Manufacturing Process Innovation Research Articles

Bridging Nanomanufacturing and Artificial Intelligence-A Comprehensive Review.

Nanomanufacturing and digital manufacturing (DM) are defining the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution-Industry 4.0-as enabling technologies for the processing of materials spanning several length scales. This review delineates the evolution of nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing in the digital age for applications in medicine, robotics, sensory technology, semiconductors, and consumer electronics. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to explore nanomaterial synthesis, optimize nanomanufacturing processes, and aid high-fidelity nanoscale characterization is discussed. This paper elaborates on different machine-learning and deep-learning algorithms for analyzing nanoscale images, designing nanomaterials, and nano quality assurance. The challenges associated with the application of machine- and deep-learning models to achieve robust and accurate predictions are outlined. The prospects of incorporating sophisticated AI algorithms such as reinforced learning, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), big data analytics for material synthesis, manufacturing process innovation, and nanosystem integration are discussed.

Feasibility analysis of automation for commercial construction project

The use of automation technology in the construction sector may cover a wide variety of operations, from the early design stage through on-site building construction, building maintenance, building control, and finally building disassembly or demolition. The extent of automation adoption varies greatly from one construction phase to the next. These days, as opposed to using automation for on-site operations, the use of automation in the construction sector has several important advantages, including increased worker safety at work, improved quality and cost-effectiveness above that of trained labor, and increased productivity and job efficiency. Research gaps need to be filled to address automated manufacturing process innovation. This study has been carried out most promising areas where automation is required with the help of scientific analysis through a questionnaire survey. This study identifies critical areas for improvement in automation in the work process in commercial construction projects. The respondents comprised site engineers, project managers, and supervisors of construction firms. The relative importance index is used in this study. Using the results of this study, categorized the primary variables for improvement like workers' safety alert procedures, reducing labor cost and construction delay, core test team under multiple projects, impropriate construction method, and better quality of life of the structure.

Impact of regulatory intervention on green technology and innovation investment of the NEV automaker

In response to the government’s call for sustainable development, many manufacturers invest in green technologies to reduce emissions in the production process. However, many energy-using products, such as electric vehicles, would also generate an environmental impact in the use stage. Meanwhile, previous studies on regulatory intervention only investigate how to limit emissions in the production process ignoring environmental benefits in the use process. Driven by these problems, this paper studies the new energy vehicle (NEV) automaker’s green technology investment to reduce emissions in the manufacturing process and green innovation investment in reducing environmental impacts in the use stage. Moreover, this paper also analyzes the impact of regulatory intervention on green investment. Our results show, firstly, only when the direct subsidy to the consumer is small, green innovation subsidy is superior to product subsidy in increasing innovation investment. Moreover, when the emission-reducing subsidy rate is large, the emission-reducing subsidy is superior to cap-and-trade regulation in terms of increasing green technology investment. Secondly, when the subsidy to the NEV automaker is in the middle, the green innovation subsidy can reach an equilibrium from the perspectives of economic benefit, consumer surplus, environmental benefit, and social welfare. Thirdly, from the perspective of environmental benefit, emission-reduction subsidy is always better than cap-and-trade, while from the perspectives of economic benefit and social welfare, cap-and-trade is the best choice in most cases.

Novelty and scope of process innovation: The role of related and unrelated manufacturing experience

The accumulation of experience that occurs with production is likely to impact an organization's ability to develop manufacturing process innovations. However, how different types of manufacturing experience relate to the characteristics of an organization's process innovation output is an open question. In this study, we investigate how a firm's accumulated related and unrelated manufacturing experiences are associated with this firm's ability to innovate its production methods. To characterize firms' process innovation output, we observe their portfolios of patented manufacturing inventions, which we qualitatively evaluate over time, through a unique collaboration with expert patent attorneys, along two critical dimensions: novelty and scope. We argue that related manufacturing experience leads to a better understanding of parts of the focal product's technological landscape that will allow the development of inventions of broader scope. However, it may also contribute to inertia in that it might restrict the firm's innovative activity to more familiar regions of the landscape, thereby limiting inventions' novelty. Conversely, manufacturing experience with products that are unrelated to the focal product is expected to stimulate and support a broader search that includes more distant regions of the focal product's technological landscape, which would lead to more novel manufacturing inventions. Yet, the application of this unrelated experience to the production of the focal product is likely to require additional exploratory effort in a not‐well‐understood region of the focal product's landscape, likely resulting in inventions of limited scope. In line with our hypotheses, we find that related (unrelated) manufacturing experience is positively (negatively) associated with inventions' scope, and negatively (positively) associated with inventions' novelty. In addition to supporting the relevance of a multidimensional evaluation of innovations, our findings provide practical guidance regarding the strategic implications of a firm's knowledge management.

Nouryon launches Expancel® HP92 microspheres for automotive underbody coatings and sealants

On June 7, Nouryon introduced Expancel® HP92 microspheres, a thermoplastic microsphere fillers innovation in high-pressure manufacturing processes for the automotive industry, intended to reduce weight and withstand high pressure in underbody coatings and sealants for the automotive industry.

Influence of Quality on Manufacturing Processes in Enterprises from the Perspective of Generating Value Added

Objective - In the current dynamic and competitive business environment, in the age of Industry 4.0, implementation of the overall quality management enables enterprises to expand their markets and at the same time to adjust to new conditions of global trade. The objective of the paper submitted is to determine the impact of qualitative processes in the manufacturing environment on the process added value and added value for customers. Methodology – In the research, the method of Value Stream Map (VSM) was used, and the extended method of Quality Value Stream Map (QVSM). The research was focused on manufacturing operations, where the emphasis is put on the parameter of quality in a model enterprise environment in the sector of mass production. Findings – The main output of the research was to determine the parameters which significantly affect the corporate manufacturing process in terms of its quality. The research also aimed to create a current Value Stream Map identifying the key manufacturing operations, in which quality contributes most to the creation of value-added. Novelty – Empirical results indicate that there is a difference between the analysis of the process added value and the analysis of added value for customers. It has been confirmed that at the time of Industry 4.0, SMEs still underestimate the importance of quality-related activities compared to large enterprises. It has been found that quality-related operations as such participate indirectly in the generation of added value in the manufacturing process but optimization and innovation of quality-related activities within the manufacturing process may indirectly add value to the main (value-generating) processes. Type of Paper - Empirical Keywords: Quality Value Stream Map, Value Stream Map, Quality Management, Added Value For The Customer, Production Process. JEL Classification: M2, O3, R1.

Manufacturing Process Innovations and the Economic Value of Pharmaceuticals

Manufacturing Process Innovations and the Economic Value of Pharmaceuticals

Manufacturing Process Innovation in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Problem definition: Process innovation is commonly claimed to be a major source of competitive advantage for firms. Despite this perceived influence, it has received substantially less attention than product innovation, and much uncertainty remains about its true association with firm performance. We investigate the relationship between a pharmaceutical firm’s portfolio of manufacturing process innovations and its economic performance. Academic/practical relevance: We uniquely conduct a multidimensional evaluation of a firm’s portfolio of manufacturing process innovations at the product level. This allows a quantitative evaluation of both the relative benefit of the different dimensions of a portfolio as well as the potential complementarities between these in different technological landscapes. Methodology: Through a collaboration with expert patent attorneys, we develop a unique longitudinal data set that combines secondary data and evaluations of a firm’s portfolio of process patents along two key dimensions: novelty and scope. We conduct econometric analyses for a large-scale sample of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) whose product patents have expired and for which process innovation is thus the main source of competitive advantage. Results: We find a positive association between the presence of manufacturing process innovation and firm performance. However, although portfolio’s scope appears to always be beneficial to performance, the effect of novelty alone depends on the ruggedness of the technological landscape: negative in smoother landscapes and positive in more rugged landscapes. Results further suggest that novelty and scope of a portfolio of process innovations are complementary across technological landscapes. Managerial implications: Our results provide important practical insights that can inform the organization and execution of the research and development process across high-technology industries. In particular, although process innovations can be economically beneficial, investing in high-novelty process innovations without a corresponding high scope could jeopardize payoffs, especially in technological landscapes that are relatively smooth.

Knowledge-Driven Manufacturing Process Innovation: A Case Study on Problem Solving in Micro-Turbine Machining.

Micromachining techniques have been applied widely to many industrial sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and precision instruments. However, due to their high-precision machining requirements, and the knowledge-intensive characteristics of miniaturized parts, complex manufacturing process problems often hinder production. To solve these problems, a systematic scheme for structured micromachining process problem solving and an innovation support system is required. This paper presents a knowledge-based holistic framework that enables process planners to achieve micromachining innovation design. By analyzing innovation design procedures and available knowledge sources, an open multi-source Machining Process Innovation Knowledge (MPIK) acquisition paradigm is presented, including knowledge units and a knowledge network. Further, a MPIK network-driven structured process problem-solving and heuristic innovation design method was explored. Subsequently, a knowledge-driven heuristic design system for machining process innovation was integrated in the Computer-Aided Process Innovation (CAPI) platform. Finally, a case study involving specific process problem-solving and innovation scheme design for micro-turbine machining was studied to validate the proposed approach.

Manufacturing Process Innovation Deployment Readiness from an Extended People, Process, and Technology Framework Viewpoint

Advances in digital technologies, amongst others, present process innovation opportunities in manufacturing which if appropriately exploited will increase performance and productivity. Central to successful implementation of process innovation initiatives is adequate preparation during pre-implementation phase and ensuring that the business is ready prior to the deployment of their process innovation initiatives. Akin to digital transformation, key elements of process innovation deployment include people, process, and technology. An understanding of these key elements of process innovation deployment readiness will help towards achieving successful implementation outcome. This paper explores manufacturing process innovation deployment readiness from an extended people, process, and technology framework perspective. The extension adds to the traditional PPT framework the context of the deployment. Attributes of manufacturing process innovation deployment readiness were obtained from the literature and the derived attributes form the basis for discussing the extended PPT view of deployment readiness. It is concluded that failure to either consider or grossly underestimate the role of people, processes, technology, and the context of the deployment will undermine implementations of process innovation in manufacturing.

Manufacturing, Supply and Pricing of Pharmaceuticals: Lessons from Biologically-Derived Products

Societal benefits of improving the efficiency of manufacturing biologics can be large given static impacts on product supply, availability and prices as well as dynamic impacts on future product R&D. This paper examines the static impacts of manufacturing process innovations using a dataset of biologically-derived pharmaceutical products: penicillins, hepatitis B vaccines, measles-mumps-rubellla vaccines, influenza vaccines and poliomyelitis vaccines. It finds that biologically-derived pharmaceuticals manufactured with cost-reducing process innovations tend to have, on average, a higher product density and lower prices. It did not, however find any strong evidence that products made with cost-reducing process innovations have lower hazards of exit relative to those made with cost-increasing process innovations. The results suggest that investing in bioprocess development (pharmaceutical manufacturing research) may provide a means of avoiding supply shortages and facilitating price competition to support expanded access to and affordability of the current and emerging cohorts of biologics.

Ultrafast Laser Applications in Manufacturing Processes: A State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract With the invention of chirped pulse amplification for lasers in the mid-1980s, high power ultrafast lasers entered into the world as a disruptive tool, with potential impact on a broad range of application areas. Since then, ultrafast lasers have revolutionized laser–matter interaction and unleashed their potential applications in manufacturing processes. With unprecedented short pulse duration and high laser intensity, focused optical energy can be delivered to precisely define material locations on a time scale much faster than thermal diffusion to the surrounding area. This unique characteristic has fundamentally changed the way laser interacts with matter and enabled numerous manufacturing innovations over the past few decades. In this paper, an overview of ultrafast laser technology with an emphasis on femtosecond laser is provided first, including its development, type, working principle, and characteristics. Then, ultrafast laser applications in manufacturing processes are reviewed, with a focus on micro/nanomachining, surface structuring, thin film scribing, machining in bulk of materials, additive manufacturing, bio manufacturing, super high resolution machining, and numerical simulation. Both fundamental studies and process development are covered in this review. Insights gained on ultrafast laser interaction with matter through both theoretical and numerical researches are summarized. Manufacturing process innovations targeting various application areas are described. Industrial applications of ultrafast laser-based manufacturing processes are illustrated. Finally, future research directions in ultrafast laser-based manufacturing processes are discussed.

Liposomes: Advancements and innovation in the manufacturing process.

Liposomes are well recognised as effective drug delivery systems, with a range of products approved, including follow on generic products. Current manufacturing processes used to produce liposomes are generally complex multi-batch processes. Furthermore, liposome preparation processes adopted in the laboratory setting do not offer easy translation to large scale production, which may delay the development and adoption of new liposomal systems. To promote advancement and innovation in liposome manufacturing processes, this review considers the range of manufacturing processes available for liposomes, from laboratory scale and scale up, through to large-scale manufacture and evaluates their advantages and limitations. The regulatory considerations associated with the manufacture of liposomes is also discussed. New innovations that support leaner scalable technologies for liposome fabrication are outlined including self-assembling liposome systems and microfluidic production. The critical process attributes that impact on the liposome product attributes are outlined to support potential wider adoption of these innovations.

Big Data Analytics in Industry 4.0: Sustainable Industrial Value Creation, Manufacturing Process Innovation, and Networked Production Structures

Big Data Analytics in Industry 4.0: Sustainable Industrial Value Creation, Manufacturing Process Innovation, and Networked Production Structures

Cyber-Physical Production Systems in Industry 4.0: Smart Factory Performance, Innovation-driven Manufacturing Process Innovation, and Sustainable Supply Chain Networks

Cyber-Physical Production Systems in Industry 4.0: Smart Factory Performance, Innovation-driven Manufacturing Process Innovation, and Sustainable Supply Chain Networks

High Performance of Ceramics and Manufacturing Process Innovation

High Performance of Ceramics and Manufacturing Process Innovation

An Integrated Open Approach to Capturing Systematic Knowledge for Manufacturing Process Innovation Based on Collective Intelligence

Process innovation plays a vital role in the manufacture realization of increasingly complex new products, especially in the context of sustainable development and cleaner production. Knowledge-based innovation design can inspire designers’ creative thinking; however, the existing scattered knowledge has not yet been properly captured and organized according to Computer-Aided Process Innovation (CAPI). Therefore, this paper proposes an integrated approach to tackle this non-trivial issue. By analyzing the design process of CAPI and technical features of open innovation, a novel holistic paradigm of process innovation knowledge capture based on collective intelligence (PIKC-CI) is constructed from the perspective of the knowledge life cycle. Then, a multi-source innovation knowledge fusion algorithm based on semantic elements reconfiguration is applied to form new public knowledge. To ensure the credibility and orderliness of innovation knowledge refinement, a collaborative editing strategy based on knowledge lock and knowledge–social trust degree is explored. Finally, a knowledge management system MPI-OKCS integrating the proposed techniques is implemented into the pre-built CAPI general platform, and a welding process innovation example is provided to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed approach. It is expected that our work would lay the foundation for the future knowledge-inspired CAPI and smart process planning.

Characterization of mechanical properties and fracture mode of additively manufactured carbon fiber and glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics

Continuous fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been used for many applications to create strong yet lightweight products due to their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. Aerospace [1], automotive [2], and sport [3]industries are three of the few industries that have been using FRP composites. The increasing need for prototyping and customization of fiber reinforced polymer composite parts is prompting innovations in new manufacturing processes to realize short manufacturing cycle time and low production cost, which is challenging to accomplish using conventional molding process. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) - a material extrusion additive manufacturing (AM) technique trademarked as fused deposition modelling (FDM) by Stratasys- holds promise to achieve low-cost production on continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (FRTP) composites. In this paper, the FFF technique is employed to fabricate continuous carbon and glass FRTP composites and its microstructural characteristics and the resulting tensile, flexural, and quasi-static indentation characteristics of the printed composites are examined. Additionally, the fracture behavior of each test sample is evaluated and discussed in detail.

Team diversity and manufacturing process innovation performance: the moderating role of technology maturity

This research studies how technological maturity in manufacturing process innovation (MPI) projects moderates the impacts of different types of team diversity on technical success. While researchers consider the variety aspect of team diversity to be beneficial as a rich source of information, they consider disparity and separation to be detrimental as sources of social barriers to information processing. However, demographic manifestations of diversity involve a combination of these aspects. We therefore posit that technology maturity is an important moderator which may raise or lower the influence of one diversity aspect over another. Specifically, we examine five manifestations of project team diversity, including three types of variety (functional variety, full-time/part-time variety, location tenure variety) and two types of disparity (education level disparity, experience level disparity). Results from 183 MPI projects in US companies indicate that technology maturity negatively moderates the relationship between functional variety and MPI technical performance. It positively moderates the relationships between experience level disparity and MPI technical performance, and between location tenure variety and MPI technical performance. The impacts of education level disparity and full-time/part-time variety do not appear to be moderated by technology maturity.

Extraction of Principle Knowledge from Process Patents for Manufacturing Process Innovation

Process patents contain substantial knowledge of the principles behind manufacturing process problems-solving; however, this knowledge is implicit in lengthy texts and cannot be directly reused in innovation design. To effectively support systematic manufacturing process innovation, this paper presents an approach to extracting principle innovation knowledge from process patents. The proposed approach consists of (1) classifying process patents by taking process method, manufacturing object and manufacturing feature as the references; (2) extracting generalized process contradiction parameters and the principles behind solving such process contradictions based on patent mining and technology abstraction of TRIZ (the theory of inventive problem solving); and (3) constructing a domain process contradiction matrix and mapping the relationship between the matrix and the corresponding process patents. Finally, a case study is presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed approach.