Kenth Lumsden

Performance issues of Smart Transportation Management systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use the conceptual model of the Smart Transportation Management (STM) system and analyze how the included factors change the performance of distribution activities and what management issues are at stake.Design/methodology/approach – To prepare the paper, a literature study was made and case studies carried out in companies and organizations that are included in advanced transportation setups, including infrastructure providers, carriers, truck manufacturers, software providers, shippers, and more.Findings – The main finding of the study is a model that includes three major components of smart transportation management, namely, smart goods, smart vehicles and smart infrastructure. These components embrace some factors that have effects on supply chain performance; however, to different extents.Research limitations/implications – The paper uses a framework for the smart transportation management system that is useful when studying advanced transportation management...

Improving the efficiency of the Hub and Spoke system for the SKF European distribution network

The Hub and Spoke system (H&S), initially applied to the airline industry, is an innovative distribution approach which has proved to be successful especially in transportation systems dealing with several origins and destinations and with balanced good flows in both directions. This paper provides an overview of Hub and Spoke theory and proposes some possible improvements to this practice for freight transportation (trucking industry). In particular, the re allocation of transportation resources and the direct connection between pairs of nodes in the distribution network (short cut) have been applied in a case study involving the SKF European distribution network. All aspects of feasibility have been discussed and alternative solutions have been compared to the present configuration in terms of average lead times, goods flow, truck utilisation rate and transportation costs. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed interventions, mainly in terms of cost reduction and system flexibility.

Smart freight to enhance control of supply chains

Companies face different problems in planning their logistics operations. One major problem is linking the product information to complex supply network activities. A potential solution for improving the management of items is to decentralize the information of individual products and access the relevant information directly from a carry-on information tag based on RFID. In this paper, the meaning of smart freight is clarified and classifications are made to compare traditional systems for controlling the freight flow with a Smart Supply Chain. In a study that has been carried out for preparing this work, the advantages and disadvantages of the different smart freight models and ideas proposed are analyzed and evaluated by several system developers. The results of the study show that smart freight systems will emerge in a near future and will partially be decentralized.

Port logistics platform integration in supply chain management

The theme of this study is to present a comprehensive theoretical analysis and conceptual foundation of the port logistics platform as it relates to supply chain management discipline using a system theory approach. In this research paper, three main systems were identified: namely port logistics system, multimodal transport system and information and communication system as a constituent of the port logistics platform. Each system is associated with a specific type of flow, and these systems are closely interrelated. In the meantime, supply chain management and port logistics platform are the main entities governing the port logistics integration processes. The result of the research shows that the port might be a functional element within the supply chains through adapting the system theory approach, in particular soft system methodology. In addition, the proposed framework in relation to the value migration construct provides a better understanding of the contemporary port logistics platform set-up and interrelationship. The theoretical and practical implications of this emerging phenomenon are also discussed in this study.

Actions taken to prevent the propagation of disturbances in manufacturing systems

Abstract The aims of this paper are to classify safety actions used in manufacturing companies and to evaluate their efficiency in preventing the propagation of disturbances from a holistic perspective. Actions taken to prevent the propagation of disturbances can be classified as formal and informal actions. Formal actions are such actions which are defined in a computer system, and informal actions are such that are executed manually. None of the actions identified in this study were efficient when a holistic evaluation was made. This evaluation comprises the ability of the action to absorb disturbance effects, its cost and the degree to which it upsets the system. Some actions were, however, better than others. Partial delivery is a suitable action when materials shortages occur, subcontracting when machines break down, and moving personnel when absenteeism occurs. The data presented is based on interviews and case studies.

Coordinating new product development and supply chain management

Effective implementation of the new product development (NPD) process not only enables management to coordinate the efficient flow of new products, but will also assist to support ramp-up of various supply chain activities and other related activities supporting the commercialisation of the product. Thus, companies need to address all these issues in parallel to be successful and this requires some kind of integrative product development approach. The purpose of this research is to increase the understanding of how NPD is connected to supply chain management (SCM) by investigating how the NPD process is structured and executed in two international manufacturing companies seeking to realise an innovative, predictable and efficient product development. Several essential linkages between NPD and SCM have been derived from case study findings concerning important issues for successful product development.

The use of automatic data capture systems in inventory management

The aim of this paper is to show how automatic data capture systems are used in inventory management in order to enhance performance. The data are based on 10 case studies carried out in distribution and manufacturing companies. The most common applications are found in WIP tracking and shipment control, which ensures that the right product is shipped to the right customer. Automation of the data capture process on the operational level has in many cases given rise to effects not anticipated prior to the installations. The results show that factors that directly affect the employees, e.g. wages, responsibility, work content and motivation, are enhanced when the data capture process is automated, e.g. bar codes are used. This indirectly affects quantitative measures, such as productivity, inventory and customer service. It is also concluded that the higher technology content the ADCS installation has, the better the result.

THE INFLUENCE OF LEAD-TIME REDUCTIONS ON DECISIONS AND RULES IN THE PRODUCTION PLANNING PROCESS

Abstract This paper shows how the production planning process is affected by reductions in the total manufacturing lead time. The paper is based on four case studies. In all four cases, lead-time information in the production planning process was not altered immediately after the actual changes in manufacturing and in the material flow had taken place. The length of the time gaps as well as the reasons for them varied from case to case.

Impact of Real‐time Information for Scheduling a Car‐body Shop – A Simulation Study

In a system where two material flows with sequence dependency are matched, the use of real‐time information to monitor and control the sequencing buffer improves the system′s ability to schedule many different models, compared with a system with no information at all. In the latter case, the system is upset considerably when more than four different models enter the system. Shows how the performance of a car‐body shop is affected when real‐time information about progress in sub‐systems is available to the scheduler. A case study at a car plant and a simulation study were carried out.

inTelligenT cargo - enabling fuTure'S SuSTainable and accounTable TranSporTaTion SySTem

Today, the transport industry is facing increasing demands on reducing both the environmental impact and cost of freight transports. Another demand, coming from the end consumers, is the demand for ecological accountability, so-called ecological foot-printing, meaning that the emission of every freight movement is distributed to the freight. Previous research shows that transport planning, system integration and control are some of the key factors to achieve more sustainable transport setups. One of the major obstacles preventing these factors is the complexity of international supply chains, with several involved actors. Smart Freight is a holistic concept, integrating transport management and state-of-the-art technologies for freight tracking and vehicle monitoring, in order to enable improved management and accountability of freight transportation. The purpose of this research is to explore how Smart Freight can be used to control, track and reduce the environmental impact of goods transportation. This research is based on two in-depth case studies and a demonstration prototype of one of the studied transport setups. An extensive amount of data was collected between 2006 and 2008 through interviews, video filming, document studies, physical travel with the freight flows, seminars, prototype building, literature and desktop studies. The result of this research highlights the weaknesses in todays control of transport operations and presents a model for how Smart Freight enables a more environmentally friendly and accountable transport system.