International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management 

About: International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management is an academic journal published by Inderscience Publishers. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Computer science & Machining. It has an ISSN identifier of 1368-2148. Over the lifetime, 823 publications have been published receiving 7003 citations. The journal is also known as: IJMTM.

Information sharing in a supply chain

Abstract: Advances in information system technology have had a huge impact on the evolution of supply chain management. As a result of such technological advances, supply chain partners can now work in tight coordination to optimise the chain-wide performance, and the realised return may be shared among the partners. A basic enabler for tight coordination is information sharing, which has been greatly facilitated by the advances in information technology. This paper describes the types of information shared inventory, sales, demand forecast, order status, and production schedule. We discuss how and why this information is shared using industry examples and relating them to academic research. We also discuss three alternative system models of information sharing - the information transfer model, the third party model and the information hub model.

Reconfigurable manufacturing systems and their enabling technologies

Abstract: A reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) is designed for rapid adjustment of production capacity and functionality in response to new market conditions and new process technology. It has several distinct characteristics including modularity, integrability, customisation, convertibility and diagnosability. There are a number of key interrelated technologies that should be developed and implemented to achieve these characteristics. This paper examines and identifies these technologies. After a brief description of the RMSs and their goals, aspects of reconfiguration (reconfigurable system, software, controller, machine, and process) are explained; this provides one with a better understanding of the enabling technologies of RMSs. Some of the issues related to the technology requirements of RMSs at the system and machine design levels, and ramp -up time reduction are then explained. The paper concludes with descriptions of some of the future research directions for RMSs.

Role of build orientation in layered manufacturing: a review

Abstract: Layered manufacturing, also called rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing is a revolutionary development in the field of manufacturing processes in last two decades. Unlike material removed from a stock in the machining process, layered manufacturing builds the solid volume from a CAD model by successively adding material layer by layer. Since parts are fabricated layer by layer, build orientation plays a critical role in the layered manufacturing process as it can improve part quality in terms of accuracy and surface finish, reduce the support volume required, support contact area and build time. It also affects the part strength and cost of manufacturing. This paper presents review of various strategies developed to decide the optimum part build orientation based on different criteria and related issues. This paper also discusses the effect of build orientation on fabricated parts and future directions to improve part quality by selecting suitable and feasible build orientation.

An initiative to implement lean manufacturing using value stream mapping in a small company

Abstract: In recent years, Value Stream Mapping (VSM) has emerged as the preferred way to support and implement the lean approach. VSM is a helpful tool to identify the waste and improvement areas. VSM enables a company to see the entire process in both its current and desired future state, and develop the road map that prioritises the projects or tasks to bridge the gap between the current state and the future (lean) state. VSM is a visual illustration of the entire value stream (from customer order entry through purchasing, manufacturing and shipping of the finished product in a facility). This paper describes the implementation of VSM in a small manufacturing firm as a lean manufacturing improvement initiative. This involved mapping the activities of the firm, identifying opportunities for improvement and then undertaking with the firm an improvement programme. Current state map is prepared to describe the existing position and various problem areas. TAKT time calculations are carried out to set the pace of production. Future state map is prepared to show the proposed improvement action plans. The achievements of value stream implementation are reduction in lead time, cycle time and inventory level. It was found that even a small company can make significant improvements by adopting VSM.

AIDEA: a methodology for supplier evaluation and selection in a supplier-based manufacturing environment

Abstract: Supplier evaluation and selection, an important element in supplier-based manufacturing and supply chain management has been gaining attention in both academic literature and industrial practice. In this paper, we presented a modified data envelopment analysis (DEA) method for supplier selection which can operate under conditions of imprecise information. A brief description of the importance of supplier evaluation and selection is given, followed by an overview of DEA, along with several extensions of DEA applied specifically to supplier evaluation and selection. Contributions of our proposed approach include the elimination of the poor discriminatory power and inability of traditional DEA to rank the efficient suppliers. In addition, our method can be used in situations with imprecise data.