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In order to cope with the challenges of an increased demand for flexibility, quality and availability of production, maintenance measures provide a major competiveness factor for manufacturing companies. Yet, interdependencies between maintenance and production activities as well as differing target systems within the functional units of an enterprise, especially production and maintenance, raise needs for extended coordination efforts. This paper aims to develop an innovative approach for the coordination between maintenance and production activities for industrial production companies. To achieve this, the novel coordination mechanism is used. It helps to achieve maximised operational availability— for a maximised output of the production system at optimal costs. Based on the developed model, the present paper identifies findings regarding the impact of different maintenance strategies on the medium-term economic efficiency of the production system.
More and more companies in the mechanical and plant engineering industry are transforming their business model and evolving from product to solution providers. Subscription business models play a key role in this development. They enable companies to enter long-term collaborative relationships with customers and thus monetize the potential of Industry 4.0. However, this development is not easy for many companies and is associated with numerous hurdles. One of these hurdles is the development of a suitable range of services tailored to customer needs. In this context, the bundling of individual services to service modules plays a key role in realizing new value propositions. In practice, however, companies often lack an understanding of which services need to be combined in what way to be able to realize new value propositions. Accordingly, the goal of this work is to identify relevant services for subscription business models, to cluster them into meaningful value-adding bundles, and to derive new value propositions accordingly. The new value propositions in turn enable mechanical and plant engineering companies to strengthen customer loyalty and thus achieve long-term economic success.
Manufacturing companies are constantly increasing their efforts in the subscription business, also known as product-as-a-service business, offering usage and outcome based solutions (value-in-use) instead of transactional services and products (value-in-exchange). Customers are becoming contractual subscribers of the solution in return for recurring, performance-related payments. To address arising, inevitable challenges like (1) reducing customer churn, (2) increasing usage intensity and outcome quality, (3) ensuring the adoption of product and software releases as well as (4) fostering customer loyalty, leading manufacturing companies are setting up a new organizational, customer-facing unit, called Customer Success Management (CSM). This unit has its origins in the software-as-a-service business, operating next to established entities like sales, key account management and customer service. Since there are currently no holistic models for an end-to-end description of CSM-tasks in the manufacturing industry, this paper contributes to a taskoriented reference model, using a grounded theory approach, examining both manufacturing and software companies. Containing a reference framework with 8 main tasks, 17 basic tasks and 76 elementary tasks, the reference model supports manufacturing companies in adapting and customizing a company-specific CSM concept.
One major problem of today’s producing companies is to reach a high adherence to delivery dates while considering the volatile market situation as well as economic aspects. This problem can only be solved by using a production control that is optimally adapted to the processes. A good working, process-oriented production control is essential for being able to control the production situation and to ensure a high adherence to delivery dates. Data generation and processing determine the success of production control. Current processes and IT systems have several shortcomings in meeting these challenges.
The solution for this problem is the so called “cyber physical production control” (CPPC). It optimally supports the production scheduler in his decision making process based on real-time high-resolution data. With the help of data analytics, the production controller receives decision support over various steps. Due to CPPC, the overall goal of a high adherence to delivery dates can be fundamentally increased.
The digital transformation is changing the way companies think and design their manufacturing environment. Both due to the increasing number of connections between IoT-Devices, tooling machines, and production lines and the phenomenon of the convergence of IT and OT, systems are becoming more complex than years ago. Organizational and cultural changes within manufacturing companies strengthen this trend and form Industry 4.0 environments and cyber-physical production systems (CPPS). As these systems do not longer stay alone but are connected to each other and the company’s outside, the size of the potential attack surface is increasing as well. Besides that, manufacturing companies, small and medium-sized in particular, are facing complex challenges based on lack of knowledge, budget, and time to understand as well as to interpret their current situation and risk level and therefore to derive necessary counter-measures. Efficient as well as pragmatic tools and methods for these companies do not exist. This paper shows a research approach in which the company-specific set-up of Industry 4.0 environment and CPPS is characterized by its potential vulnerabilities. This enables companies to evaluate their risk potential before setting up this kind of environments and to undJo,erstand the potential consequences more precisely. By doing so, companies can derive and prioritize important counter-measures and so to strengthen their level of cyber-security efficiently. This will decrease the number of cyber-security attacks and increase the company’s competitiveness.
Based on the increasingly complex value creation networks, more and more event-based systems are being used for decision support. One example of a category of event-based systems is supply chain event management. The aim is to enable the best possible reaction to critical exceptional events based on event data. The central element is the event, which represents the information basis for mapping and matching the process flows in the event-based systems. However, since the data quality is insufficient in numerous application cases and the identification of incorrect data in supply chain event management is considered in the literature, this paper deals with the theoretical derivation of the necessary data attributes for the identification of incorrect event data. In particular, the types of errors that require complex identification strategies are considered. Accordingly, the relevant existing error types of event data are specified in subtypes in this paper. Subsequently, the necessary information requirements and information available regarding identification are considered using a GAP analysis. Based on this gap, the necessary data attributes can then be derived. Finally, an approach is presented that enables the generation of the complete data set. This serves as a basis for the recognition and filtering out of erroneous events in contrast to standard and exception events.
Pricing is one of the most important, but underestimated tools, to enhance a company's profitability. Especially value-based pricing has a high potential to reach higher levels of satisfaction because it equates the needs of providers and customers. Even though, it is a well-known price model and promises higher satisfaction, many companies struggle to implement it. Especially the manufacturing industry is characterized by cost-plus pricing and competition-based pricing. However, especially for digital products these pricing strategies are insufficient. Therefore, this paper aims at exploring the design fields for value-based pricing of digital products in the manufacturing industry. To achieve this, the basics of digital products and value-based pricing are explored. Furthermore, an expert workshop is conducted that follows a framework for value-based pricing consisting of four consecutive steps analysis, price strategy, pricing, and market launch to capture the design fields. This paper concludes with limitations, and practical and research implications.
Today, manufacturing companies are facing the influences of a dynamic environment and the continuously increasing planning complexity. Using advanced data analytics methods, processes can be improved by analyzing historical data, detecting patterns and deriving measures to counteract the issues. The basis of such approaches builds a virtual representation of a product – called the digital twin or digital shadow.
Although, applied IT systems provide reliable feedback data of the processes on the shop-floor, they lack on a data structure which represents real-time data series of a product. This paper presents an approach for a data structure for the order processing which overcomes the described issue and provides a virtual representation of a product. Based on the data structure deviations between the production schedule and the real situation on the shop-floor can be identified in real time and measures to reschedule operations can be identified.
The steady increasing of supply chain complexity due to a rising global cross-linking of production and sales regions leads to an increasing sensitivity to disturbances while in the meantime the requirements of the availability, the time of delivery and the security of supplies within the supply chain increases. To meet this challenges the security of the supply chain infrastructure and the feasibility of supply chain processes need to be ensured, despite of the high specialization within the supply chain partners, the low stock and time buffers, and the information shortcoming between supply chain partners.
In this research, a System Dynamics simulation model, based on the manufacturing supply chain model of Sterman, has been developed for representing the actual complexity and dynamic in manufacturing supply chains. Therefore, the modeled manufacturing supply chain shows the processes of a four level supply chain focusing the processes and interactions of the mid-positioned two supply chain participants. The main contribution of the work described in this paper, is the description and implementation of necessary additional modules and parameters to Sterman’s basic model for the diagnosis of disturbance impacts as well as for the realization of supply chain adjustments. Finally, the model has been simulated and examined for realistic values.
In recent years supply chain participants are increasingly suffering the effects of disturbances in transportation supply chains. Both, dynamics in consumer demands and global supply chains lead to a growth in unplanned supply chain events. These can cause from rather manageable disturbances through to complete break-downs of transportation chains, resulting in high follow-up and penalty costs.
Consequently, concepts for an efficient supply chain disturbance management are needed, preferably with a real-time identification and reaction to disturbance events. Therefore in the following paper the research results of the German research project Smart Logistic Grids with the focus on designing an integrated model for the real-time disturbance management in transportation supply networks are presented. This includes the introduction of elaborated classification models for disturbances and action patterns as well as an associated costs and performance measurement system. Finally, a procedure model for the disturbance management is presented.
Industrial companies are moving to a solution driven business by offering smart product service systems (Smart PSS). In addition to an existing portfolio of physical goods and technical services, companies develop new digital services and combine all three offerings to an integrated digital solution business. While the development of new digital services does not pose any major challenges for companies, the successful sale of Smart PSS does. Due to changing customer requirements and value propositions of a solution, the sale of Smart PSS requires new design principles for the sales organization compared to the simple sale of physical goods or technical services. While there are already many publications on the topic of industrial sales in research, the description of Smart PSS in particular represents a new field of research. The combination of both topics is therefore not only interesting from a theoretical point of view, but also has a particularly high practical relevance and impact for industrial companies. This paper therefore describes on the one hand, which characteristics can be used to derive customer requirements for Smart PSS and on the other hand, which effects these requirements have on the sales organization of the industrial company. The design principles give recommendations for the organizational structure, the resources, the information systems and the culture of the company depending on the targeted customer type. In order to identify and describe both the customer requirements and the design principles, two morphological boxes were developed based on a literature research and semi-structured interviews with industrial companies. The paper gives an outlook on the different characteristics of the design recommendations and describes first best practices for the successful transformation of the sales organization.
Companies are transforming from transactional sales to providing solutions for their customers. Mostly, smart products, enabling companies to enhance their products by providing smart services to their customers, are a key building block in this transformation. However, the development of a smart product requires many digital skills and knowledge, which regular companies do not have. To facilitate the design and conceptualization of smart products, this paper presents a use-case-based information systems architecture prototype for smart products. Furthermore, the paper features the application and evaluation of the architecture on two different smart product projects. The use of such an architecture as a reference in smart product development serves as a huge advantage and accelerator for inexperienced companies, allowing faster entry into this new field of business. [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-14844-6_16]
In a subproject of the cluster of excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries” at RWTH Aachen University a configuration logic is under development that enables companies to configure their production system according to the dynamic requirements of the market. As a result of this project, a holistic description model for production systems has been defined. With numerous attributes in the sub-models a detailed characterization of the production system is possible.
The sub-model for the design of the supply chain will be depicted in detail in this paper. Representative for the design of a supply chain, the spare parts logistics of the wind energy industry is analyzed in depth. Designing this supply chain is not only one of the most challenging tasks in logistics. Only a responsive but also cost efficient design of the spare parts supply chain guarantees high productivity, extended life spans of the wind turbines as well as the expected profit for all companies in the supply chain.
Assets of integrated production systems, especially in the heavy industry, are facing high requirements in terms of reliability and availability. In case of component breakdown, the operating firm is confronted with high costs due to downtime and loss of production. Modern maintenance concepts in combination with advanced technologies can help to improve the plant availability and reduce the downtime costs caused by unplanned breakdowns. Against this background, the research institutes FIR and IMR from RWTH Aachen University, Germany, are collaborating within the research project “SiZu”. This project deals with the integration of condition monitoring system and real time simulation to assess the condition of components and to support failure cause analysis.
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in manufacturing companies is challenging, particularly for SMEs that lack the necessary skills to develop and integrate AI-based applications (AI applications) into their existing IT system landscape. To address this challenge, the research project VoBAKI (IGF-Project No.: 22009 N) aims to enable SMEs to identify and close skill gaps related to AI application development and implementation using proper sourcing strategies. This paper presents the interim results from the second phase of the project, which involves identifying the tasks in the lifecycle of AI applications and determining the specific skills required for executing these tasks. The presented results provide a detailed lifecycle including the phases for the development and usage of AI applications, as well as the specific tasks that SMEs must consider when implementing an AI application. These results serve as the foundation for future research regarding the required skills to execute the presented tasks and provide a roadmap for SMEs to close skill gaps and successfully implement AI applications.
Subscription business models provide an important component for monetizing the potential of Industrie 4.0. Subscription business is based on a long-term and participative business relationship between customer and provider. However, only digitalization offers the necessary framework conditions to realize the characteristic recurring and performance-based billing, and to ensure the necessary transparency about the usage phase of products as well as continuous performance improvements in the customer process. Against this background, companies must not only recognize the much-cited potential that lies in the total dedication to the success of individual subscription customers. Rather, the central obstacles must be addressed, examined, and subsequently overcome in a targeted manner in order to successfully establish subscription business models and place them on the market.
Discrete Event Simulation (DES) is a well-known approach to simulate production environments. However it was rarely used for operative planning processes and to our knowledge never in terms of multiple disposition levels.In this paper we develop the necessary adjustments to use DES for this purpose and show some theoretical advantages.
In this paper, an approach towards energy management 4.0 will be presented. Energy management 4.0 is understood as an encompassing energy data based concept for manufacturing companies acting in an flexible energy grid of the future with the final goal of autonomous self-optimization Controlling, supervising and scheduling production and logistic steps based on a reliable communication infrastructure and real time data in accordance to achieve a maximum of profitability with regard to human factor is executed.
Guided by a four maturity levels of the "acatech Industrie 4.0 Maturity Index" developed by the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) different use cases are presented according to the steps of visibility, transparency, prognostic capacity and self-optimization. The basic idea of energy management 4.0 is described and an outlook of further steps that are needed to be evaluated for an implementation are presented.
The Aim of this article is to provide a framework which enhances the existing scope of manufacturing asset management by specifically addressing industrial services provided by external suppliers as an integral part of today’s manufacturing structures. Existing research shows that sourcing industrial services from specialized service organizations establishes complex and unique interdependencies and links total production efficiency to the performance of the external service suppliers. Within the context of the EU-Project InCoCo-S - “Innovation, Coordination and Collaboration in Service Driven Manufacturing Supply Chains” a standard business reference model with key focus on operation and integration of business related services (BRS) in the supply chain has been developed. Based on the service type retrofit this paper aims on the one hand to present the modules of the reference model and on the other hand to explain how the model can be used to enhance the retrofit business.
Industrial Service Providers (ISP) are exposed to constantly raising competitive pressures regarding both cost and performance aspects. The massive challenges caused by the current worldwide financial and economic crisis even intensified the need for process optimizations aimed at increasing the productivity of service production. To reach this goal the evaluation and elimination of waste in their production processes becomes a crucial ability for ISPs. This paper proposes a new approach for increasing productivity in service production processes using a generic measurement model for the detection and evaluation of waste. The model is based on established lean management principles, but tailored to the specifics of ISPs by adopting a customers’ perspective to track down and eliminate waste. The evaluation builds on an in-depth-analysis of particular types of waste in the industrial service production processes. Viewed from the customers’ perspective and taking into account the specific characteristics of services (e.g. intangibility, heterogeneity, inseparability, and perishability) and service production (e.g. volatile demand, a tendency to over-capacity, and limits to planning) the approach employs a service blueprint reference model to then determine the different types of waste in the various parts of the service production process.
As industrial service portfolios grow, many companies overlook the implications of their business operations: rising complexity and resulting complexity costs. One reason are nonexistent tools that help service managers to decide in planning phases with an adequate effort about the implications that variety and complexity decisions have on the complexity costs of their portfolio. This paper depicts the challenges service companies have to face in this context and presents a concept of a heuristic approach to evaluate the complexity costs for industrial services. The concept is being developed in strong cooperation with industrial partners.
Volatile electricity prices caused by an increase of renewable energy sources push producing companies towards taking in an active role in balancing the electricity grid. Possible actions at the customer side to actively adapt to volatile energy prices are called demand response actions. In production logistics such actions can be the modification of production schedules motivated by possible economic benefits. So far, the focus in scheduling problems has been the optimization in the dimensions of quality, time and costs. This paper presents the results of a simulation study on the economic benefits of demand response actions for a generic production system.
This paper presents a simulation approach for service production processes on the basis of which an optimal operating point for service systems can be identified. The approach specifically takes into account the characteristics of human behavior. The simulation is based on a system theory approach to the service delivery process. A specific use case of the simulation approach is presented in detail to illustrate how characteristic curves are deduced and an optimal operating point is obtained.
Numerous traditional, agile and hybrid development approaches have been proposed for the development of CPS. As the choice of development process is crucial to the success of development projects, it has become a major challenge to identify the best-suited process. This paper introduces a methodology for identifying the best-suited CPS development process, based on the individual boundary conditions for a certain development project within a company. The authors used a set of eight indicators to assess a CPS-development project. The results of the assessment were matched with CPS-development approaches. Based on the matching results a best-suited development process was selected. The application is shown for a use case in the German manufacturing industry. The developed method aims to reduce the risk of project failure due to the wrong choice of development process.
Digital technologies such as 5G, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence (AI) are currently being used in various ways by manufacturing companies. As the fourth industrial revolution progresses, it has become apparent that reckless use and inadequate regulation of these technologies have a detrimental effect on the environment in which they are utilized. Therefore, regulation of digital technologies is imperative today to ensure more responsible and sustainable use. While governments usually establish regulations, progress is not keeping pace with the demands and hazards of employing digital technologies. The European AI law serves as an example of the considerable distance yet to be covered before binding guidelines are established. Consequently, companies must take proactive measures today to ensure that they use digital technologies responsibly in their environments. In this context, identifying which digital technologies are pertinent to manufacturing companies in terms of regulation is crucial. Furthermore, a comprehensive approach is required to design compliance holistically for digital technologies and to systematically derive the corresponding guidelines. This paper introduces a set of models that not only determine the importance of
compliance in the application of different technologies but also present a framework for methodically designing compliance. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the development of an AI platform in the German research project PAIRS by investigating the compliance relevance of applications such as artificial intelligence.
Methods of machine learning (ML) are notoriously difficult for enterprises to employ productively. Data science is not a core skill of most companies, and acquiring external talent is expensive. Automated machine learning (Auto-ML) aims to alleviate this, democratising machine learning by introducing elements such as low-code / no-code functionalities into its model creation process. Multiple applications are possible for Auto-ML, such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), predictive modelling and optimization. However, employing Auto-ML still proves difficult for companies due to the dynamic vendor market: The solutions vary in scope and functionality while providers do little to delineate their offerings from related solutions like industrial IoT-Platforms. Additionally, the current research on Auto-ML focuses on mathematical optimization of the underlying algorithms, with diminishing returns for end users. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview over available, user-friendly ML technology through a descriptive model of the functions of current Auto-ML solutions. The model was created based on case studies of available solutions and an analysis of relevant literature. This method yielded a comprehensive function tree for Auto-ML solutions along with a methodology to update the descriptive model in case the dynamic provider market changes. Thus, the paper catalyses the use of ML in companies by providing companies and stakeholders with a framework to assess the functional scope of Auto-ML solutions.
Gap Analysis for CO2 Accounting Tool by Integrating Enterprise Resource Planning System Information
(2023)
Detailed carbon accounting is the foundation for reducing CO2 emissions in manufacturing companies. However, existing accounting approaches are primarily based on manual data preparation, although manufacturing companies already have a variety of IT systems and resulting data available. The gap analysis carried out based on the GHG Protocol and an reference ERP system shows how much of the required information for CO2 accounting can be integrated from an ERP system. The ERP system can cover 20 % of the required information. The information availability can be increased to 49 % through additionally identified modifications of the ERP system. Integrating the CO2 accounting tool with other systems of the IT landscape, e. g. Energy Information System, enables an additional increase.
Generation of a Data Model For Quotation Costing Of Make To Order Manufacturers From Case Studies
(2022)
For contract or make to order manufacturers, quotation costing is a complex process that is mainly performed based on experience. Due to the high diversity of the product range of these mostly small or medium-sized companies (SMEs) and the poor data situation at the time of quotation preparation, the quality of the calculation is subject to strong variations and uncertainties. The gap between the initial quotation costing and the actual costs to be spent (pre- and post-calculation) is crucial to the existence of SMEs. Digitalization in general can help companies to get a better understanding of processes and to generate data. For improving these processes, an understanding of the important data for that specific process is crucial. Accurate quotation costing for customized products is time-consuming and resource-intensive, as there is a lack of an overview of data to be used within the process. This paper therefore derives a data model for supporting quotation costing in the company, based on literature-based costing procedures and recorded case studies for quotation and calculation. Based on the results, SMEs will have a first overview of the needed data for quotation costing to optimize their calculation process.
Die Herausforderungen der Zukunft werden geprägt durch digital veredelte Produkte von höchster Qualität und hoher Variantenvielfalt bei gleichzeitig kleiner werdenden Losgrößen. Konventionelle Entwicklungsmethoden stoßen aufgrund zunehmender Komplexität und kürzer werdender Lebenszyklen auf Produktebene an ihre Grenzen. Dadurch werden bei kundenindividueller Produktion die Aufwände in der Arbeitsplanung und -vorbereitung überproportional größer. Eine mögliche Lösung stellt die generative Erstellung der Produktionsstückliste während der Montage dar. Durch das eventbasierte „Mitschreiben der Montage“ werden administrative und planungsintensive Prozesse in der Arbeitsvorbereitung überproportional reduziert und die Erstellung der Stückliste in die manuelle Montage transferiert.
The manufacturing industry has to exploit trends like “Industrie 4.0” and digitization not only to design production more efficiently, but also to create and develop new and innovative business models. New business models ensure that even SMEs are able to open up new markets and canvass new customers. This means that in order to stay competitive, SMEs must transform their existing business models.
The creation of new business models require smart products. The required data base for new business models cannot be provided by SMEs alone, whereas smart products are able to provide a foundation, given the creation of smart data and smart services they enable. These services then expand functions and functionality of smart products and define new business models.
However, the development of smart products by small and medium-sized enterprises is still lined with obstacles. Regarding the product development process the inclusion of smart products means that new and SME-unknown domains diffuse during the process. Although there are many models regarding this process there appears to be a substantial lack of taking into account the competencies enabled by the implementation of digital technologies. Hence, several SME-supporting approaches fail to address the two major challenges these enterprises are faced with. This paper generally describes valid objectives containing relevant stakeholders and their allocation to the phases of the product life cycle.
Within each objective the potential benefit for customers and producers is analyzed. The model given in this paper helps SMEs in defining the initiation of a product development project more precisely and hence also eases project scoping and targeting for the smartification of an already existing product.
The efficient dealing with the dynamic environment of production industries is one of the most challenging tasks of Supply Chain Management in high-wage countries. Relevant and current information are still not used sufficiently, to handle the influence of the dynamic environment on intra- and inter-company order processing adequately. Among other things, the problem is caused by missing or delayed feedback of relevant data. As a consequence of that, planning results differ from the actual situation of production. High Resolution Supply Chain Management describes an approach aiming on high information transparency in supply chains in combination with decentralized, self-optimizing control loops for Production Planning and Control. The final objective is to enable manufacturing companies to produce efficiently and to be able to react to order-variations at any time, requiring process structures to be most flexible.
Holistic PLM- Model
(2010)
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is a widely discussed topic concerning the increase of efficiency of product development in terms of time to market as well as customizing products to the different needs of customers worldwide adequately. Historically PLM focuses the early phases of the product’s lifecycle, namely the product development phase. Therein the roots of PLM are based in supporting the information logistics of product data: Consistent data sets should be available to all stakeholders in the different departments at all times. Due to the increasing product complexity PLM has to be extended in terms of the temporal dimension (not limited to product development phase) and systemic dimension (not limited to the information logistic aspect). In this paper the authors derive a holistic framework for Product Lifecycle Management by analysing existing integrated management approaches. The framework consists of four dimensions: PLM strategy, PLM process, Product structure and PLM IT-Architecture. The sustainability and benefits of the framework is demonstrated by applying the framework to the communication service provider industry (CSP).
Reinforced through the pandemic and shaped by digitalization, today's professional working environment is in a state of transformation. Working remotely has become a vital component of many professions' regular routines. The design of remote work environments presents challenges to organizations of all sizes. By providing a classification, this paper reveals a comprehensive understanding of the fields of design to be considered to establish lasting remote work concepts in organizations. A hierarchical classification with four dimensions consisting of human, technology, organization, and culture, seven design elements and, twenty design parameters indicates to organizations the fields of design that need to be examined. To satisfy both the theoretical foundation and the practical application, design elements are derived by implementing a systematic review of the literature that represents key areas of interest for remote work. Additionally, these are verified and complemented by a dedicated case study research to incorporate practice-oriented design parameters.
Human behavior in supply chains is insufficiently explored. Wrong decisions by decision makers leads to insufficient behavior and lower performance not only for the decision maker, but also for other stakeholders along the supply chain. In order to study the complex decision situation, we developed a supply chain game in which we studied experimentally the decisions of different stakeholder within the chain. 121 participants took part in a web-based supply chain game. We investigated the effects of gender, personality and technical competency on the performance within the supply chain. Also, learnability and the effect of presence of point-of-sale data are investigated. Performance depended on the position within the chain and fluctuating stock levels were observed in form of the bullwhip effect. Furthermore, we found that risk taking had an impact on the performance and that the performance improved after the first round of the game. [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-39226-9_46]
In the age of digitalization, manufacturing companies are under increased pressure to change due to product complexity, growing customer requirements and digital business models. The increasing digitization of processes and products is opening up numerous opportunities for mechanical engineering companies to exploit the resulting potential for value creation. Subscription business is a new form of business model in the mechanical engineering industry, which aims to continuously increase customer benefit to align the interests of both companies and customers. Characterized by a permanent data exchange, databased learning about customer behavior, and the transfer into continuous innovations to increase customer value, subscription business helps to make Industry 4.0 profitable. The fact that machines and plants are connected to the internet and exchange large amounts of data results in critical information security risks. In addition, the loss of knowledge and control, data misuse and espionage, as well as the manipulation of transaction or production data in the context of subscription transactions are particularly high risks. Complementary to direct and obvious consequences such as loss of production, the attacks are increasingly shifting to non-transparent and creeping impairments of production or product quality, which are only apparent at a late stage, or the influencing of payment flows. A transparent presentation of possible risks and their scope, as well as their interrelationships, does not exist. This paper shows a research approach in which the structure of subscription models and their different manifestations based on their risks and vulnerabilities are characterized. This allows suitable cyber security measures to be taken at an early stage. From this basis, companies can secure existing or planned subscription business models and thus strengthen the trust of business partners and customers.
Auf Basis einer systematischen Literaturanalyse wurden insgesamt 11 Kennzahlen identifiziert, welche die Grundlage zur Beschreibung der operativen Leistungsfähigkeit von Unternehmen bilden. Die Kennzahlen wurden in die vier Leistungsdimensionen Effizienz, Qualität, Zeit und Flexibilität eingeteilt.
Manufacturing companies face the challenge of managing vast amounts of unstructured data generated by various sources such as social media, customer feedback, product reviews, and supplier data. Text-mining technology, a branch of data mining and natural language processing, provides a solution to extract valuable insights from unstructured data, enabling manufacturing companies to make informed decisions and improve their processes. Despite the potential benefits of text mining technology, many manufacturing companies struggle to implement use cases due to various reasons. Therefore, the project VoBAKI (IGF-Project No.: 22009 N) aims to enable manufacturing companies to identify and implement text mining use cases in their processes and decision-making processes. The paper presents an analysis of text mining use cases in manufacturing companies using Mayring's content analysis and case study research. The study aims to explore how text mining technology can be effectively used in improving production processes and decision-making in manufacturing companies.
Nowadays, providing purchasable goods is not enough for a company to survive on the global market. Because of competitive prices and a large range of products available, companies need to offer additional benefits to their customers in order to create a unique selling point. They add services to their product portfolio and offer clients the opportunity to acquire an additional service solution to go with it. The offered services need to fit to the customer's needs, resulting in a variety of available services, great complexity of the service range and decreasing transparency of the resource utilization. This paper addresses the problem by identifying variant-creating factors in product service systems, transferring them into an organizational framework and verifying their significance.
In order to introduce load management in the manufacturing industry, some obstacles need to be pointed out. This paper presents a feasible approach on how to implement load management measures in companies. To do so, load management and energy management are explained and distinguished in a first step. Subsequently, the implementation method is introduced. Therefore, by using this paper, companies will be enabled to use load management measure and reduce their energy costs significantly.
In short-term production management of the Internet of Production (IoP) the vision of a Production Control Center is pursued, in which interlinked decision-support applications contribute to increasing decision-making quality and speed. The applications developed focus in particular on use cases near the shop floor with an emphasis on the key topics of production planning and control, production system configuration, and quality control loops.
Within the Predictive Quality application, predictive models are used to derive insights from production data and subsequently improve the process- and product-related quality as well as enable automated Root Cause Analysis. The Parameter Prediction application uses invertible neural networks to predict process parameters that can be used to produce components with desired quality properties. The application Production Scheduling investigates the feasibility of applying reinforcement learning to common scheduling tasks in production and compares the performance of trained reinforcement learning agents to traditional methods. In the two applications Deviation Detection and Process Analyzer, the potentials of process mining in the context of production management are investigated. While the Deviation Detection application is designed to identify and mitigate performance and compliance deviations in production systems, the Process Analyzer concept enables the semi-automated detection of weaknesses in business and production processes utilizing event logs.
With regard to the overall vision of the IoP, the developed applications contribute significantly to the intended interdisciplinary of production and information technology. For example, application-specific digital shadows are drafted based on the ongoing research work, and the applications are prototypically embedded in the IoP.
Digital networking via the company and as well, the overall supply chain, can only succeed if digital planning reflects reality as accurately as possible and if production control can react to deviations in real time. In essence, this leads to a development of process control towards process regulation. While longterm production and resource planning is usually mapped by Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, detailed planning, including short-term deviations and real-time data at the production level, is increasingly supported by Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) at the production control level. However, in order to bring the underlying system concepts into line with Industry 4.0 efforts in a standardized manner, mutual functional integration within the framework of interoperable production planning and control is of crucial importance. For this purpose, studies were carried out in particular into cause-effect relationships. Thus, the overarching research objective is a valid design model to increase the controllability of production planning and control systems (PPC) in the context of Industry 4.0.
The main challenge in all application areas of EV usage still is the energy storage within, as well as the energy transmission into an EV. However, this storage and transmission of energy also allows for synergies with a smart grid, if the information is adequately exchanged between roles in the energy and mobility sector. Since the energy transmission is a so called “fixed and intersection point” of E-Mobility, interoperability is required not only on an electrical (e.g. plugs), but also on an informational level. Standardization efforts are currently underway (e.g. IEC 15118), yet a comprehensive, consolidating view on the information system around energy transmission is missing. Therefore, this paper suggests a generic information system architecture for e-mobility (EM-ISA) derived from the Smart Grid Architecture Model (SGAM). EM-ISA shall be a base for companies to develop innovative services for their particular, ICT-enabled E-Mobility application area while at the same time stay at important points informational interoperable at the fixed and intersection point of energy transmission.
A company can choose between three generic competitive strategies. Alongside the strategy of cost leadership are the strategy of differentiation and the strategy of focussing on niches, although we will not be discussing this latter any further here. The strategy of cost leadership is based on the achievement of “economies of scale”, so generating advantage from the benefits of cost reduction, learning curve effects and automation. In the strategy of differentiation the focus is on “economies of scope” which enable the customer-specific products to be offered, but this is generally achieved only with an increase in the complexity of products and processes. In the past it was assumed that these two strategies were mutually exclusive, as an increase in the economies of scale basically leads to a reduction in the economies of scope, and vice versa. But in order to survive in the international competitive arena companies in the high-wage countries need increasingly to offer individually tailored products at competitive prices. The target to be aimed at is therefore customer-specific products at the cost of mass production, so resolving the dilemma between economies of scale and economies of scope. For this it is necessary to optimise the alignment of all the structural elements in both the product and its production, because of the high level of their interdependence.
The areas on which we will focus our review and designs in the following will be what are known as product-production systems, or more briefly, production systems. This topic includes not only the resources and processes of the value creation systems, but also the products produced and offered on the market by a company as one connected entity. In order to tackle the challenges mentioned above, it is necessary to make it possible to measure and compare the current position of any given production system on the see-saw between economies of scale and economies of scope, and then be able to redesign specific facets of them as a second phase. A method of integrative evaluation and design of production systems is presented below for this purpose.
Maximising economies of scale in individualised production is a vital issue for producing companies in high wage countries. A decisive enabler for this is the management of product and process complexity by systematic standardisation. Due to the strong and far-reaching impact of complexity on the value added chain, its management requires an integrative consideration of the entire product and production system.
The following paper introduces a methodology facing this challenge. The core element of this methodology is an integrative and complexity-focused assessment model. This assessment model has been validated experimentally by analysing key company data from more than 50 German toolmaking firms. Findings of this empirical investigation are presented in this paper.
Industrial production in high-wage countries like Germany is still at risk. Yet, there are many counter-examples in which producing companies dominate their competitors by not only compensating for their specific disadvantages in terms of factor costs (e.g. wages, energy, duties and taxes) but rather by minimising waste using synchronising integrativity as well as by obtaining superior adaptivity on alternating conditions. In order to respond to the issue of economic sustainability of industrial production in high-wage countries, the leading production engineering and material research scientists of RWTH Aachen University together with renowned companies have established the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries”. This compendium comprises the cluster’s scientific results as well as a selection of business and technology cases, in which these results have been successfully implemented into industrial practice in close cooperation with more than 30 companies of the industrial production sector.
One of the central success factors for production in high-wage countries is the solution of the conflict that can be described with the term “planning efficiency”. Planning efficiency describes the relationship between the expenditure of planning and the profit generated by these expenditures. From the viewpoint of a successful business management, the challenge is to dynamically find the optimum between detailed planning and the immediate arrangement of the value stream. Planning-oriented approaches try to model the production system with as many of its characteristics and parameters as possible in order to avoid uncertainties and to allow rational decisions based on these models. The success of a planning-oriented approach depends on the transparency of business and production processes and on the quality of the applied models. Even though planning-oriented approaches are supported by a multitude of systems in industrial practice, an effective realisation is very intricate, so these models with their inherent structures tend to be matched to a current stationary condition of an enterprise. Every change within this enterprise, whether inherently structural or driven by altered input parameters, thus requires continuous updating and adjustment. This process is very cost-intensive and time-consuming; a direct transfer onto other enterprises or even other processes within the same enterprise is often impossible. This is also a result of the fact that planning usually occurs a priori and not in real-time. Therefore it is hard for completely planning-oriented systems to react to spontaneous deviations because the knowledge about those naturally only comes a posteriori.
Manufacturing companies (MFRs) are increasingly extending their
portfolios with services and data-driven services (DDS) to differentiate themselves from competitors, tap new revenue potential, and gain competitive advantages through digitization and the subsequently generated data. Nonetheless, DDS fail more often than traditional industrial services and products within the first year on the market. Particularly, companies are failing to sell DDS successfully and efficiently with their existing (multi-level) distribution structures. Surprisingly, there is a lack of scientific research addressing this issue. Since there are currently no holistic models for an end-to-end description of distribution-tasks for DDS in the manufacturing industry, this paper contributes to a task-oriented reference model for mapping interactions in the multi-level distribution management. Therefore, a case study research approach is used, to identify and describe the interactions in the multi-level distribution management of DDS, as well as to develop a regulatory framework for MFRs and their multi-level distribution management. This research uses the established theoretical framework of Service-Dominant-Logic to address the co-creation in multi-level distribution management of DDS. As a result, this paper identifies different interaction variants as well as the need for a new management function with 4 main and 14 basic tasks.
Smartification and digital refinement of products to enable the design of smart ones is a pivotal challenge in the manufacturing industry. Companies fail to design smart products due to missing knowledge of digital technologies and their integral part in product development processes. This paper presents a methodology that enables the derivation of digital functions for smart products through selected cases in manufacturing usage. We develop a morphology that consists of digital functions for smartification. In this context, we explained and derived characteristics by a set of examples regarding smart products in the manufacturing industry. Our methodology reduces the time spent initiating a development project with the focus on smartification.
Due to the drastically increasing amount of data, decision making in companies heavily relies on having the right data available. Also because of an increasing complexity of structures and processes, quick and precise flows of information become more important.
This paper introduces a new approach for modelling information flows, creating a basis for an efficient information management. It can be used to structure the information requirements and identify gaps within the information processing.
To display its benefits, the proposed Information Logistics Notation (ILN) is applied to the information logistics of todays and future energy market and grid stability management, both processes of increasing complexity.