Babak Mohajeri

The impact of social manufacturing on the value chain model in the apparel industry

Rapid development in mobile technologies, 3D printing and social networks has paved the way for the new phenomenon called Social manufacturing. Social manufacturing represents a paradigm shift in traditional manufacturing models; in social manufacturing, the role of customers changes from being passive to being fully active agents in the manufacturing of products. This shift allows for the opportunity to produce customized products according to the needs of every single customer in the society. The demand of consumers in the apparel industry is rapidly changing to becoming more personalized. Consequently, social manufacturing can dramatically contribute to customization in the apparel industry through the help of 3D printing. In this paper, we study how social manufacturing can redefine the entire value chain of the apparel industry .

Social manufacturing realizing personalization production: A state-of-the-art review

Traditional manufacturing researches are mainly focusing on one concrete technology application, such as production model, supplier management, advanced automatic equipments etc. Rapid developments and advances in information, manufacturing and management areas make the social environment of manufacturing change much. The global competition and multifarious customer demands are more and more universal phenomena. The difference and evolution in the advanced manufacturing systems need to be researched deeply. In addition, the relationships and functions among these social factors and the automatic manufacturing systems should be investigated in detail. Social manufacturing provides a new paradigm for the enterprises to capture the value. In this article, recent researches in social manufacturing are reviewed.

Contributions of social manufacturing to sustainable apparel industry

The global apparel and textile market has been changed considerably during the recent years. At the one hand, new trends and consumer preferences for different styles and fashion products emerge continuously, thus the apparel industry becomes more mass customized. On the other hand, attention to social and environmental sustainability has been dramatically increased in the entire industry. However, the current fast-changing fashion trends result to significant environmental and resource depletion problems in the textile lifecycle. As a result, the apparel industry should consider sustainable manufacturing strategies. The current options such as organic fibers and environmentally safe dyes seem promising. Nonetheless, there are significant challenges for apparel manufacturers and retailers to capitalize sustainability. To address these problems, in this paper, we develop a conceptual model of Social Manufacturing for the apparel industry. We study the current value chain of the apparel industry and identify its challenges from the sustainabilitys view. Then, we propose a new model to improve the sustainability throughout the value chain of the apparel industry.

On implementing location-based services in Guangzhou, China

This discussion paper presents an initial blueprint and viability analysis for implementing a location-based service pilot in Guangzhou, China, using a Finnish company named Nokia as a specific case example. Although many technological, political, and economic issues still remain open, our initial findings were supportive of the viability of implementing the desired pilot.

Social manufacturing principles in decentralized electricity generation

The principles underpinning Social Manufacturing have been developed in the context of the production of customizable discrete products. However, certain situations exist such that customization is not desirable or even possible. Factors that hinder customization vary considerably. They may include legal issues or consequences of technical standards, among others. In addition to customization of products, another principle underpinning Social Manufacturing is decentralized production. These two principles do not necessarily occur simultaneously. In certain situations, a product cannot be customized but its production is decentralized. The possibilities of extending the application of Social Manufacturing principles to such a context remain unexplored. Electricity generation (production) constitutes a context for such a study. Naturally, electricity is a fully standardized product and cannot be customized. Traditionally, electricity generation has been very centralized but certain recent developments are influencing the industry to become more decentralized. One key development in this regard is the Energy Transition and Decarbonization required to combat global climate change. Consequently, increased use of renewable energy sources results in decentralization of electricity generation. The objective of this study is to explore the possibilities of extending the application of Social Manufacturing principles to a new context. This new context is represented by renewables-based decentralized electricity generation. Electricity generation is an example in which the product cannot be customized but production is decentralized. This analysis encompasses the electricity generation value chain from engineering of equipment to management of electricity generation and grid operation.

Shift to social manufacturing: Applications of additive manufacturing for consumer products

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are one of the foundations of the so-called third industrial revolution. Additive Manufacturing can reshape the typical structure of manufacturing, shifting it toward more collaborative manufacturing. Currently, Additive Manufacturing of end products is only a small niche market. However, many Additive Manufacturing start-ups enter this market every day, and market opportunities and applications grow rapidly. At the same time, the prices of machines and materials applied in Additive Manufacturing are continuously decreasing. Consequently, this enables a new manufacturing paradigm termed “Social Manufacturing”. The principle of Social Manufacturing includes the involvement of the consumer in all stages of the manufacturing process, starting from the design and ending in the manufacturing. The objective of this paper is to show how Additive Manufacturing can be an enabler in the paradigm shift toward Social Manufacturing. We contribute to the discussion of Social Manufacturing by analyzing it in a previously under-explored context, i.e., the manufacturing of consumer products. To achieve the research objective, we review applications of Additive Manufacturing and, based on the review, propose a path for a paradigm shift to Social Manufacturing.