Dominik T. Matt

Application of Axiomatic Design principles to control complexity dynamics in a mixed-model assembly system: a case analysis

The purpose of this paper is to test the validity of Axiomatic Design (AD)-based complexity theory as an explanatory construct and as a methodological guidance for the early detection of need for change in flexible manufacturing systems in order to maintain competitiveness even in turbulent environmental conditions. The AD approach postulates that there are general design principles that govern the behaviour of a system. This proposition is empirically investigated for a flexible mixed-model assembly system by the examination of a long-term study conducted in a medium-sized industrial company. The findings of the long-term study suggest the introduction of a company specific cycle of functional periodicity in combination with a set of functional requirements working together as a regular trigger to detect whether the system range is moving away from the once defined manufacturing systems design range. The paper extends the research work made in the field of AD by focusing on mechanisms that help to control the effects of time-dependent complexity in manufacturing (re)design. Examples of methods and lead measures are given that can be used by organisations in early detecting and controlling complexity driven efficiency losses in manufacturing systems.

Achieving Operational Excellence Through Systematic Complexity Reduction in Manufacturing System Design

The complexity of a manufacturing system is determined by the uncertainty in achieving the system’s functional requirements and is caused by two factors: by a time-independent poor design that causes a system-inherent low efficiency (system design), and by a time-dependent reduction of system performance due to system deterioration or to market or technology changes (system dynamics). To maximize the productivity of a manufacturing system, its entire complexity must be reduced. Many valid methods have been developed so far addressing different single manufacturing and quality issues. But to continuously increase the productivity of a manufacturing system within a turbulent environment its entire complexity must be reduced. This requires a holistic understanding and knowledge about the system. To reduce a system’s complexity, its subsystems should not overlap in their contribution to the overall system’s functionality, they must be mutually exclusive. On the other hand, the interplay of system’s components must be collectively exhaustive in order to include every issue relevant to the entire system’s functionality. This paper introduces a concept for complexity reduction in manufacturing systems with the help of Nam P. Suh’s Axiomatic Design principles. In a first step, time-dependent elements are separated from time-independent elements. To eliminate the real complexity of the time-independent elements (so called manufacturing modules), a set of alternative design parameters are defined that fit the system range of the manufacturing module’s set of functional requirements. To reduce the time-dependent combinatorial complexity, a methodology is proposed to systematically define an entire manufacturing system’s functional requirements within very short times in order to guarantee a fast reconfiguration of the system considering internal and external system dynamics. With the help of practical examples and the obtained results, the validity of the approach is illustrated.

Design of a Scalable Modular Production System for a Two-stage Food Service Franchise System

The geographically distributed production of fresh food poses unique challenges to the production system design because of their stringent industry and logistics requirements. The purpose of this research is to examine the case of a European fresh food manufacturers approach to introduce a scalable modular production concept for an international two-stage gastronomy franchise system in order to identify best practice guidelines and to derive a framework for the design of distributed production systems that perform in a highly dynamic environment. The design framework was developed by creating a theoretical model through literature review and the thorough analysis of an industrial case. Information was collected through multiple site visits, workshops and semi-structured interviews with the companys key staff of the project, as well as examination of relevant company documentations. By means of a scenario for the Central European market, the model was reviewed in terms of its development potential and finally approved for implementation. However, research through case survey requires further empirical investigation to fully establish this approach as a valid and reliable design tool.

Design of Lean Manufacturing Support Systems in Make-to-Order Production

Build-to-order was once the only way in which products were made, but limited the market to only the rich buyers. Mass production contributed to a wider access to products, however with losses in individuality. Finally, mass customization aimed at holding out the promise of both, and “lean” concepts helped to (partly) make it a reality. However, the world has changed significantly since the first introduction of “lean” – especially in the most recent years. European companies are facing a growing international competition in volume markets due to the increasing economical and technical emancipation of low labour cost countries. While multinational enterprises are shifting their manufacturing activities to Far East to keep competitive in terms of costs, small and medium sized companies often have to leave their traditional market segments and retreat into niches. However, smaller production lot sizes and the increasing complexity of product programmes require innovative manufacturing strategies. According to several studies and empirical proves, less than 0,5% of a company’s production lead time is value adding, the bigger part of it is dedicated to waiting, handling and internal transport. This paper presents a new approach for the design of lean manufacturing support systems in make-to-order production systems that have to deal with a huge variety of product types and with high variations in demand. A special focus is given to the design of manual material handling and transport (MMHT) solutions. With the help of axiomatic design principles, a tree of design parameters is derived and translated into generally applicable design rules. With the help of a practical example from make-to-order industry, the validity of the methodology is illustrated.

SMART Reconfigurability Approach in Manufacture of Steel and Façade Constructions

In recent years the principles of industrialisation and prefabrication of factory-finished elements have gained more and more acceptance in the construction sector. Due to the limited duration of projects in this sector, manufacturing cells and assembly line configurations show a very short life time and they have to be highly flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances. This paper gives an overview about the state of the art in prefabrication and reconfigurability in the building industry. Based on the experiences from an industrial case study the paper shows the first research results of an approach to increase a company’s ability for smart reconfiguration of pre-assembly.

Continuous Improvement of Manufacturing Systems with the Concept of Functional Periodicity

To compete effectively in the dynamic global marketplace, manufacturing companies have to maintain a high level of responsiveness to remain competitive. This paper presents a theoretic framework for the installation of mechanisms in order to control the effects of the time-dependent combinatorial complexity caused by the uncertainty of maintaining the fulfillment of once defined functional requirements for a manufacturing system. Inspired by the idea of a system that automatically detects, diagnoses, and repairs identified areas of inefficiency, the objective of this research is to find mechanisms that anticipate market or environmentally driven events and help to set up the manufacturing system in advance in order to maximize total system efficiency. The paper builds on previous research about system complexity and on recent findings of a research project conducted in an Italian manufacturing company. Starting from the overall objective of “enhanced survivability” for the company and its manufacturing system, functional system requirements are deducted mapping between functional and system design domain, first on a time-independent basis. With the help of the scenario-technique, time-dependent influence is shown and improvement strategies are developed, using functional periodicity as a trigger point for their release. The first results from practical application show very promising results which will be discussed in the paper.

Mobile On-site Factories — Scalable and distributed manufacturing systems for the construction industry

The concept of the “On-site Factory” consists in the temporary use of fully functioning mobile mini-factories or production cells at the site of consumption. This concept of a Mobile Factory is well suitable for situations in the construction industry with long distances and therefore high logistics costs. The advantage of this concept is not only the proximity to customers, but also the economic efficiency combined with a maximum of flexibility. By a high degree of reconfigurability and scalability of the On-site Factory, it can also be adapted to its individual mission and the quantity demand at the construction site. This paper presents the current state of research in the area of distributed manufacturing as well as on-site and off-site manufacturing. It discusses the need for new and innovative JIT solutions for construction industry and addresses the specific requirements for scalable and reconfigurable on-site manufacturing factories. The main content of this research paper consists in the definition of generally applicable Design Parameters for On-site Factories using Axiomatic Design as a methodology for the analysis of functional requirements and the related design solutions. Through practical examples and illustrations, the application of the deduced Design Parameters will be explained.

Increasing productivity in ETO construction projects through a lean methodology for demand predictability

Construction is one of the main sectors of the economy, globally. In Italy this sector is highly fragmented and consists mostly of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). During a traditional construction project many different disciplines interact causing high coordination efforts. The main problem is a weak planning of on-site construction processes. Especially shared resources (like tower cranes) are often the bottleneck processes on-site. The paper presents a methodology for demand predictability which is based on the Rolling-Forecast approach and consists of three modules: “Planning”, “Actualization” and “Progress”. Within the module “Planning”, tasks are assigned following budget specifications. By the module “Actualization” the deviation from budget is measured. By the module “Progress” the construction progress is measured and a reliable budget monitoring is performed. For aligning the engineering, prefabrication and installation of Engineer-to-Order (ETO) components a Constant Work in Process (CONWIP) control loop is described. For increasing the productivity on-site a continuous improvement process which is based on the plan-do-check-action (PDCA) cycle is presented. A practical implementation of the methodology for demand predictability within the expansion project of the central hospital of Bolzano in North Italy is included. Scientific findings up to now and the expected outcomes are presented.

An axiomatic design-based approach for the patient-value-oriented design of a sustainable Lean healthcare system

The global healthcare expenditures have grown steadily in the last decades. However, this spending is not reflected in significant healthcare improvements due to obvious inefficiencies in processes and resource consumption. To stop and reverse this unhealthy trend, a completely new approach is needed to sustainably improve healthcare services in terms of costs, response times, service quality, and resource utilisation. To address this, an integrated target system was developed and top-down decomposed using the axiomatic design method in order to comprehensively redesign healthcare organisation starting from a strict patient value focus. This methodology was chosen because it provides a systematic mapping procedure for the design of large and complex systems. The mapping was accomplished within a regional health system, involving healthcare experts from the medical, nursing and administrative areas. Results prove that the method yields a clear system view and is useful when it comes to systematically improving healthcare operational processes.

Factors Affecting Future Scenarios for Alternative Vehicles Market

In the literature, many foresight methods have been used to cope with uncertainty concerning the future demand for electric, hydrogen, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. As a result, different scenarios and roadmap have been provided, often with contrasting outcomes. This paper is a short review of the existing literature aiming to summarize the main results obtained so far, describing the diverse ranges of possible development of these alternative vehicles over the next 40 years. This paper then addresses some key questions through the answers provided by the literature: what are the drivers of an alternative vehicles economy What are the principal barriers and the strategic goals When will an economy of alternative vehicles emerge What does an alternative vehicle economy attain