Byron J. Finch

Theory of constraints and linear programming: a comparison

SUMMARY Since initial work done by Goldratt in the mid-1980s and as the concepts related to the theory of constraints (TOC) have become more developed, many have concluded that the TOC approach offers nothing in addition to what can be accomplished through linear programming (LP). Through the use of an example, this paper compares TOC to LP and clarifies the differences surrounding the TOC philosophy and the LP technique

Internet discussions as a source for consumer product customer involvement and quality information : an exploratory study

Abstract As quality management has become increasingly important, linking quality management efforts to customer wants and needs has also expanded. For consumer product manufacturers this has resulted in a need to develop more direct links to the customer. Anecdotal reports indicate that firms are beginning to tap into Internet discussions as a source for this type of information. For this exploratory study, the entire network of usenet groups was monitored for 1 year for messages containing the name of one company. The messages were analyzed and a detailed description of this type of information is provided to evaluate its potential for use in this manner and to provide the basis for research questions that may guide further efforts in theory development.

Using Internet conversations to improve product quality: an exploratory study

Reports the results of an exploratory study which examined the potential of using “conversational” information from the Internet to enhance product quality. Examines and sorts archived messages to evaluate potential for using them to supplement the quality function deployment (QFD) and quality improvement (QI) story processes.

Maintenance management: Keeping up with production's changing trends and technologies

Abstract Current trends in manufacturing have led to reduced levels of work-in-process inventory and increased levels of automation and machine complexity. These changes have two important implications for maintenance management. First, machine breakdowns not only cause a loss of output from the down machine, but also result in lost production on downstream machines. This occurs because of the elimination of buffer stock between workstations. Second, the gap between the technological expertise of the operators and the technological sophistication of their machines has widened. This gap decreases the ability of operators to make adjustments and minor repairs to their own machines. These two factors cause an increase in maintenance costs associated with machine downtime and maintenance labor. Historically, the proportion of preventive and corrective maintenance has attempted to balance these costs. As buffer stock is reduced and more machines are coupled, the costs of downtime will increase, increasing the need for preventive maintenance and decreasing its cost compared to the cost of lost production. Increases in the use of computer-based planning systems have resulted in the development of computerized preventive maintenance systems that have proven to be successful in planning for maintenance labor and materials. Integrating planning methods with corrective maintenance tasks will help reduce breakdowns, make more efficient use of maintenance craft labor, and provide information for inventory control of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) materials. This article examines methods of reducing machine downtime costs, maintenance labor costs, and MRO inventory costs in todays changing production environment. Techniques for reducing these costs are explored in the areas of maintenance planning, maintenance methods improvement, and MRO inventory control.

PROCESS-ORIENTED PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SYSTEM DESIGN

This research describes how five production planning and control functions are accomplished by successful information systems in process industries, identifies factors that influence the design of ...

The impact of learning rate and constraints on production line performance

Learning curve theory has been an important consideration for capacity planning and bid preparation since the 1940s. Constraint theory is a relatively new approach to managing manufacturing systems. This paper examines the implications each of these theories has for the other. Several important relationships are identified using a deterministic simulation of a simple production line which is influenced by learning and the presence of a system constraint. The rate of improvement of several measures of system performance follows the learning rate, but because of the role played by the constraint, other measures of performance actually get worse.

Predictability of impending online auction business failure: A p-chart analysis

On February 2, 2006, the Internet community was shocked by the news that one of the largest and most successful eBay businesses had seemingly just disappeared. With no warning, Glacier Bay DVD was suddenly listed as “not a registered user” of eBay. Many speculated about what this event meant for eBay and other auction houses, because Glacier Bay DVD had long been touted as a great eBay success story. Its sudden disappearance was a warning to many, particularly because hundreds of buyers had paid for, but not received, their merchandise. Building upon previous quality research that relates quality to business success, the authors postulate that quality also should be related to business failure, and this relationship should made it possible to foresee Glacier Bay DVDs collapse. In this article the authors examine the customer feedback Glacier Bay DVD received in the two months leading up to its collapse, and through p-chart analysis the authors find strong support for their proposition that Glacier Bay DVDs demise was predictable.

Confidence intervals for optimal selection among alternatives with stochastic variable costs

Traditional breakeven analysis assumes that the total cost curve is a linear function of fixed and variable costs, and the intersection of the cost curves or cost and revenue curves provides the optimal solution. The traditional approach is extended to a more realistic treatment by recognizing the uncertainty associated with the variable cost components: that variable costs have a random component and unit variable costs can be random variables, and a practical analytical approach for determining the probability of an alternative being the low-cost alternative at any production volume is presented.

Development of Operating Characteristics (OC) Curves for Acceptance Sampling Plans

Provides an automatic spreadsheet approach to developing acceptance sampling plans. The technique described allows the user to develop the plan using any needed values for alpha and beta, rather than being limited to those values included in commonly used tables. This allows for more negotiation flexibility and acceptance sampling plans that better fit the needs of customers and producers.