Knowledge Repository

Title

Customised Order Fulfillment in a Machine Tool Supply Network

Author

Saiz, Castellano, Besgam, Uribetxeberria

Uploaded by

admin on 4/21/2012

Status

published

Category

Academic Papers

Industry

Machinery and Equipment

Content Focus

Company related – robust process design

Keywords

Mass Customisation, Order Fulfillment, Network Design, Decision Support Systems, Simulation.

Abstract

The research presented in the paper attempts to help globalised organisations to identify alternative supply network configurations and management strategies, to respond to different customised order fulfillment demand scenarios within existing cost and time restrictions. A case study of a machine tool manufacturer is presented. The company has a global multi-plant network and imperative requirements for introducing flexibility in a market demanding products with a high degree of customisation. Machine tools have a total production lead time longer than the market time. Therefore, the machine manufacturing process has to start before customers orders arrive. When an order arrives, a machine that is in process must be allocated to it. Some relevant information is collected and reviewed to carry out this allocation. The path across the manufacturing network that the allocated machine is going to follow is generated, the point where customisation will be executed to reconfigure the machine to the specific order requirements is identified and the delivery time is communicated to the customer. The research shows how this information is managed to make the allocation and how a simulation tool is used as a decisional support system to identify better network design alternatives for the location of new plants, warehouses, or logistics platforms, under mass customisation scenarios.

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Bibliography

Suominen, J., Piller, F., Ruohonen, M., Tseng, M. & Jacobson, S. (eds) 2010. Mass Matching - Customization, Confi guration & Creativity: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Mass Customization & Personalization MCPC 2009, Helsinki Oct 4-8, 2009. Aalto University School of Art and Design Publication Series B 102. Helsinki: Aalto University School of Art and Design.

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