Modeling production configuration using nested colored object-oriented Petri-nets with changeable structures

Configuring production processes based on process platforms has been well recognized as an effective means for companies to provide product variety while maintaining mass production efficiency. The production processes of product families involve diverse variations in manufacturing and assembly processes resulted from a large variety of component parts and assemblies. This paper develops a multilevel system of nested colored object-oriented Petri nets with changeable structures to model the configuration of production processes. To capture the semantics associated with production configuration decisions, some unique modeling mechanisms are employed, including colored Petri nets, object-oriented Petri nets, changeable Petri net structures, and net nesting. The modeling formalism comprises resource nets, manufacturing nets, assembly nets and process nets. The paper demonstrates how these net definitions are applied to the specification of production process variants at different levels of abstraction. Also reported is a case study in an electronics company. The system model is further analyzed with focus on conflict prevention and deadlock detection

PROCESS PLATFORM FORMATION FOR PRODUCT FAMILIES

ABSTRACT In accordance with the product families, process platforms have been recognized as a promising tool for companies to configure optimal, yet similar, production processes for producing different products. This paper tackles process platform formation from large volumes of production data available in companies' production systems. A data mining methodology based on text mining and tree matching is developed for the formation of process platforms. A case study of high variety production of vibration motors for mobile phones is reported to prove the feasibility and potential of forming process platforms using text mining and tree matching

Dynamic platform modeling for concurrent product-production reconfiguration

To meet a wide range of customer needs, a variety of product concepts can be modeled employing a platform approach. Whereas frequent market changes can be accommodated by dynamically modifying product concepts in iterations, capabilities in production are seldom well incorporated as part of design iterations. In this paper, a dynamic platform modeling approach that supports concurrent product-production reconfiguration is presented. The approach builds on Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) processes and a function modeling technique is used to represent product-production variety streams inherent in a production operation model. To demonstrate the approach, a comprehensive case from the aerospace industry is presented. Conceptual representations of a set of aero engine sub-systems and a variety of welding configurations, including their inherent constraints, are mutually modeled and assessed. The results show that a set of product-production alternatives can be dynamically controlled by integrating product-production constraints using a production operation model. Following SBCE processes, inferior alternatives can be put aside until new information becomes available and a new set of alternatives can be reconfigured. The dynamics and concurrency of the approach can potentially reduce the risk of late and costly modifications that propagate from design to production

Modeling Supply Chain Configuration Based on Colored Petri Nets

Abstract—This paper introduces an integrated modeling and analysis formalism based on colored Petri nets (CPNs) for supply chain configuration and evaluation. The structural changes of different configurations are explicitly expressed and formalized as CPNs. The formalism can deal with such issues as generic variety representation, constraint compliance and material flow control. The rationale of modeling supply chain configuration is to capture explicitly important information related to the supply chain network in conjunction with product, process and logistics decision making. Keywords—supply chain configuration, colored Petri nets I

Simulation-Driven Manufacturing Planning for Product-Production Variety Coordination

Ambitious manufacturers are challenged to satisfy a broad range of customers while ensuring that the emerging product variety can be produced. Current practice suggests that products and production systems are modeled separately until the late stages of development when the designs are fixed and modifications are costly. In this paper, both product and production varieties are modeled, assessed, and evaluated using discrete-event simulation during preliminary stages. An illustrative example from the aerospace industry is used to demonstrate the approach. The simulation software Simio is used to model a sequence of operations and a set of input data related to a variety of aerospace sub-systems and a variety of welding resources. Through the simulations, the average utilization rate, the average throughput time, and the average work in process are generated. These outputs are used to evaluate the sets of product-production alternatives during the early stages of platform development when the cost to adjust the design of the products, production resources and operations are trifling

Editorial : Concurrent Enterprising for Mass Customization

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