Material Supply Chain Research Articles

Dynamic Adaptability and Prediction Optimization in Power Material Supply Chains Using XGBoost

Dynamic Adaptability and Prediction Optimization in Power Material Supply Chains Using XGBoost

Optimization of underground mining production layouts considering geological uncertainty using deep reinforcement learning

Mineral extraction plays a key role in the global raw materials supply chain, however the exhaustion of shallow deposits and typical scarcity of sampled data during exploration activities creates challenges in mine planning and design, where decision-making is highly sensitive to uncertainty in geology and mineral grade prediction. Geostatistical techniques are commonly used to generate a set of equiprobable simulated numerical models to capture these uncertainties, however incorporating these simulated models within a mine planning and design framework remains a major challenge. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel approach to decision-making in underground mine design that can use information from an ensemble of numerical realizations of a mineral resource to improve the financial performance of the asset. A deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework, using the proximal policy optimization (PPO) algorithm, is developed for the design of underground mining production level layouts. A case study is presented using a gold mineral resource characterized by an ensemble of 100 numerical realizations to verify the advantages of the proposed method, considering a baseline consisting of an industry standard automated design method. The DRL approach achieved an 8.3% higher expected profit, a 3.4% more gold mined than the baseline, and has the added functionality of considering uncertainty in mineral grades.

Research on Dynamic Adaptation of Supply and Demand of Power Emergency Materials based on Cohesive Hierarchical Clustering

Taking the dynamic adaptation of supply and demand of emergency materials as the research object, the condensed analytic hierarchy process was used to analyze the supply and demand risk factors in the supply chain of emergency materials from the supply side and the demand side. A new two-objective optimization model based on cohesive hierarchical clustering and electricity is proposed. Three distribution schemes are developed based on customer demand, shortest transportation time and the combination of both. When the overall satisfaction of the supply chain is the highest, the total revenue is maximized, which is suitable for the optimization of the supply chain of emergency materials under emergencies. Firstly, the power data and behavior data of power users are cross-analyzed to obtain the typical data characteristics of power users. Secondly, the cohesive hierarchical clustering algorithm is used to analyze the power users, and the cohesive hierarchical clustering algorithm is used to improve the calculation operation of score similarity. The adjustment factor is introduced to improve the calculation operation, and the comprehensive weight of each emergency point is determined as the parameter of the objective function by considering the subjective and objective factors that affect the importance of emergency points. Finally, through the simulation analysis of an emergency materials scheduling based on electric power, and compared with the results of random scheduling, the science and effectiveness of the proposed model are verified.

The Isotopic Limit of Recycling

Despite advances in recycling technologies and practices, the world still mostly operates on a once-through materials use cycle. The once-through approach to the materials supply chain cannot work into perpetuity. The vast majority of current recycling efforts focus on mechanical or chemical separation-based techniques and are often subsequently limited on the number of times a component can be recycled or upcycled. By looking at things from a particle physics and nuclear history perspective, we propose a thought experiment to determine the physical limit of recycling and propose subsequent limits and standards to evaluate all recycling efforts. This uncommon approach to analysis demonstrates that the current limits to recycling are not physical in nature but engineering.

Single-use technologies in bio manufacturing: benefits and implementation challenges

Single-use technologies (SUT) have revolutionized the bio manufacturing industry by offering flexibility, cost efficiency, and improved contamination control. Initially adopted for simpler processes, SUT has expanded to complex bioprocessing operations, driven by the growing demand for biologics, vaccines, and personalized medicines. This review explores the benefits of SUT, including reduced capital and operational expenditures, faster setup and turnaround times, and enhanced product safety. The scalability of SUT allows for rapid adaptation to market demands, significantly accelerating the time-to-market for critical therapies. However, the implementation of SUT is not without challenges. Material compatibility, leachables, waste management, and supply chain reliability pose significant hurdles. Moreover, regulatory and validation challenges complicate the adoption of these technologies in large-scale production. Case studies, including the rapid deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and the production of monoclonal antibodies, illustrate SUT's practical applications and benefits. The review also examines future trends, highlighting advances in materials, automation, and digital integration, as well as the expanding applications of SUT in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. As the bio manufacturing landscape continues to evolve, SUT will play a crucial role in meeting the industry's growing needs, provided the challenges associated with its implementation are effectively managed.

Insights into centralized procurement for construction material supply chain: a study in Sri Lanka

Insights into centralized procurement for construction material supply chain: a study in Sri Lanka

Integrating material flow analysis and supply chain resilience analysis to study silicon carbide

AbstractSilicon carbide (SiC) is a niche nonmetallic material that is essential in many industrial processes. Here, we integrate material flow analysis and supply chain resilience analysis to understand global SiC stocks and flows and to assess its supply chain. We use industry interviews to fill data gaps and collect information on the SiC system to overcome data scarcity. We find that globally around 1000 kt of SiC is produced each year. The biggest use of SiC is the abrasives industry (40%), followed by metallurgy (28%), refractories (20%), technical ceramics (0.7%), other uses (0.7%), and semiconductors (0.01%). As an energy‐intensive material, the SiC supply chain is under pressure, increasing the relevance of resilience considerations. Besides typical supply chain risks such as low diversity of supply and geopolitical trade restrictions, SiC particularly faces risks due to its energy‐intensive production process and associated emissions. In the SiC semiconductor supply chain, losses of nearly 75% are a particular issue. Due to high demand in the SiC market, stockpiles are negligible, and substitution is difficult in most sectors. We find that in the case of SiC, sustainability measures such as use reduction, recycling, or decreasing energy use or emissions would also positively contribute to supply chain resilience. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Providing a framework to optimize the sustainable construction material supply chain with the possibility of horizontal transfers

The application of Supply Chain Management (SCM) principles has gained considerable attention across various industries to enhance operational efficiency and business performance. In the construction sector, SCM can guide managers in strategic planning and foster collaboration with suppliers, leading to more effective project execution. Despite its importance, limited research has focused on designing sustainable supply chains for construction materials under uncertain conditions. This study aims to bridge this gap by introducing a robust optimization framework that incorporates sustainable development criteria, specifically the minimization of harmful environmental effects and the reduction of worker unemployment. Additionally, the research introduces an innovative concept of horizontal transfers between downstream members, which not only reduces supply deficiencies but also indirectly increases profitability for these members. This article is a part of a Doctoral dissertation. It follows a two-step approach. First, suppliers of construction materials are ranked based on sustainable development criteria using a multi-criteria decision-making method. The best-ranked supplier is then integrated into a mathematical model for optimizing the supply chain design. Given the NP-hard nature of the problem, the CPLEX 12.1 solver with the epsilon constraint method is used to solve small-scale models. For larger-scale problems, three meta-heuristic algorithms are developed: multi-objective ant-lion, multi-objective gray wolf, and multi-objective dragonfly. The results show that while both the ant-lion and gray wolf algorithms deliver comparable average performance, the gray wolf algorithm excels in terms of solution time, making it more effective for real-time problem-solving. This makes the gray wolf algorithm the most efficient choice for addressing large-scale, multi-objective supply chain challenges. This research introduces a novel framework for designing sustainable construction supply chains under uncertain conditions. By focusing on criteria such as minimizing harmful environmental effects and reducing worker unemployment, this study addresses key aspects of sustainable development. Additionally, the innovative horizontal transfer mechanism and the insights into algorithmic performance provide valuable contributions to the field, especially for real-world applications in the construction industry.

Purification of T7 RNA polymerase for large scale production of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics

The COVID-19 Pandemic has revolutionized the field of mRNA vaccine technology, highlighting its utility and rapidly expanding potential, propelling it to the forefront of future vaccines & therapeutics for cryptic diseases. T7 RNA Polymerase (T7 RNAP) is a high-fidelity enzyme used for the synthesis of single-stranded mRNA from DNA templates using In vitro transcription (IVT). T7 RNAP is now the mainstay for the development of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, accounting for 34 % of the overall raw material cost for mRNA manufacturing. Although small-scale purification processes for T7 RNAP exist, scalable process platforms and comprehensive analytical characterization are still lacking. Moreover, to address global raw material supply chain issues and to facilitate the efficient and large-scale production of mRNA vaccines & therapeutics, here we report a three-step purification process platform, yielding ∼ 85–100 mg/L of T7 RNAP from E. coli fermentation harvest. Also, to demonstrate its high-level purity and structural integrity, we have characterized it using orthogonal analytical techniques. Furthermore, when evaluated in an IVT system, this highly pure T7 RNAP showed activity that was comparable to the commercial T7 RNAP in producing integral RNA (10 kb) from a linearized plasmid DNA template. Collectively, these findings establish a purification process platform for the commercial production of T7 RNAP enzyme to support the future development of mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics.

Market Evolution and Consumer Trends in Poland's Confectionery Industry

The Polish confectionery market is considered to be one of the most developed and dynamic markets in the world. But in recent years, the Polish food industry has faced a sharp increase in production and marketing costs, disruptions in the supply chains of raw materials, consumables and packaging, as well as the loss of traditional sales markets due to the war in Ukraine. The study of the peculiarities of the Polish confectionery market made it possible to assess the main indicators of the Polish market of confectionery goods of all categories, as well as its volume and trends. The article analyzes the situation on the Polish confectionery market, including production, export, import, consumption, geographic location of the market, levels of competition and development of the market's production and transport infrastructure. It was concluded that during 2022 there was a 12% increase in the volume of production of confectionery goods of all categories. At the same time the manufacture of Polish flour confectionery products increased by 19.3%. The growth rates of production of cocoa–rich and sugar sweets were 3.8% and 6.8%, respectively. About 50–70% of manufactured products are exported by Polish manufacturers. It is necessary to mention that during 2022 a record number of products were exported from Poland, exceeding the similar figures of the previous year by 13.8%. Meanwhile, despite the presence of developed domestic production of confectionery goods in Poland, the volume of imported supplies traditionally remains high and increased by 7.8% in 2022. At the same time, the level of competition in the Polish domestic market for flour, cocoa–rich/chocolate and sugar confectionery products is estimated as high. The level of the market's production and transport infrastructure is rated as developed.

BUSINESS PLAN ANALYSIS OF HEALTHYLE

Catfish is a popular and affordable fishery product enjoyed by many. Healthyle, which stands for Healthy Lele, was established in 2023 to sell instant frozen catfish products, including ready-to-fry catfish and catfish katsu. These products are made from catfish farmed according to Good Fish Farming Practices (CBIB) and are halal certified. The catfish farming operation began in 2021. This study aims to analyzing Healthyle's marketing and operational strategies. This research uses data collection techniques carried out is secondary data. The result of this study is Healthyle's business plan highlights the need for comprehensive analysis to refine marketing and operational strategies. Despite a broad market for catfish in Jabodetabek and West Java, Healthyle’s marketing remains traditional and underutilized. The pricing is competitive, and the supply chain for raw materials is secure, suggesting that enhancing marketing efforts could significantly improve sales performance.

Corporate farming model for sustainable supply chain crude palm oil of independent smallholder farmers

Independent oil palm smallholders in Indonesia contributed significantly to the sustainable of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) supply chain. On the other hand, sustainability in the process of implementing the supply chain system for independent smallholders is an issue that is extremely important for the success of the supply chain system for the CPO company. This study’s objective is to develop an alternative business model with the goal of strengthening the interaction that already exists between independent farmers and cooperatives in ensuring the existence of a supply chain for raw materials and having access to financial resources, knowledge, and technology. The selection of the research location considered several factors, including the size of the area’s oil palm plantations, the number of oil palm farmers who are self-sufficient, and the possibility of locating CPO plant. Study findings that, the new model by business canvas analysis as the upgraded model of existing model business recommended that it should be built based on the cooperative palm oil family which provides farmers with access to financial, replanting, intensification, and extensification and infrastructure by APKASINDO, BPDPKS, Bank, and other stakeholders to sustain the FFB supply chain in cooperation through a partnership program in a long-term scheme. This whole system was developed by corporate farming system based on the cooperative as the off taker of FFB farmers and develop mini plant CPO to produce cooking oil and biofuels and by product as the waste management system as the value added for farmers.

Decarbonizing lithium-ion battery primary raw materials supply chain

Decarbonizing lithium-ion battery primary raw materials supply chain

Repurpose or recycle? Simulating end-of-life scenarios for electric vehicle batteries under the EU battery regulation

A high number of electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to reach end-of-(first)-life during the mobility transition, leaving large volumes of scarce materials behind. At the same time, shortages are expected in the supply chain for battery materials, emphasising the urgency to develop a circular economy for EV batteries. In this study, we investigated the market formation of repurposing and recycling by simulating long-term market dynamics. We quantitatively assessed the reinforcing and counteracting impact of the newly introduced EU battery regulation (2023/1542). We built a system dynamics model to capture the decision factors for repurposing or recycling end-of-life EV batteries. Our findings reveal that the EU battery regulation is effective when it comes to building the required recycling capacities. Our simulations highlight that the current recycling capacities are insufficient to meet the growing demand, thereby highlighting the need for investors to expand the current facilities. On the other hand, the EU battery regulation, which promotes recycling with mandatory recycling shares, leads to a considerable dropping of shares in the emerging repurposing market. Our study concludes that, to achieve a circular economy for EV batteries, balanced support for recycling and repurposing is needed. We call for a complementary policy framework that ensures that repurposing is an integral part of the closed-loop system.

An Integrated Circular Supply Chain Framework to Enhance Malaysian Business Performance

Businesses rely on supply chain management to suit the needs of global and multigenerational consumers. However, the current linear manufacturing and distribution supply chain strategy has been regarded as the source of dangerous waste generation, environmental deterioration, and the global warming phenomenon. In mitigating this issue, circular supply chain management, a practical integration model, is seen as the solution as it helps to reduce material flows and supply chain waste. Unfortunately, the fundamental mechanisms that can support its effective execution have not been comprehensively examined, hindering its complete incorporation into company strategy. Thus, to overcome this knowledge gap and improve organizational understanding, this study uses the systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) procedure to investigate the characteristics, enablers, and barriers of circular supply chain management. The study found five interconnected key structures: government, industry stakeholders, corporate management, end users, and financial institutions, all of which play important roles in the successful implementation of a circular supply chain strategy. As a result, close collaboration across the five identified stakeholders is essential to enable successful implementation. This study's objective is to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 9, and 12, which aim to promote peace and prosperity for people and the planet both now and in the future.

Information model for assessing the impact of tactical material procurement risks on order fulfillment in make-to-order manufacturing

Manufacturing businesses are showing increased interest in the issue of supply risks for materials and components. In recent decades, numerous studies and reviews have been published on the subject of supply chain risks. However, most research examines the global impact of risks on business as a whole and proposes a multi-level procedure for identifying, assessing, and developing risk mitigation measures, which should be carried out in advance with the involvement of specialists and experts. Nevertheless in maketo-order manufacturing, it is important to assess the risks of material supply for individual production orders, at the same time taking into account constant changes in production state and supply chains. The problem of assessing the risks of material supply gets even more complicated at enterprises with a high mix of manufactured products. To solve the above-mentioned problems, the authors propose an automated model for risks evaluation. The model is implemented as a component of the enterprise's information system (ERP) and uses data from the technological, production, inventory, and logistics modules to calculate the probability of deviation in order fulfillment time from the planned schedule due to potential disruptions in material supply chains. When executing the model, it analyzes the production's material requirements in both volumetric and calendar terms, inventory levels, and the condition of supply channels. The risks of delayed delivery for each material are expressed as the standard deviation of the delivery date from the planned date and are calculated by composing the risks for segments (elements) of the supply chain, the risks for which are, in turn, calculated based on performance data accumulated in the logistics module, with the possibility of introducing correction coefficients and expert evaluations. The overall risk of order material supply is determined by summing up the delivery risks of individual materials, expressed as the corresponding standard deviations. The model's results can be used for managerial decision-making in production and procurement or for communicating expected order fulfillment times to customers. The model has been tested at an enterprise in the electrical engineering industry.

Social risk assessment of the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles: Material supply chains in China, Japan, and South Korea

In order to reduce carbon emissions, the production of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) is being transitioned to the production of electric vehicles (EVs). However, the social unsustainability of this process needs further testing. This study explored the social risk characteristics of the transition from ICEVs to EVs based on the Social Hotspots Database (SHDB), combining with the Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) and the Marginal Analysis Method (MAM). Here, we revealed the differences in social risks in the material supply chains between China, Japan, and South Korea, which may create incentives for 100 % supply concentration in a hypothetical game. In terms of social risk, common substitution trends in the iron‑aluminum sector and synergy patterns in the copper-rubber sector were observed in the three countries. As a key factor influencing social risks, cost factor may change, and cost changes due to transition were mainly influenced by production adjustments and sourcing differences, reflecting differences in production capacity trends. This study makes it possible to consider ICEVs and EVs as two endpoints for transition activity in a SLCA exercise and provides valuable insights focusing on transition, aiding in material selection for future product design and underscoring the importance of proactive consideration of social sustainability indices.

Restoration seed and plant material supply chains are complex social networks

Previous studies have advanced the conceptual framing of a “supply chain” to describe and examine key steps, inputs, and flows related to the production and use of seed and plant material in ecological restoration. However, these studies have paid less attention to investigating interrelationships among social actors throughout the “supply chain” stages for ecological restoration and allied activities. We applied social network analysis metrics to evaluate the number, kind, and strength of relationships among 157 social actors in the nine‐state region of the Northeastern United States, where rapid growth in restoration activities is driving a demand surge for native seed and plant materials. Restoration supply chains are more complex than previous conceptualization suggests, and we argue that the term “restoration supply networks” is more illustrative of this complexity. Results highlighted interdependency among different sectors, marked variation in input and output flows across spatial–temporal scales, and interplay among linear and nonlinear supply chain steps. The restoration supply network in the study area had a core–periphery structure, with a core comprising end‐users such as government agencies, design and build contractors, and non‐profit organizations surrounded by a periphery of seed and plant material suppliers. It is important to avoid oversimplifying seed and plant material supply chains as linear systems with strong linkages. Understanding relationship patterns among supply network actors can enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration among actors in all key restoration supply chain steps, a prerequisite to overcoming seed and plant material bottlenecks and meeting global restoration goals in the coming decades.

SK 하이닉스의 HBM 경쟁력 요인과 향후 전략 분석

HBMs with higher performance and efficiency than current memory chips are in focus when AI comes. Due to the rapid increase in AI accelerator demand, semiconductor companies' interest in HBM is rising. Thanks to its yield, technology, material supply chain, and Nvidia partnership, SK Hynix remains number one in this industry. SK Hynix, which has failed to reverse the memory semiconductor business, is now writing a new history. Samsung Electronics, the second-largest company, is about a year behind SK. As always, competitors are trying to increase R&D spending, production capacity, and market share. This study examines SK Hynix's plan to maintain its No. 1 position in a constantly changing industry environment and how Samsung Electronics and Micron are attempting to overtake it. By thoroughly examining each competitor and the market environment, this paper provides short-term and mid- to long-term plans to help SK Hynix strengthen its market leadership.

A Blockchain-Based Access Control System for Secure and Efficient Hazardous Material Supply Chains

A Blockchain-Based Access Control System for Secure and Efficient Hazardous Material Supply Chains