Klaus-Dieter Thoben

Anatomy of enterprise collaborations

The primary function of any enterprise is to sell its products and/or skills profitably. This aim, compounded by the economic necessity, is often achieved by collaborating with other enterprises. Therefore, manufacturing systems can no longer be seen in isolation; they must be seen in the context of the total business and the associated key linkages of the business: back through the supplier chain and forward into the distribution and customer chain. In reality these chains often take the forms of enterprise networks. There can be almost infinite variations to the range and scope of collaborations within an enterprise network. This paper discusses some recent developments in the nature of bilateral enterprise collaborations and the resulting emergence of new manufacturing paradigms. It attempts to identify the key types of collaborations (supply chain, extended enterprise and virtual enterprise) and analyses their essential attributes and operational characteristics.

Typological issues in enterprise networks

In modern manufacturing, a single enterprise does not often possess a complete set of resources and skills to offer competitive solutions. Therefore, such enterprises become part of enterprise networks of independent core competencies in order to produce marketable products. In an enterprise network, even smaller enterprises, provided they have unique core competencies that are important to the enterprise network, can have a clout that is larger than if they operated alone. Within an enterprise network, the attributes of a small, flexible and independent partner will augment to that of the network as a whole. Based on the political, economic as well as technological developments of recent years, almost no restrictions are left limiting the range and scope of so-called enterprise networks. Today infinite variations of enterprise networks have been set up. However, there is too little systematic knowledge about the behaviour, the structure, the lifecycle, etc. of enterprise networks of integrated, multidependent nodes. Objective of this paper is to contribute to a better and systematic understanding of the various types of enterprise networks. Relevant dimensions as well as key features by which industrial collaborations of independent enterprises can be characterized and classified will be identified and discussed.

Measuring Collaboration Performance in Virtual Organizations

Management activities need an appropriate information basis. This applies also to the management of Virtual Organizations (VO). A potential source for this information is Performance Measurement. But traditional Performance Measurement (PM) methodologies and indicators are designed to assess the performance of single companies or static networks. Specific challenges and requirements of VOs are not addressed in an appropriate way. An essential aspect is for instance the collaboration performance, which has in many VOs a vital impact on the success. The objective of this paper is to provide an approach for addressing collaboration performance in the performance measurement of a VO. Therefore the main perspectives of collaboration performance and examples for potential indicators are described.

Dynamics in Logistics

This contributed volume brings together research papers presented at the 4th International Conference on Dynamics in Logistics, held in Bremen, Germany in February 2014. The conference focused on the identification, analysis and description of the dynamics of logistics processes and networks. Topics covered range from the modeling and planning of processes, to innovative methods like autonomous control and knowledge management, to the latest technologies provided by radio frequency identification, mobile communication, and networking. The growing dynamic poses wholly new challenges: logistics processes and networks must be(come) able to rapidly and flexibly adapt to constantly changing conditions. The book primarily addresses the needs of researchers and practitioners from the field of logistics, but will also be beneficial for graduate students.

Serious Games Development and Applications

Several studies have shown very positive results regarding the use of serious games as rehabilitation tools for individuals with physical disabilities, mainly because the game environment gives them the necessary motivation to continue their treatment with enthusiasm. Thus, the objective of this paper is to describe the first steps on the development of a 3D game for physical therapy of patients with motor disabilities as a result of neurological disorders.

Integration of supply networks for customization with modularity in cloud and make-to-upgrade strategy

Today, integration of supply networks (SNs) out of heterogeneous entities is quite challenging for industries. Individualized demands are getting continuously higher values in the global business and this fact forces traditional businesses for restructuring their organizations. In order to contribute to new performances in manufacturing networks, in this paper a collaborative approach is recommended out of modularity structure, cloud computing, and make-to-upgrade concept for improving flexibility as well as coordination of entities in networks. A cloud-based framework for inbound and outbound manufacturing is introduced for complying with the production of individualized products in the turbulent global market, with local decision-makings and integrated performances. Additionally, the complementary aspects of these techniques with new features of products are conceptually highlighted. The compatibility of this wide range of theoretical concepts and practical techniques is explained here. A discrete-event simulation out of an exemplary cloud-based SN is set up to define the applicability of the cloud and the recommended strategy.

The product avatar as a product-instance-centric information management concept

This paper presents the concept of semi-autonomous product-centric information management based on the Product Avatar (PA) concept, discussing the overall concept of distributed and decentralised information management relevant to individual product items and analyses the requirements the concept generates. In that context, it aims at stimulating discussion on the pragmatic utilisation of emerging technologies, such as RFID, wireless networking and ubiquitous computing. This paper further illustrates the benefits of the application of the PA concept in examples related to PLM against a scenario based on a network of organisations connected to the maintenance, repair and operation processes of a product.

Machine learning in manufacturing: advantages, challenges, and applications

The nature of manufacturing systems faces ever more complex, dynamic and at times even chaotic behaviors. In order to being able to satisfy the demand for high-quality products in an efficient manner, it is essential to utilize all means available. One area, which saw fast pace developments in terms of not only promising results but also usability, is machine learning. Promising an answer to many of the old and new challenges of manufacturing, machine learning is widely discussed by researchers and practitioners alike. However, the field is very broad and even confusing which presents a challenge and a barrier hindering wide application. Here, this paper contributes in presenting an overview of available machine learning techniques and structuring this rather complicated area. A special focus is laid on the potential benefit, and examples of successful applications in a manufacturing environment.

Cloud-Based Automated Design and Additive Manufacturing: A Usage Data-Enabled Paradigm Shift

Integration of sensors into various kinds of products and machines provides access to in-depth usage information as basis for product optimization. Presently, this large potential for more user-friendly and efficient products is not being realized because (a) sensor integration and thus usage information is not available on a large scale and (b) product optimization requires considerable efforts in terms of manpower and adaptation of production equipment. However, with the advent of cloud-based services and highly flexible additive manufacturing techniques, these obstacles are currently crumbling away at rapid pace. The present study explores the state of the art in gathering and evaluating product usage and life cycle data, additive manufacturing and sensor integration, automated design and cloud-based services in manufacturing. By joining and extrapolating development trends in these areas, it delimits the foundations of a manufacturing concept that will allow continuous and economically viable product optimization on a general, user group or individual user level. This projection is checked against three different application scenarios, each of which stresses different aspects of the underlying holistic concept. The following discussion identifies critical issues and research needs by adopting the relevant stakeholder perspectives.

An infrastructure to support concurrent engineering in bid preparation

Abstract The preparation of a bid for a complex one-of-a-kind product, tailor-made to customer demands, is normally beyond the capability of a single employee. A technically convincing and price attractive bid requires interdisciplinary teamwork. To support interaction and co-operation within such a team, it requires a suitable information structure. Though numerous software-applications addressing pre-sales processes are available on the market (so-called computer aided sales, CAS, systems), they fail in supporting non-repetitive, co-operative work driven by the human brain. This paper analyses todays pre-sales situation for companies producing capital goods in a competitive environment and presents a concept for co-operative bid preparation. It also develops a prototype infrastructure solution within this market context.