An integrated approach to process control

Article Abstract:

The control of production processes is the subject of several disciplines, such as statistical process control (SPC), total productive maintenance (TPM), and automated process control (APC). Although these disciplines are traditionally separated (both in science and in business practice), their goals have a great deal of overlap. Their common goal is to achieve optimal product quality, little downtime, and cost reduction, by controlling variations in the process. However, single or separated parallel applications may be not fully effective. This implies the need for an integrated approach to define, describe and improve the control of production processes. This paper discusses how controls from disciplines such as SPC, TPM and APC can be seen as a coherent set of efforts directed to the technical control of production processes. To achieve this, an integrated process control (IPC) model is introduced. The model provides a structure to get an overview of the functions of controls and their interrelations. It shows that there is no one best way to control a process: the optimal set of controls depends on the situation. The main contingencies are briefly addressed. The possibilities to use the model for prescribing, describing and improving control are illustrated. Finally, implications for business practice are discussed. [C] 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Process control; Integration; Framework; Contigencies; SPC; APC; TPM

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The integrated management of logistic chains in the white goods industry. A field research in Italy

Article Abstract:

After having devoted many efforts and investments in improving their internal capacity to produce the right product at the right price at the right time, companies are now starting to discover that much of the value they deliver to their customers depends not only on their own performance, but also on the performance of all the other companies that belong to the same logistic chain. Thus, the integrated management of logistic chains has gained a large attention in the latest years, as one of the most effective tools to achieve an overall improvement in the economic as well as in the logistic chain management, carried on by means of direct interviews on a sample of Italian companies, shops and final customers belonging to the white goods industry. Questions highlight the main cost and logistic effects that arise among different tiers of the chain when they interact. Here we illustrate the used methodology. Moreover, we discuss some of the empirical results achieved, with the aim of assessing the improvement potential that a tighter integration could achieve. In particular, it is shown that wide space for improving companies profitability is available both by reducing costs and by increasing sales. [C] 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Supply chains; White goods industry; Survey

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The impact of parameters setting in load oriented manufacturing control

Article Abstract:

The Planning Period length (PP) and the Check Period (CP) parameters of Bechte's Load Oriented Manufacturing Control (LOMC) significantly affect shop performances. Simulation runs also revealed that both parameters have an optimal value as evidenced by their very small or very large values that produced worse results than intermediate values. A high degree of dependency was established between the optimal check period and the average amount of time needed by each manufacturing operation to be performed in the shop.

Production Planning & Control, Scheduling (Management), Machine shops, Production control

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