Manufacturing Location Research Articles

Seal dies from the National Museum of Slovenia: Non‐destructive analyses of medieval and early modern copper alloys

A representative group of seal dies made of copper alloys from the collection of the National Museum of Slovenia was investigated by energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF). Chronologically, the artefacts date from the early 13th century to the present. Non‐destructive EDXRF screening of elemental fingerprints of Cu, Zn, Pb, Ag, Sn and Sb was performed on 95 seal dies, and the obtained elemental data set was further processed by chemometric tools such as principal component analysis (PCA). The relationships between the elemental composition of analysed seal dies, type of alloy applied and their historical context—date, location of manufacture and, possibly, social rank of the owner—were examined in detail.

Automated verification of 3D manufacturability for steel frame assemblies

The emergence of off-site construction has shifted many construction activities from job sites to controlled factory environments, enabling the extensive use of automated machines in the fabrication of construction-oriented products (such as fame assemblies). When using highly automated machines in agile manufacturing, the process planning becomes the bottleneck since it is mostly manual, experienced-based, and error prone. Even though the manufacturability was proven to be automatically evaluated for 2D wood-framed assemblies, many construction-oriented products, such as steel-framed assemblies, have three-dimensional features that have not yet been accounted for. This paper extends the previously developed 2D framework for 3D applications as required in steel-framed assemblies, in order to automatically check the manufacturability of steel frame assemblies given the building information model (BIM). The proposed system detects intersection regions in a frame assembly and calculates areas that require manufacturing operations, such as fastening with screws. This objective is accomplished with the use of classic techniques commonly used in computational geometry. The proposed framework is validated using a steel frame with commonly encountered geometric features in the machine environment. The result proves that the proposed approach automatically and accurately determines the manufacturing locations of the frame assembly.

The Important Role of the Designer

This was the sound advice given by British designer Vivienne Westwood, when she was asked in 2018 about ethical and environmental issues in the fashion industry. It remains equally valid in 2020 and will continue to be the ethical code by which we should shop in the future. People in the textile and apparel industry are well aware of their responsibility to create a more sustainable supply chain, to reduce waste in production processes, and to recycle materials whenever possible. And much of the responsibility for these activities starts with the design team—groups of unsung heroes who have to juggle budgets, logistics, strategic plans, technology, aesthetics, functionality, and so much more. Designing goods for sustainability can mean many things—including: • designing high quality, durable products; • designing products that can be disassembled easily at their end-of-life, so that the materials and components can be easily recycled; • designing products which are made from organic, biodegradable, reclaimed or recycled materials and components; • designing products which generate a minimal amount of waste and pollution during their manufacture; • designing products which can be manufactured using machinery that can run on renewable energy, and consume a minimal amount of water; and • choosing manufacturing locations and distribution methods to minimize carbon emissions.

Multi-Period Multi-Product Supply Chain Network Design in the Competitive Environment

This paper studies a supply chain network design model with price competition. The supply chain provides multiple products for a market area in multiple periods. The model considers the location of manufacturers and retailers and assumes a probabilistic customer behavior based on an attraction function depending on both the location and the quality of the retailers. We aim to design the supply chain under the capacity constraint and maximize the supply chain profit in the competitive environment. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear programming model. To solve the problem, we propose two heuristic algorithms—Simulated Annealing Search (SA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)—and numerically demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. Through the sensitivity analysis, we give some management insights.

Globalizing urban research, grounding global production networks

Geographically dispersed networks of production interact with urban economic development and contribute to shape the built environment and urbanization processes all over the world. However, the global manufacturing of goods and their circulation have not yet been given adequate attention in the field of urban research. This article charts a research framework to study the interplay between urban spaces and globalized industrial production. We argue that a relational perspective on multi-local economic processes as provided by commodity chain approaches, specifically the Global Production Networks (GPN) framework, ought to be integrated into urban research in order to grasp the driving forces and the transnational character of urban development in places of industrial production. In the first section of the article, we discuss the conceptual base and benefits of integrating the GPN approach with an urban research perspective centred on the analysis of the built environment. In the second section, we operationalize these considerations in an analytical framework which we apply to a multi-local and relational case study of clothing manufacturing locations in the Istanbul metropolitan region in Turkey, the South Bulgarian province Kardzhali and the periphery of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa. Our findings illuminate the site-specific, yet interdependent mutual transformation of global production networks and urban space, giving rise to transnational spatial formations such as dense industry clusters, dispersed production niches or clearly defined enclaves for export processing. At the same time, they underscore the agency of the built environment and urban planning in shaping the geography of globalized production.

Research note: LED lighting – A global enterprise

There is considerable focus on technology manufacturing locations and the value in funding innovation when upstream products are not manufactured within a domestic economy. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are such an upstream product. Here, we evaluate the value added along the supply chain of luminaires, a product that utilizes LEDs, using bottom-up cost modelling. Coupling the results with analysis of shipping cost and time, this analysis examines how advances in LEDs can incentivize LED luminaire adoption leading to the potential for significant domestic manufacturing effects even if the upstream products are produced in other economies.

The fit of competitive strategies and firm-specific advantages with country-specific advantages in explaining manufacturing location choices

PurposeThis paper aims to clarify the fit of competitive strategies and firm-specific advantages (FSAs) with country-specific advantages (CSAs) in explaining manufacturing location choices at product category level in the European automotive industry.Design/methodology/approachSeven hypotheses are formulated and tested using binomial logistic regression with data from 148 passenger car models (i.e. product category level) that are sold in Europe and manufactured in countries that offer CSAs of either cost advantages or differentiation advantages. The first four hypotheses test manufacturing location choices of product categories pursuing cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, focus strategy and hybrid strategy. The other three hypotheses test whether FSAs of R&D capability, marketing capability and operations capability will impact on the manufacturing location choice. The tests control for the type of passenger cars as well as the manufacturer’s region of origin.FindingsWhile pursuing cost leadership strategy leads to manufacturing in countries that offer cost advantages, pursuing differentiation strategy as well as strong R&D capability and marketing capability result in manufacturing in countries that offer differentiation advantages. Focus strategy, hybrid strategy and operations capability do not have an impact on the manufacturing location choice at product category level.Research limitations/implicationsConducting empirical research at product category level is subject to limitations in the choices of FSAs due to lack of availability of data.Practical implicationsManagers should assess the competitive strategies and FSAs of their product categories and then decide about manufacturing locations based on their fit with host country CSAs. Policymakers should understand the CSAs of their countries and target to attract manufacturing FDI from product categories with matching competitive strategies and FSAs.Originality/valueThe research contributes to discussions in explaining manufacturing location choices. Its originality lies in being the first study to test the fit of competitive strategies and FSAs of product categories with CSAs.

Spatial perspectives enhance modeling of nanomaterial risks

AbstractNovel engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are increasingly being manufactured and integrated into renewable energy generation and storage technologies. Past research estimated the potential impact of this increased demand on environmental systems, due to both the life cycle impact of ENM production and the potential for their direct release into ecosystems. However, many models treat ENM production and use as spatially implicit, without considering the specific geographic location of potential emissions. By not considering geographical context, ENM accumulation or impact may be underestimated. Here, we introduce an integrated predictive model that forecasts likely ENM manufacturing locations and potential emissions to the environment, with a focus on critical environmental areas and freshwater ecosystems. Spatially explicit ENM concentrations are estimated for four case study ENMs that have promising application in lithium‐ion battery production. Results demonstrate that potential ENM exposure from manufacturing locations within buffer zones of sensitive ecosystems would accumulate to levels associated with measured ecotoxicity risk under high release scenarios, underscoring the importance of adding a spatial and temporal perspective to life cycle toxicity impact assessment. This predictive integrated modeling approach is novel to the nanomaterial literature and can be adapted to other regions and material case studies to proactively inform life cycle tradeoffs and decision‐making.

BIM-based decision support system for automated manufacturability check of wood frame assemblies

As offsite construction is increasing in popularity, an increasing number of construction products are fabricated in a controlled factory environment. Due to the complexity of construction products and the rising amount of automation used in the industry, productivity has reached a peak because the process planning of manufacturing activities is still done manually, for example, building information models (BIM) do not provide manufacturing information for construction products. Knowing whether a machine can manufacture a construction product defined by the BIM model is a critical prerequisite for new products. This paper proposes a BIM-based framework for automating the evaluation of machine capabilities for the manufacturing of construction-oriented products. By identifying intersections of the building elements of the product, feasible manufacturing operations are determined, and manufacturing locations are calculated. These locations are then compared to the manufacturing capabilities of the machine. The proposed approach is validated using two wood frame assemblies. The results show that the system accurately determines whether a user-selected machine can manufacture a construction product pre-designed using BIM software.

A Study of Regional-Level Location Factors of Car Manufacturing Companies in the EU*

The paper aims to explore how factors of regional competitiveness are associated with the location of car manufacturing companies in the EU. Although the European automotive market can be characterized by an intense dynamics in terms of location choices, literature offers little empirical guidance on how regional factors influence the location of car manufacturers in the EU. This paper aims to fill this gap by combining regional competitiveness data on 276 EU regions with the actual location of all 269 production units of car manufacturing companies currently present in the EU. Logistic regression is used to discover significant relationships, while the comparative analysis of clusters of regions is meant to offer a more detailed understanding of the role of different location factors. Results of the analysis show that the most influential location factor is related to infrastructural development, but other competitiveness factors, such as regional innovation capabilities or labour market efficiency, might also play an important role.

Effect of manufacturing and installation location on environmental impact payback time of solar power

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are a promising technology to reduce the environmental impacts of electricity production. Several locations in the USA are favorable for solar PV deployment due to having a high solar potential. This study evaluates the environmental impact payback time (PBTI) for installing multi-crystalline silicon PV systems in multiple US cities, Seattle, Miami, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Indianapolis, with varying electricity mixes and solar potential, using life cycle inventory data and the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemicals and other environmental impacts as the impact assessment method. China, USA and European manufacturing scenarios were analyzed to compare the effect of the electricity mix used during manufacturing on PBTI. The results show that the PBTI ranges between < 1 year and 3000 + years across all impact categories. A Chinese manufacturing scenario increased the PBTI in some impact categories (i.e., global warming) compared to the USA and Europe manufacturing, but had no effect for others. The PBTI is within the solar panel life span for the impact categories of global warming, acidification and fossil fuel depletion, but is longer than the lifespan for other impact categories (i.e., eutrophication and ozone depletion). According to the global warming PBTI, policies should incentivize solar panels in the following order: Phoenix, Indianapolis, Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle. This work provides guidance to policy makers and manufacturers on the PBTI when the manufacturing location, solar potential and electricity mix are known.

Integrated CAD customization system for fused deposition models in additive manufacture with 3D printing machine

A computerized addictive aided design based on manufacturing system that is digitally integrated, has been modified, built, and designed. The system refers to the smart manufacturing sectoral (smart manufacturing) which to answer the challenges of industrial revolution 4.0, namely the purpose for efficiency of the distance, cost efficiency, time efficiency, quality improvement and increased flexibility. The concept of manufacturing systems with fused deposition modelling 3D printers integrated with the internet or intranet has been modified, for the purpose to connected each other under one platform being namely as category as a Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) system. A synthesis between the production room and the customer, real-time depiction of 3D CAD users can be presented and connected directly to the manufacturing locations where the desired product is located. Seeing this as an opportunity growing for the industrial society, the author conducted research to modified and collaborate the system. The method used in this study was carried out with rapid application design or better known as Rapid Application Development/RAD aimed at simplifying and accelerating the design of the system for 3D print web application system. CAD drawings can be processed from the user’s device to the main webserver and then forwarded into the operator’s production system space, resulting in a final product/finished goods, with no restrictions on distance, area and allows low production costs (low production costs). The results of this study represent the manufacturing industrial that is being supported by the application of information technology, where are manufacturing is connected with IoT (Internet of Things). Presenting the benefits of the Industry 4.0 concept. The customization system to be able to add value added for the competitiveness small and medium companies in Indonesia on manufacturing process and can support micro economic growth.

Additive Manufacturing at the BAM: Focus on Safety

Abstract In Germany, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is addressing challenges in the implementation of additive manufacturing on the industrial landscape for safety-critical applications. This article provides an overview of BAM’s activities in additive manufacturing with a focus on safety (both for applications and the environment) and AM technology innovation for a wide range of materials and manufacturing locations.

Exploring current enablers and barriers for sustainable proximity manufacturing

Purpose Amidst offshoring and reshoring trends, the purpose of this paper is to explore why business practitioners, especially from the labour-intensive clothing industry, choose to manufacture some products in proximity to the high-cost European market. Moreover, the rise of sustainability concerns led us to further explore whether these reasons relate to triple bottom line (TBL): business, environment and society. Design/methodology/approach The content analysis was adopted for within-case and cross-case analysis of data from semi-structured interviews of managers from 12 clothing companies. Findings Within-case analysis showed enablers and barriers (factors) of proximity manufacturing within each company’s characteristics under TBL. Cross-case analysis showed the most-mentioned enablers (high-quality suppliers, short lead-time and fast replenishment) and barriers (expensive production cost and lack of industrial set-up and seamstresses). The findings revealed both common and different factors from existing studies. Research limitations/implications Besides being motives for companies to bring manufacturing back to Europe, the results can be used by researchers and companies to develop criteria and performance measures of manufacturing locations for enhancing the TBL sustainability. Future research may explore different locations and industries for possibilities of proximity–manufacturing generalisation. Social implications Findings show that governments could focus on eliminating barriers of proximity manufacturing and creating favourable institutional infrastructure for the European clothing industry and sustainability. Originality/value This paper highlights updated proximity–manufacturing factors from practices in relation to TBL sustainability, including support for proximity manufacturing as a practice for TBL enhancement.

Eighteenth-and Nineteenth-Century Gunflint Assemblages: Understanding Use, Trade, and Variability in the Southeastern United States

Gunflint production variability and its association with specific manufacturing locations have been used as mechanisms for understanding distribution networks between European powers, Indigenous peoples, and settlers in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Americas. Gunflint production mechanisms and scale varies between production locations, but recent studies illustrate that the spatial and temporal variability in production activities is more diverse than previously thought. Here we examine three gunflint assemblages from eighteenth-and nineteenth-century sites in Louisiana to address gunflint production variability’s relationship with temporal differences and changing economic networks. Broadly, this study finds greater variability in exchange of gunflints than previously thought and suggests that interactions between European colonial powers and their colonies were more complex and nuanced than previously suspected.

Comparative life cycle assessment of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles addressing capacity fade

Lithium-ion batteries are currently used in electric vehicles (EVs) with many advantages; however, batteries contribute significantly to the life cycle environmental impacts of these vehicles. This article presents a comparative life cycle assessment of two types of batteries – lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4) and lithium ion phosphate (LiFePO4) – frequently used in EVs, addressing real-life operational conditions and battery capacity fade. The influence of the location of battery manufacturing and vehicle charging (electricity mix) was also assessed. A life cycle model of batteries in an EV with a service life of 200 000 km (functional unit) was implemented to assess Primary Fossil Energy, Global Warming, Acidification, and Eutrophication impacts. Moreover, the environmental performance of EVs considering both battery types was evaluated. The LiFePO4 battery had better operational performance than the LiMn2O4 one and fewer batteries were needed over the EV service life. Conversely, the life cycle impacts of the LiFePO4 batteries were higher than the LiMn2O4 ones mainly due to higher manufacturing impacts. In countries with a mix based on renewable electricity, the battery production is the most important contributor to impacts, while in countries with electricity mostly from fossil sources, the use phase is the most important. For both battery types and most impact categories, the environmental impacts of EVs were highly dependent on the usage scenario and the electricity mix used for charging.

Technology cost drivers for a potential transition to decentralized manufacturing

Popular dialogue around additive manufacturing (AM) often assumes that AM will cause a move from centralized to distributed manufacturing. However, distributed configurations can face additional hurdles to achieve economies of scale. We combine a Process-Based Cost Model and an optimization model to analyze the optimal location and number of manufacturing sites, and the tradeoffs between production, transportation and inventory costs. We use as a case study the commercial aviation maintenance market and a titanium jet engine bracket as an exemplar of a class of parts that are not flight-critical. We run our analysis for three different scenarios, one corresponding to the current state of the technology, and two which represent potential improvements in AM technology. Our results suggest that the cost-minimizing number of manufacturing locations does not vary significantly when taking into account a range of plausible improvements in the technology. In this case, distributed manufacturing is only favorable for a set of non-critical components that can be produced on the same equipment with minimal certification requirements and whose annual demand is in the tens of thousands. Distributed manufacturing is attractive at lower volumes for components that require no hot isostatic pressing.

Investigation of the source, morphology, and trace elements associated with atmospheric PM10 and human health risks due to inhalation of carcinogenic elements at Dehradun, an Indo-Himalayan city

To study the physical and chemical properties of atmospheric particulate matter over Dehradun city located along the foothills of the Himalayas, both in situ and satellite-based observations were utilized in the present research. Ambient respirable suspended particles denoted by PM10 (atmospheric particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 10 µm) was measured during 2016–2017. The morphology and elemental characteristics of PM10 was studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. The 24-h mean ± standard deviation of PM10 was observed to be 158.6 ± 33.4 µg/m3, which is more than 2 times the permissible limit of World Health Organization (50 µg/m3). Microscopic analysis revealed particles with irregular, porous, rounded, flaky, chain and branched structures indicating various types such as tar balls, soot, crystalline and biogenic particles. The frequently found particle types were investigated for the atomic percentage contribution, which revealed vehicular exhaust, industrial emission, biomass burning, and crustal/dust re-suspension as the chief source of PM10. To delineate the source and transport pathway of air masses converging over the city, 24-h air mass back trajectories were associated with MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer derived fire spots, geographical location of cement manufacturing and thermal power plants in the vicinity of monitoring site. Excess cancer risk due to inhalation of Lead particles (mean = 0.159 µg/m3) associated with PM10 was 0.16 × 10−6, which is well below the safe limit (1 × 10−6) framed by the United States Environment Protection Agency.

Extrinsic cues, perceived quality, and purchase intention for private labels

PurposeBased on the cue utilization theory and congruity theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of perceived quality on the relationships between category characteristics and purchase intention for private labels.Design/methodology/approachTo examine the research hypotheses, the authors conducted a questionnaire survey on 703 adult consumers in China.FindingsThe results show that perceived quality fully mediates the relationships between category complexity, risk importance, category quality variation, product signatureness and purchase intention. In addition, consumers’ knowledge moderates the relationship between perceived quality and purchase intention. The implications and future research directions are discussed in this study.Originality/valueThe results show that the category complexity is positively related to consumers’ perceived quality. Although opposite to the conclusions in prior research, the findings are consistent with the unique phenomenon in China, that is, to label the name and location of the contract manufacturers. The authors investigate the moderating role of consumer knowledge, which will provide meaningful guidance for the Chinese retailing market.

Facility location and scale optimisation in closed-loop supply chain

This paper solves a strategic-level decision problem on determining the optimal location of (re)manufacturers and logistics centres with the consideration of facility scales in an integrated closed-loop supply chain network. A two-stage stochastic mixed-integer non-linear programming model is established to minimise the fixed cost and the expected operation costs under uncertain demand and return. We develop an improved tabu search heuristic algorithm to solve the model. We also design a distance-based decision rule to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model. Numerical experiments are conducted to test the performance of the proposed model and the solution method. In addition, sensitivity analysis is provided to investigate the influences of varying inspection locations and recovery rates on the final performance.