Management and Production Engineering Review

One of the main challenges to solve in an Industry 4.0 context for manufacturing leaders worldwide is increasing product and value-stream complexity. In this paper we present a standardized visualization methodology through multichannel plots applied to complex organizational design network configurations. Combining network theory and strategic lean management oriented organizational design through Hoshin Kanri Forest technology, this approach is expected to allow scholars and organizational leaders to systematically visualize strategic organizational design KPI (key performance indicator) dynamic states and hence significantly reduce KPI interpretation complexity. An example is briefly shown for explanatory purposes

Lean has established itself as the primordial approach to obtain operational excellence. Its simple and intuitive techniques focus on reducing lead time through continuous improvement, involving all levels of employees in the organization. However, the rate of successful implementations has remained low. This paper contributes to the understanding of continuous improvement in a Lean context, by analyzing a database of almost 10.000 improvement actions, from 85 companies, covering the time frame 2010–2018. It discusses categories of actions, their impact and cost, as well as key characteristics of the companies. It proposes an objective criterion to identify “success” and “failure” in Lean implementation and tries to link these to operational results. It is probably the first time an analysis of this magnitude on the subject has been performed.

The paper discusses possible applications of wireless technologies in support of lean manufacturing tools. The typology of lean tools is provided. It distinguishes three main categories, which are identification and analysis of waste, improvement implementation, and process monitoring. The set of lean tools was analyzed in terms of information requirements. On the other hand, the typology of wireless technologies was discussed including RFID and Wi-Fi. The literature review of wireless technology applications for support of lean tools was conducted. The literature was systematically reviewed from the point of view of specific technologies and specific tools which were the subjects of the analyzed publications. Both typologies were synthesized to establish a framework for wireless technologies applications in the context of lean manufacturing implementation. It also could serve as a guideline for lean practitioners and implies future research directions. This paper is an extended version of paper published by [1].

The global economic crisis of the past decade and the accruing shifts in labour market policy, coupled with the rapid advances in technology have resulted in a far less certain future employment horizon than ever before [1]. In response, Higher education institutions (HEIs) are best positioned to advance knowledge and produce work ready graduates with the requisite skills for the future economy [2]. In this paper, the current understanding regarding the role of HEIs, the academic-student partnership, graduate employability, industry collaboration and research led teaching are merged into a framework entitled P-PAC (Partnership in Pedagogy, Accreditation and Collaboration). This framework encourages and embeds a partnership approach between academia, students and industry with the goal of promoting collaboration, facilitating relevant curriculum and pedagogy practise and accrediting achievement in order to effect deeper and more engaged learning and teaching, so that students are better equipped with the necessary skills for both employability and global citizenship. The P-PAC framework is validated using a 5 ECTS Lean Systems module. The authors also define Threshold Concepts-major as those concepts (identified by the academic) which are inherent in a module and which need to be achieved by the student, in order to attain mastery of the subject matter. Threshold Concepts-minor are defined as those intermediate concepts identified by the student in their mastery of Threshold Concepts-major. Examples of both concept types are presented in this paper.

Research focused on integration of machine operators with information flow in manufacturing process according to Industry 4.0 requirements are presented in this paper. A special IT system connecting together machine operators, machine control, process and machine monitoring with companywide IT systems is developed. It is an answer on manufacture of airplane industry requirements. The main aim of the system presented in the article is full automation of information flow between a management level represented by Integrated Management IT System and manufacturing process level. From the management level an information about particular orders are taken, back an on-line information about manufacturing process and manufactured parts are given. System allows automatic identification of tasks for machine operator and particular currently machined part. Operator can verify information about process and tasks. System allows on-line analyzing process data. It is based on information from machining acquired: machine operator, process and machine monitoring systems and measurement devices handled by operator. Process data is integrated with related order as a history of particular manufactured part. System allows for measurement data analysis based on Statistical Process Control algorithm dedicated for short batches. It supports operator in process control. Measurement data are integrated with order data as a part of history of manufactured product. Finally a conception of Cyber-Physical Systems applying in integrated Shop Floor Control and Monitoring systems is presented and discussed.

Over the years laser welding has evolved as a fabrication process capable of overcoming the limitations of conventional joining methodologies. It facilitates the welding of diverse range of materials like metals, non-metals, polymers etc. Laser transmission welding is a technique employed for fabricating intricate shapes/contours in polymers with better precision compared to the other conventional processes. Nylon6, a synthetic semi-crystalline polymer is utilized as an engineering thermoplastic due to its high strength and temperature resistant properties. In the earlier researches, various welding techniques were employed for the fabrication of polymers and metals keeping the laser beam stagnant, and much emphasis was given only to temperature distribution along the different axes and limited attention was given to residual stress analysis. Therefore, in this research work, a three-dimensional time-dependent model using a moving laser beam is used to fabricate unreinforced Nylon6 specimens.

The article discusses the relationship between energy quality technologies cutting and their environmental friendliness. Based on the energy analysis shows that energy consumption in the individual technological process is connected with the cutting power and power loss, which form the environmental indicators of the cutting process and reduce its energy efficiency. In addition, it is shown that at implementation of technological processes on the equipment, electrical systems are AC systems the implementation of the cutting process occurs when excessive consumption of currents. The article presents the results of studies on the energy efficiency of cutting processes, definition of the complex influence of cutting processes on the environment and humans, the formation of ways of improving environmental and energy performance quality of these processes.

The modern companies, which are competing on product market, need to use innovative solutions, in order to become potential leaders. One of the modernization methods is rearrangement of organizational structure and redistribution of competence. The article describes the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Department in production plant, which is an innovative initiative in worldwide organizational management. Some aspects including AME application in plant processes are highlighted. Some advanced techniques are presented. In the article summary, perspectives for the development of AME are included.

This research provides a tool to select and prioritize new comers to work based on their preentry organizational commitment propensity through examining links between the big five personality factors: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness; and three component model of organizational commitment: affective commitment, continues commitment, normative commitment. Findings show that extroversion and openness respectively have positive and negative effects on all three components of organizational commitment. Results gained by Structured Equation Modelling (SEM) indicate neuroticism is negatively related to affective and continues commitment and positively to conscientiousness effects on continues commitment. In the second part of the study, the received results are applied to extract the general equations that enables to estimate new comer’s pre-entry organizational commitment and to rank them using TOPSIS and AHP. The AHP is used to determine the relative weights of commitment criteria and TOPSIS is employed for the final ranking of new comers based on these criteria’s.

In the face of challenges faced by today’s managers, such as unreliability of processes conducted

within the company, low quality of materials, too long time of fulfilling the customer

orders and missing the deadlines of their implementation, the role of dynamic parameters of

the warehousing as the source of competitive advantage of a modern enterprise is growing.

The aim of the study is to identify and analyze the factors determining the effective implementation

of the warehousing in the Distribution Center. In the research there has been

adopted the following hypothesis: with the increase in the number of customer orders, which

is characterized by an increasingly smaller number of assortment items, the importance of

managing constraints limiting the material flow within the warehousing is increasing. The

above-mentioned hypothesis is verified in accordance with the test procedure including literature

research and a case study. The research results show that the Theory of Constraints

is an excellent tool supporting the transformation of the warehouse management method.

With the help of the Theory of Constraints it is possible to determine precisely the places

in the material flow, where the adaptation actions undertaken bring down the greatest

effects.

The article presents the problem of scheduling a multi-stage project with limited availability

of resources with the discounted cash flow maximization criterion from the perspective of

a contractor. The contractor’s cash outflows are associated with the execution of activities.

The client’s payments (cash inflows for the contractor) are performed after completing the

agreed project’s stages. The proposed solution for this problem is the use of insertion algorithms.

Schedules are generated using forward and backward schedule generation schemes

and modified justification techniques. The effectiveness of the proposed procedures is the

subject of the examination with the use of standard test instances with additionally defined

financial settlements of a project.

In the present dynamic environment, manufacture are required to reduce product development

cycle time and enhance product quality. To meet such challenges many business

are developing closer relationships with their business partner through application of interorganisational

system. Electronic data interchange (EDI) providing a structured form of

communication and has become very popular vehicle for electronic communication. Since

the EDI concept was popularised in 1990, there is a growing recognition by practitioners

and academics. The aim of this study is to perform an analysis of EDI research, give the

current discussion regarding the trends and note the suggestions for the future directions

of EDI research in the manufacture. In this paper, we provide a wide coverage of excessively

citations on EDI from 1990 to 2017 from good references in this area. The papers are

classified into EDI implementation strategy, EDI adoption, EDI integration, EDI in supply

chain and EDI in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The study results of this literature

review are expected to assist development of EDI research especially the implementation of

EDI on production outsourcing as one of supply chain activities.

Agility is a concept and practice with significant importance in managing and leading added

value in products, services, projects, and organizations, although it’s usage can also be very

risky due to its degree of fuzziness, if not properly understood and defined. This research

re-defines agility, emphasizes the need for ontologies for its management and leadership

applications and uses a new type of fuzzy logic-based software to measure the degree of

agility inside a technology company. In our agility research, various definitions of agility

were first gathered and presented for the creation of an agility ontology through a mind

map, revealing the main characteristics of agility. Then as part of the Co-Evolute theory and

methodology, the first agility ontology was developed as well as the first software application

that evaluates the degree of agility in an organization. The application includes statements

on which the respondents give opinions in their situation concerning the current and future

desired states of agility and its importance in an evaluative way. Today the application has

been fully tested in the real world and we have obtained the first test results. The positive

verification and validation of the method are shown in this article.

In the current industrial scenarios those involved in production and services distribution

are called to deal with a plurality of stakeholders, considering different interests, readings

and positions. This paper exploits the concept of collaboration in this fast changes and

flexible scenario by describing the characteristics of collaboration among enterprises and

their scope. In this context, the purpose of all managers to maximize utility, to save cost or

to minimize of transaction costs is hard to be reached. Under this prospective, to collaborate

with other firms is a logical way to work and to pursue the previous objectives. The purpose

of this paper is to define all the aspects of collaboration, mainly among enterprises, and the

reasons that can drive a manager to stipulate a collaboration agreement. Two different ways,

through collaboration can rise, have been described: collaboration induced by external body

(top-down collaboration) or born in a spontaneous way (bottom-up). The management of

the collaboration and the identification of key performance indicators, able to control the

development of the network system, is addressed by exploiting the Italian network contract

and the case study of the energy cluster.

The objectives of this research are to study the direct influence on the competitive advantage

and pattern development of variables affecting the competitive advantage of the Thai oil

palm industry. This research employs a quantitative research method. The population for

the study consists of 150 oil palm industrial operators in Thailand. Questionnaires are used

in the data collection and the data are analyzed by using SEM. The research results reveal

that the Knowledge Management Process and Supply Chain Integration positively influence

the competitive advantage in the quality, delivery, and cost. The competitive advantage

receives a positive direct impact from the Knowledge Management Process and Supply

Chain Integration. The variation of competitive advantage can be explained as 84%. The

obtained results can be used for developing the industry to create economic growth and

sustainable competitive advantage.