International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management (12 papers in press)

• Data exchange strategy for manufacturing simulation of shop floor information systems
  by Yan Luo 
  Abstract: Simulation is defined as the imitation of the operation of a system or real-world process over time, and in many cases, manufacturing provides one of the most important applications of simulation (Zolfaghari and Roa, 2006). Standard interfaces could make information sharing effective, and hence promote the utilization of simulators. An information model (McLean et al., 2005), which represents machine shop data and facilitates data sharing among machine shop’s manufacturing execution system, scheduling system, and simulation system, has been developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This paper briefs the machine shop information model. This paper discusses information exchange, using NIST’s information model, between different representations and presents an algorithm to exchange data between a database system and an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) [1] document. The algorithm has been built based on Document Object Model (DOM), XML Path Language (XPath), and Open Database Connectivity Database Engine (ODBC). The paper also describes interfaces for XML schema’s validation, structured query, and data transfer.
  Keywords: database, data interface, information model, manufacturing, simulation, XML
   
• Design of measurement system for quality improvement in multi-stage manufacturing systems
  by Shichang Du 
  Abstract: Wireless networks have been undergoing tremendous growth during the past few years, and have significantly transformed many aspects of manufacturing processes. The measurement system based on wireless data collection provides unprecedented opportunities for multi-stage manufacturing systems to control the product quality. The related issues of the state-of-the-art practice, research challenges, and future directions related to software infrastructure of wireless sensing measurement system are discussed in this paper, which includes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of wireless sensing measurement, design of wireless sensing measurement, data management, information processing and decision making etc. Two examples based on the authors’ research experiences are also presented.
  Keywords: Wireless sensing measurement; Quality improvement; Sensor placement; Data management; Information processing; Decision-making
   
• Empirical Applications of RFID in the Manufacturing Environment
  by John Visich 
  Abstract: Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has recently begun to receive increased interest from both practitioners and academicians due to the well-known mandates to suppliers from major global retailers and the United States Department of Defense. Though the deployment of RFID in the supply chain is relatively new, propriety RFID systems have been utilized in the manufacturing environment since the early 1990s. This paper examines these empirical applications, and presents an analysis of the benefits that have been observed in the field. This encompassing collection of six empirical applications of RFID in the manufacturing environment discusses how RFID technology is presently being utilized, and its potential for use, by manufacturers to control internal operations and for supply chain management. In addition, we identify the implementation challenges and the corresponding strategies to enable RFID in the manufacturing environment. Our analysis offers insights that can be useful to practitioners who are considering RFID installations and to academicians who are studying RFID systems.
  Keywords: RFID; manufacturing; production control; inventory control; reusable assets; plant maintenance; empirical applications.
   
• RFID and the Cash-to-Cash Cycle
  by Susan Vowels 
  Abstract: The benefits and challenges of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) adoption have been well documented. However, the literature has focused on the operational aspects of RFID and returns on investment due to incremental improvements in supply chain activities. This paper argues that singular, inherent characteristics of RFID support a radical improvement in the cash-to-cash cycle, a key supply chain metric, for retailers mandating RFID-tagged consignment inventory, in other words, merchandise for which the retailer does not take the accounts payable liability until the product is sold to the consumer. The paper develops the argument supporting this use of RFID technology by examining supply chain metrics, describing RFID technology and deployment as contrasted with bar code technology, and proposing the scenario of a new relationship between manufacturers and retailers.
  Keywords: radio frequency identification; RFID; supply chain; cash-to-cash cycle; cash cycle shift; consignment inventory; metrics; point of sale; manufacturing information technology; strategy
   
• The impact of introducing RFID patrol system into rolling mill manufacturing: An empirical study on maintenance management
  by Wei-Ling Wang, Shu-Jen Wang, Anko Chen 
  Abstract: Maintenance planning encompasses all activities that relate to keeping facilities and equipment in good working order and making necessary repairs when breakdowns occur, thus the system can performs as intended. A rolling mill manufacturing environment is characterized by standardized equipment and processes that provide identical or highly automatic operations on metal products as they pass through. The high level of capital and technically sophisticated equipment in rolling mill plant places greater pressure constantly on the management team. This makes the maintenance function an important part of such an organization. The reliable execution of maintenance planned policies will influence the maintenance quality. A patrol system can assist maintenance manager track maintenance personnel performance making sure maintenance records are correct and equipments breakdowns are detected just before preventive maintenance is due. Even so the traditional patrol system has been troubled by many problems, in particular questions for justification that patrols have been really carried out, and too much time has been wasted in recording equipment status and how accurate the equipment status shows. This paper describes a hand-held Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) RFID patrol system. When patrol is done, the collected data will be uploaded and linked to Computer Maintenance Management System (CMMS software) for maintenance management. Action will be responded if there are some problems occur during patrol tour. The RFID patrol system uses the benefit of RFID to read a tag without requiring line of sight through a hand-held device. It can audit the maintenance personnel and must follow the patrol tour schedule of maintenance in order to collect the availability of detailed, accurate, timely data and discover the breakdowns before preventive maintenance is due. The system was successfully implemented in a rolling mill plant of central Taiwan on July 2005. Results of introducing the RFID patrol system shows it helps the rolling mill plant reduce patrol man-hours up to 42%, reduce supplementary materials cost up to 20% and avoid leave out inspection items on patrol.
  Keywords: RFID; Patrol System; PDA; Maintenance Management
   
• The Configuration of Multiagent-based Inventory Replenishment Simulation System for RFID-enabled TFT-LCD Supply Chain
  by Shu-Jen Wang, Shih-Fei Liu, Wei-Ling Wang 
  Abstract: The research focuses on the design of the simulated function of radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled multiagent-based inventory replenishment system for a global supply chain of a thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal-display (TFT-LCD) manufacturer in Taiwan. A demand-driven multiagent-based supply chain was modeled and simulated with AnyLogic tool. The supply chain processes have been mimicked and activated by ten generic agents (e.g., RFID, order check, finished goods, stock unit control, etc.) in the simulation model. The automated inventory replenishment function adopting the continuous (s, S) policy is enabled with RFID-agent or not. Finally, the result of the experiment finds that the demand-driven RFID-enabled TFT-LCD supply chain can be achieved with a 3.67% greater decrease in the total inventory cost including RFID system cost.
  Keywords: RFID; multiagent; DDSN; inventory replenishment; simulation
   
• Latest Advances in Joining Technologies for Automotive Body Manufacturing
  by He (Herman) Tang 
  Abstract: This paper reviews the latest developments in joining technologies for automotive body manufacturing. The recent evolution of resistance spot welding (RSW), which has been predominantly used in automotive body assembly for decades, is reviewed first. Laser beam welding (LBW) with growing applications is discussed, too. Compared to RSW and LBW, other types of welding, mechanical joining, and adhesive bonding techniques are also concisely evaluated. This application-oriented review of joining technologies is concentrated on their capability and issues, such as quality, throughput, and cost-effectiveness, for automotive body assembly operations. Accordingly, comments are provided on the current and future applications of the joining technologies.
  Keywords: Automotive, Body-In-White, Sheet Metal, Assembly, Manufacturing, Joining, Resistance Welding, Laser Beam Welding, and Mechanical Joining.
   
• Manufacturing competencies in high-tech NPD: on the impact of vertical integration and coordination
  by Daniel Olausson, Thomas Magnusson 
  Abstract: Starting from a distinction between internalization and outsourcing of manufacturing, this paper studies how the degree of vertical integration affects R&D-manufacturing coordination. The case study findings illustrates that there are several quasi-stages of outsourcing that affect R&D-manufacturing coordination and manufacturing competence within R&D organisations. For effective R&D-manufacturing coordination to take place, it seems necessary that the R&D department possesses certain manufacturing competencies, both in terms of understanding the constraints of the manufacturing equipment/process, and in terms of understanding the relation between production volumes and manufacturing cost. The implication is that managers need to carefully consider the effects of make-or-buy decisions on R&D-manufacturing coordination.
  Keywords: vertical integration; outsourcing; internalization; R&D-manufacturing coordination; product development; manufacturing competencies
   
• Time dependent behaviour of electro-chemical honing
  by Abhay Dubey 
  Abstract: Surface condition and shape deviations imparted by the final finish-manufacturing processes have a pronounced influence on the functional performance of engineering components. This paper highlights the results of a comprehensive study on time dependent behaviour of the unique precision micro-finishing technology: the electro-chemical honing (ECH) process. Processing time dependant improvement patterns of surface micro- and part macro-geometrical performance characteristics and material removal rate in ECH have been explored. Results analysed using ANOVA, Duncan’s multiple range test and polynomial regression reveal some very interesting facts that can be highly valuable for process control perspective. Major improvements in Ra, Rmax, out-of-roundness and cylindricity are realized during first few ECH cycles, followed by diminishing quadratic patterns. Work-bore axis-straightness improves very rapidly with insignificant subsequent improvements. The diametral increase rate is found to remain constant within the range of processing time investigated.
  Keywords: electro-chemical honing; processing time; ANOVA; Duncan's multiple range test; micro-finishing; functional performance.
   
• Cycle Time Simulation Study for Cluster Tool Operation in IC Fabrication
  by Amit Kumar Gupta, Appa Iyer Sivakumar, Peter Lendermann 
  Abstract: Cluster tools have gained a lot of importance in today’s semiconductor manufacturing. Cluster tools are machines that combine several processing steps in one machine. A cluster tools basically consists of one or more loadlocks where wafers enter and exit the cluster tool, two or more processing chambers where the processes are performed, and one or more handlers which transport the wafers between loadlocks and processing chambers. They can be regarded as small factories inside a factory. This paper focuses on understanding the behavior of cluster tool system by simulation modelling, experimenting on the model and finding out the factors that influence the tool overall cycle time. The number of deposition chambers, number of robot grippers, clean cycle, MTTF and MTTR are identified as the most important factors for cycle time reduction at cluster tool in semiconductor wafer fabrication.
  Keywords: cycle time; cluster tools; simulation; IC fabrication; semiconductor manufacturing.
   
• Study of economics of multitasking with reference to a class of mechanical system components
  by Ponnumuthu Selvaraj, P. Radhakrishnan, M. Adithan 
  Abstract: Aerospace components belong to two major categories viz., structural and system parts. Requirement of different family of machining operations (turning, milling, grinding, drilling, boring etc.) of the mechanical system components increases the number of machines, work piece setups, tool setups, machining time and cost of manufacture in the multi-machines approach. Multitasking machines (MTM), which are a class of new CNC machines, enable to combine different family of operations on to a single machine in single workpiece setup without manual intervention. This paper proposes a methodology to study the economics of multitasking machines with reference to a class of mechanical system components. The methodology also suggests grouping the machining operations of a part into different family of operations for the multi-machines and multitasking machine approach and generates process sheets for manufacture. It also validates the machining process through digital manufacturing simulation, calculates the time and cost of manufacture and evaluates the economics of the multitasking approach.
  Keywords: CNC machines; Multi-tasking machine; Mill –turn; Time and Cost reduction
   
• Are carmakers on the wrong track? Too much outsourcing in an imperfect-modular industry can be harmful
  by Vincent FRIGANT 
  Abstract: Over the past few years, research into modular production – also known as modularity – has largely portrayed this approach is one way of increasing outsourcing. At the same time, empirical studies have often focused on industries that are associated with a pure form of modularity. This paper considers the case of the automobile industry, where modularity has demonstrably developed an imperfect form. Based on a literature review covering the automobile industry and modularity, we will show that a strategy of excessive outsourcing can be criticised because of the risks associated with opportunistic behaviour or the loss of absorptive capacities, and due to problems surrounding the long term fall in production costs. The conclusion looks at the suitability of the choices made by Western carmakers, which seem to differ from those made by Toyota.
  Keywords: Modular production, Imperfect Modularity, Automobile Industry, Outsourcing, Carmakers, Suppliers