Modeling of Audio System Assembly Line Activities Using Simulation

The manufacturing sector has become an essential sector in Malaysia. This sector needs to be efficient and sound in facing great competition. Reducing costs will ensure that manufacturing companies remain competitive in the market. This study was conducted in a manufacturing company that produces audio systems by using simulation technique. Simulation technique would help the management team in making the right decisions. The objectives of the study are to identify the problems arising in the system and to forecast the throughput based on several scenarios. The aim of these scenarios is to see the system performance. System performance is determined by looking at total output and cycle time. Besides that, the percentage of resource utilization, waiting time and queue time is also taken into consideration. After that, three scenarios were built in order to see the performance of the system after the throughputs are increased. ARENA@ software was used in modeling the system

Carbon emission policies impact in logistics supply chain networks

Environmental issue is becoming a serious global concern. Human activities associate with industrial activities and households produce a great amount of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, and gives significant impact on the environment. The legislation on carbon emissions has become an important agenda in order to control the amount of carbon emissions that might affect the world for future generations. In conjunction to this issue, therefore, the research was conducted to investigate the impact of the carbon emission policies on reverse and forward logistics strategies and operations and propose optimisation models for the paper recycling and fresh produce industry with cases in the UK. The optimal network design approach for both cases under carbon emission control is formulated. The research concluded that exporting the waste paper to Asia is a better option when pollution from the recycling is not charged. However, when considering the carbon emission in both the UK and the Asian country, the best strategy would depend on the amount of recycling and the differences between the costs of the recycling locally and overseas. For fresh produce case, with no carbon policies, road is a better transportation option. However, if the industry has to pay for carbon emission, consideration of multimodal transportation has to be made in order to remain optimal. The analysis of business strategies and configuration of reverse and forward logistics networks are carried out with quantitative optimisation modelling. The analysis for paper recycling and the fresh produce industry consider contributions to the environment and costs in relation to carbon emission. Mixed integer linear programming models were developed for both cases to obtain the optimal choice in strategic and operational decision making. Transportation industry is a main contributor of greenhouse gases that give direct impact to the environment. Multimodal transportation planning is important because it can help to reduce impact on the environment, by using a combination of at least two modes of transportation in a single transport chain, without a change of container for the goods, with most of the route travelled by road, rail, inland waterway or ocean-going vessel and with the shortest possible initial and final journeys by road. Multimodal transportation planning is proposed in the fresh produce industry with another variable which is time. The analytical result derived from sensitivity analysis is discussed to draw academic and practical findings for carbon control policy making and logistics network configuration. The research outcome has a good generic contribution to eco-logistics management of other recycling materials and to generic logistics network configuration issues. The research is also significantly contributed to government policy making in carbon emission control

An Integration Model of Planned Maintenance and Spare Parts Inventory for Periodic Order Policy

The availability of spare parts is very crucial to enable the maintenance tasks to be performed when required. Although failures occur at random, a certain amount of spare parts should be available to minimize the downtime required for repairing or replacing the failed items. Particularly when preventive maintenance is involved, spare parts may be needed to replace the defective but still working plant items. Thus, spare parts and planned maintenance are significantly related and should be studied together. By implementing the delay time concept, this study focus on periodic order policy and simultaneously optimize three decisions problems, namely inspection interval, order interval and maximum stock level. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the ability of the model

An Empirical Study on Supply Chain Management Performance Measurement through AHP

Abstract - Supply chain management (SCM) performance evaluation has gained noteworthy considerations from researchers and practitioners in the manufacturing paradigms for improving organizational effectiveness that can be applied to pronounce and review the historical performance, as well as to set performance targets for the future. Precise diagnosis and analysis of SCM evaluation are imperative to attain and enhance organizational productivity and profitability through focusing strategic, tactical and operational planning as well as control. Enterprises scrutinize the best fit to evaluate the existing approaches of performance evaluation framework including financial and operational. The researchers investigate a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach to demonstrate how analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to select the best performance evaluation framework and illustrates a decision model to structure the problem related to select the supply chain performance evaluation system in a hierarchical form with substitutes to the decision maker. The study also illustrates that there are nine methods where supply chain performance could be evaluated. However, it is yet to establish and validate a comprehensive approach which can establish both qualitative and quantitative factors along with different decision-making levels and rank the decision preferences which constitutes a gap between the theory and their potential application. The study leads to the integrated SCPM model which could be a valuable contribution in order to measure SCPM in the manufacturing industry

Supply Chain Performance Measurement Model: A Literature Review

Supply chain is being envisaged as an extended enterprise connecting business in different places and facilitating allies to propel competitive advantage in the era of globalization. Substantial research has been undertaken along with literatures on supply chain performance management from cost and non-cost standpoint, strategic, tactical or emphasis on operational aspects; perspectives from commercial as well as financial arenas. In order to gratify customer orders rapidly and efficiently than competitors, supply chain needs to warrant continuous upgradation of its processes and competitive strategies and to apprehend how supply chain contests? it is indispensable to realize the overall performance of the supply chain. However, still many companies miscarry to acquire effective performance measurement tools and techniques to attain integrated Supply Chain Management (SCM). The rationale of this paper is to evaluate the literature on performance measurement for supply chain to apprehend current practices, recognize gaps and advocate future research itineraries. The paper also offers a synopsis and appraisal of the performance measurement used through different supply chain models

A study of eco-performance of logistics services in food supply chains

Transportation is one of the main contributors of greenhouse gases which give direct negatives impact on environment.Management of logistics services plays an important role in maintaining business competitiveness and sustainability as well as social responsibility.Optimizing logistics service with integrated economic and ecological objectives can help to reduce negative impact on the environment by reducing the amount of carbon emissions and improving operations efficiency. This study focuses on multimodal transportation planning and optimal strategies with a UK food supply chain case under carbon emissions control policies.Carbon emissions policy is a driving factor for multimodal transportation planning in ecologistics management.With differences in the level of carbon emissions control, the different characteristics of the cost structure and carbon emission in different logistics processes will lead to different business performance. The research investigates and identifies impact of the policies on logistics performance

Modeling production of audio systems using simulation

The manufacturing sector has become an essential sector in Malaysia. This sector needs to be efficient and sound in facing great competition. Reducing costs will ensure that manufacturing companies remain competitive in the market. This study was conducted in a manufacturing company that produces audio systems by using simulation technique. Simulation technique can help the management team in making the right decisions. The objectives of the study are to identify the problems arising in the system and to forecast the throughput based on several scenarios. The aim of these scenarios is to see the system performance. System performance is determined by looking at total output and cycle time. The percentage of resource utilization, waiting time and queue time is also taken into consideration. Three scenarios were built in order to see the performance of the system after the throughputs were increased. ARENAB software was used in modeling the system

Challenges of Warehouse Operations: A Case Study in Retail Supermarket

The research represents a case study on Bangladesh retail supermarket. The study demonstrates the intricacies of warehouse management practice. It elaborates the dynamics of retail supply chain and the spiral affects how warehouse can play a significant role. In addition to this, the study identifies external factors, market trends, and possible barriers which influence the overall performance of warehouse operation. The paper is based on secondary data that encompassed three major retail chains in Bangladesh. The paper also reveals opportunities to improve warehouse performances in terms of planning, design and operation. The authors demonstrate some recommendations for industry practitioners to achieve a higher level of productivity in warehouse managemen

Demand and supply planning in retail operations

The research represents a comprehensive study of retail operation.The paper elaborates a broad perspective of a demand and supply chain which interacts with macro and micro environmental factors and translates it into a customer requirement.The authors describe on different techniques and tools on demand and supply planning which leads to an optimized level of inventory, less cash outflow, higher product varieties and a greater customer satisfaction. Eventually fulfilling all these ensures increase in sales and profits to stakeholders; an ultimate objective of a firm. This paper demonstrates a holistic view on how a firm’s supply chain operates as a whole.In addition, this study also highlights some retail examples in the US as well as in Bangladesh which unlock further frontiers for the practitioners and prospective researchers to replenish their practices as well as expertise in the retail industry respectively