation results demonstrated effectiveness of the proposed error compensation algorithm for use with multi-spindle simultaneous cutting applications.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45848/1/170_2005_Article_2615.pd

Reel Entrepreneurs: Illustrating Entrepreneurship with Feature Films

Abstrac

Improving machining accuracy in precision line boring

There is an ever-growing demand for high precision machining to obtain increased accuracy and surface finish, as they are key factors in product quality and performance. Machining operations, in general, are associated with errors of varying magnitude originating from different sources. As a result, the sizes of the machined features usually deviate from their desired, nominal values. Identification of error sources, techniques of measurements (on/off line), and efficient strategies for their compensation are the steps required to minimize, and, in some cases eliminate process errors. This paper focuses on modeling and compensation of geometric errors in machining operations specific to the line boring process. It is part of an undergoing research project focused on design and development of an agile precision line boring station for machining of long bores. After a brief overview of sources of geometric errors and their components, a methodology for their calculation is introduced. In this regard, error equations reflecting the effects of machine tool geometric errors at the tool tip are derived. It is shown that these equations can be further simplified without significantly affecting computational accuracy of the results. This makes the approach more attractive for real-time applications. A set of experimental data obtained from a prototype of the machine is used to study the effectiveness of the proposed approach and the results are reported. The paper concludes with discussions and presentation of different methods and available tools for real time compensation of these errors.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46560/1/10845_2004_Article_5093382.pd