On the configuration and planning of dynamic manufacturing networks

Abstract

Manufacturing organizations have been attempting to improve the operation of supply networks through efficient supply chain management. Dynamic manufacturing networks (DMNs) constitute chains of diverse partners, whose operation and interaction may change in a rapid and often not predictable way. While the existing supply chain models are quite static and examine transportation modes, product changeover and production facility options with fixed suppliers and over a long period of time, the DMNs address operations and risks on a daily basis. In this paper, a novel decision-making approach is proposed for supporting the process of configuring a DMN from a holistic perspective, taking into account production, transportation and time constraints as well as multiple criteria such as time and cost.