Non-hierarchical Production Networks Research Articles

Solving partner selection problem in cyber-physical production networks using the HUMANT algorithm

The idea of non-hierarchical production networks consisting of autonomous enterprises has been present in scientific community for more than 20 years. Although some global corporations are using their own production networks across continents, they are not similar to the original idea of non-hierarchical production networks in many aspects. It seems that this idea waited for production systems to acquire proper information and communications technology (ICT) or new industrial platforms, like Industry 4.0. The result is a new type of production network called Cyber-Physical Production Network (CPPN). The CPPN is, from ICT point of view, ready to act as non-hierarchical production networks consisting of autonomous production systems with many automated processes. One of the most important processes of the CPPN is a selection of optimal partners (enterprises) to be part of a new virtual enterprise, created inside production network. An optimisation problem emerges in this process, and it is called Partner Selection Problem (PSP). It is non-polynomial-hard combinatorial problem. Since metaheuristic algorithms are well-proven in solving that kind of problem, a specially designed metaheuristic algorithm derived from ant colony optimisation and named the HUMANT (HUManoid ANT) algorithm is used in this paper. It is multi-objective optimisation algorithm that successfully solves different instances of PSP with two, three, four or more objectives.

Delivery Reliability in Machinery and Equipment Industry

European machinery and equipment manufacturers face multiple logistical challenges in their daily business. Interacting in complex non-hierarchical production networks and thus living with the consequences of a lack of transparency, temporal instability, or imbalanced share of market power finally leads to an inadequate OEM’s delivery adherence which in many cases can be traced back to suppliers’ late deliveries. This paper presents a framework for improving delivery reliability in non-hierarchical production networks by applying market mechanisms. Knowing the financial consequences of a supplier’s belated delivery provides useful information which can be applied in terms of financial incentives. The framework is supported by the results of a study which has been conducted by the authors throughout German, Spanish, and Italian machine tool manufacturers and their suppliers.

Automated negotiations of supply contracts for flexible production networks

Non-hierarchical regional production networks are the object of a collaborative research project carried out at Chemnitz University of Technology. Non-hierarchical production networks are created by forming a co-operation of small autonomous manufacturing units, so called competence cells. The cell's autonomy in the network model allows each cell to pursue its own agenda of production tasks. Thus a cell's agenda might be in conflict with supply requests within the network. The resolution of such conflicts requires a negotiation between client and supplier to harmonise their individual interests. Our paper proposes a software agent, capable to conduct an automated negotiation in this situation, in order to assist the human decision-maker and accelerate the harmonisation. The agent can perform an integrative negotiation about multiple interdependent properties of the supply contract, such as price, volume and delivery date. The negotiation protocol follows the offer–counteroffer principle and an adaptive offer generation strategy. However, based on the utility theory, the agent is able to create a bundle of equally good offers, each of them consisting of a particular combination of property values. By proposing more than one offer, the number of negotiation acts is reduced to a necessary minimum and the overall quality of a deal can improve. In the paper, we show the conflict resolution in the context of non-hierarchical production networks. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our agent model is flexible enough to be applied in supply scenarios requiring the negotiation of contracts.

Contribution to the integration of the process: Process planning competence in non-hierarchical production networks

The advantages of the non-hierarchical networking model are the elimination of the dominance of single companies and the creation of more intelligibility with regard to yield and customer communication within the network. One result is the reduction of costs for administration and coordination. When realizing the demands of the non-hierarchical network model and at the same time considering the structure of the competence cell therein, questions for necessary development of the competence cell process planning arise for this form of cooperation. This contribution introduces initial results of research concerning the structuring of process planning competence in non-hierarchical production networks.