Manufacturing Strategy Research Articles

Proposed contract manufacturing strategy for Baby Food Industry using Kepner-Tregoe and Analytic Hierarchy Process (Ahp) Approach

Purpose: The aim of this study is to select the best contract manufacturing strategy to ensure sustainable growth and fulfillment of MA baby food at PT. S.A. Methods: This study used qualitative and quantitative research methods. The qualitative approach involves conducting interviews and forum group discussions (FGD) with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to determine the root cause of problems using Kapner Tragoe and Why Tree Diagram analysis and to determine the criteria and alternative solutions for this problem. The quantitative approach uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select the best alternative solution. Results: Using the AHP method, the most important criteria that could influence the decision-making process were schedule (32.95%), cost (30.31%), delivery (16.44%), capacity (8.66%), ability (6.79%), and quality (4.86%). The best alternative solution for the short term to resolve the business issue is “Produce in existing contract manufacturing and distribute using 3rd party trader (58,09%)”. This alternative solution will ensure fulfillment and prevent sales losses of 96 billion but with a trade-off of a 10% increase in costs. Meanwhile, the best alternative solutions for long term is “Terminate existing Manufacture & Produce in Alternative Local Contract Manufacture in Indonesia (31,55%)”. This alternative solution provides cost savings equivalent to 8.8% of the existing COGS and ensures sustainable growth and fulfillment of MA baby food at PT. S.A.

Stochastic modelling and meta heuristic optimization of a batch production system

Batch production is a modern strategy for manufacturing, especially for products unsuitable for continuous assembly lines. This study proposes a method for analysing one such production facility. Here, we characterize a batch production system as a unique sort of quorum feedback retrial queue deployed under Bernoulli working vacation and outfitted with a secondary, stand-by server. The system’s dynamics are thoroughly examined using the supplementary variable technique, providing insights into its behaviour and performance. Key metrics are determined, and the impact of specific parameters is demonstrated through numerical examples. Furthermore, this research aims to achieve the optimal system cost by employing a variety of optimization approaches. Thus, optimizing costs and identifying key metrics are crucial for enhancing efficiency and profitability in batch production systems. This process ensures that resources are used effectively, service quality is maintained, and overall operational costs are reduced, leading to a more sustainable and profitable production system which helps to make informed decisions.

Pathways to exploit the multi-spot scanning strategy in electron beam additive manufacturing for control of microstructure and defect density

The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of beam deflection pattern characteristics on microstructure and porosity formation during Powder Bed Fusion Electron Beam Melting (PBF-EB/M) processing of Inconel 718. Specifically, the complex interplay between “beam return time” and “beam jump distance” and their influence on heat accumulation, porosity, and grain formation is explored. The findings reveal that beam jump distance plays a critical role in the transition from columnar to equiaxed solidification, while beam return time is essential for achieving optimal heat accumulation and minimizing porosity. By controlling these two universal beam deflection pattern characteristics, a novel multi-spot scanning strategy was developed, enabling the formation of a fine-grained equiaxed microstructure. It is demonstrated that sufficient heat accumulation is essential for a pore-free bulk material and can be achieved by short beam return times or small beam jump distances. However, for equiaxed grain formation, a large beam jump distance, i.e., a wide distribution of melt pools, is required. Therefore, heat accumulation must be controlled by means of the beam return time if equiaxed grains are aimed for. Additionally, it is found that higher beam currents are beneficial for equiaxed grain formation, but the strongest impact on the columnar to equiaxed transition is attributed to the beam movement pattern itself. This approach offers insights into microstructure control and process reliability, regardless of the specific PBF technique employed, and enables application-specific microstructure design of Inconel 718.

Supply chain resilience and international manufacturing strategy: a case study from the semiconductor industry

PurposeThis paper studies the interrelations between the concepts of supply chain resilience and international manufacturing strategy. On the basis of an in-depth case study of a company in the semiconductor industry, the paper seeks to integrate the concept of resilience into international manufacturing strategy.Design/methodology/approachIn an explorative qualitative single case study of a semiconductor manufacturer, a systems thinking model is developed from expert interviews and literature research that displays the interrelations of constituent constructs of supply chain resilience and international manufacturing strategy.FindingsForecast accuracy and organizational inertia are identified as barriers to resilience, whereas information technology (IT) capabilities and vertical integration are identified as major levers. Causal relations between constructs are identified, and a concrete suggestion for theory refinement of the manufacturing strategy framework of Miltenburg (2009) is provided.Originality/valuePrior literature on international manufacturing networks (IMNs) has not sufficiently taken into account the importance of resilience in the formulation of international manufacturing strategies. This paper aids in the integration of this increasingly important concept, in a critical industry that has recently been subject to major disruptions.

Site-selective core/shell deposition of tin on multi-segment nanowires for magnetic assembly and soldered interconnection

The field of nanotechnology continues to grow with the ongoing discovery and characterization of novel nanomaterials with unconventional size-dependent properties; however, the ability to apply modern manufacturing strategies for practical device design of these nanoscale structures is significantly limited by their small size. Although interconnection has been previously demonstrated between nanoscale components, such approaches often require the use of expensive oxidation-resistant noble metal materials and time-consuming or untargeted strategies for welded interconnection such as laser ablation or plasmonic resonance across randomly oriented component networks. In this work, a three-segment gold–nickel–gold nanowire structure is synthesized using templated electrodeposition and modified via monolayer-directed aqueous chemical reduction of tin solder selectively on the gold segments. This core/shell nanowire structure is capable of directed magnetic assembly tip-to-tip and along substrate pads in network orientation. Upon infrared heating in a flux vapor atmosphere, the solder payload melts and establishes robust and highly conductive wire–wire joints. The targeted solder deposition strategy has been applied to various other multi-segment gold/nickel nanowire configurations and other metallic systems to demonstrate the capability of the approach. This core/shell technique of pre-loading magnetically active nanowires with solder material simplifies the associated challenges of size-dependent component orientation in the manufacture of nanoscale electronic devices.

Engineering superhydrophobicity: a survey of coating techniques for silicone-based oil-water separation membranes.

Oil spills in the ocean and the release of contaminated wastewater from industries cause significant harm to the ecosystem and water sources. To tackle this environmental problem, oil-water mixture separation has been the subject of extensive research over the past few decades. Improving oil absorbents is crucial in removing organic contaminants from wastewater produced by industrial activities. To this end, there is an increasing need for materials that can efficiently and flexibly recover oils from contaminated ocean waters, industrial wastewater, and other sources. Silicones are often used for this purpose because of their exceptional mechanical and thermal durability, as well as their low toxicity. The materials produced from silicones, such as foam, sponge, or substrate, exhibit excellent oil-absorbing properties (maximum oil absorption range, 23.2-77g/g) and outstanding compression cycles. This article review highlights the advancements in the manufacturing of silicone-based products that have been extensively researched for oil-water separation. Understanding the interdependencies that determine the structure, performance, and manufacturing strategy is essential to producing selective oil absorbents with more commercial potential in the future. Recycling of silicones has also become increasingly important as a goal for the circular economy.

Surface functionalization of binder jetted steels through super-solidus liquid phase sintering and electro-spark deposition

This study proposed a surface functionalization strategy for porous binder jet additive manufacturing (BJAM) steels. The methodology involves a sequential process of super-solidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS) followed by electro-spark deposition (ESD). SLPS with varying liquid fractions was used to modify the initial surface quality of BJAM steels, creating a range of surface roughness and bulk porosity. The ability of ESD to address substrate surface roughness and porosity variation was investigated using lower (Inconel 625) and higher (WC-Co) melting point coating materials. The results revealed a clear correlation between substrate surfaces and the surface finish, uniformity, and thickness of ESD deposits. Inconel 625, with its lower melting point, showcased an infiltration behavior and high tolerance to substrate conditions. Conversely, achieving high-quality WC-Co coating necessitated prior SLPS treatment to attain substrates with minimal roughness and sub-surface porosity. This investigation provides insights into optimizing surface modifications for porous BJAM metal parts, considering different coating materials and their compatibility with substrate conditions.

A facile and sustainable integrated fabrication strategy for multi-performance 316L stainless steel

Additive manufacturing enables innovative design and integrated manufacturing of complex components. Metallic components with multi-performance and high reliability are always desirable for a broad range of high-end industries. Multi-material additive manufacturing is a promising way to provide multiple performances, yet there exist several persistent challenges on multi-material sustainability and recycling, interfacial defects and strength, dimensional accuracy and fineness, and manufacturing efficiency and cost, prohibiting its widespread practical applications. In this study, we introduce an additive/modification integrated manufacturing (AMIM) strategy for fabricating highly reliable multi-performance metals using only a single material with a one-step process. We demonstrate that, through a unique combination of pattern-induced orientation-consistent and layer-accumulated orientation-amplified mechanisms, the surface wear resistance performance of 316L stainless steels could be expanded to cover an exceptionally wide range from commercially available plastics to metals to ceramics. Furthermore, these strikingly different performances can be digitally programmed and precisely printed to form integrated 316L stainless steel components with excellent interfacial strength and high dimensional accuracy. This strategy paves a facile, inexpensive, and sustainable way to achieve multi-performance metals that are fully recyclable and environmentally friendly, serving as an alternative to the multi-material composite strategy.

Influence of Si3N4 fillers and pyrolysis profile on the microstructure of additively manufactured silicon carbonitride ceramics derived from polyvinylsilazane

ABSTRACT In this work, various methods were used to improve the printability of a photocurable polyvinylsilazane resin filled with silicon nitride particles for digital light processing. The developed resin was used as a preceramic polymer for polymer-to-ceramic conversion. The pyrolysis-induced structural changes of the additively manufactured objects were evaluated by comparing samples with different thicknesses, filler amounts and heating profiles. The printed green body retained its original geometry better and showed fewer cracks due to the addition of silicon nitride particles to the resin. Based on the thermally induced changes in a polyvinylsilazane resin system, a customized heating profile for the pyrolysis process was developed, which contributed to the reduction of pores and cracks while the average pyrolysis heating rate remained relatively high. This work provides insight into the pyrolysis of additively manufactured preceramic polymer green bodies and highlights various strategies for additive manufacturing of polymer-derived ceramics.

Electrohydrodynamic Direct-Writing Micro/Nanofibrous Architectures: Principle, Materials, and Biomedical Applications.

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) direct-writing has recently gained attention as a highly promising additive manufacturing strategy for fabricating intricate micro/nanoscale architectures. This technique is particularly well-suited for mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM) present in biological tissue, which serves a vital function in facilitating cell colonization, migration, and growth. The integration of EHD direct-writing with other techniques has been employed to enhance the biological performance of scaffolds, and significant advancements have been made in the development of tailored scaffold architectures and constituents to meet the specific requirements of various biomedical applications. Here, a comprehensive overview of EHD direct-writing is provided, including its underlying principles, demonstrated materials systems, and biomedical applications. A brief chronology of EHD direct-writing is provided, along with an examination of the observed phenomena that occur during the printing process. The impact of biomaterial selection and architectural topographic cues on biological performance is also highlighted. Finally, the major limitations associated with EHD direct-writing are discussed.

Multifunctional Conductive Hydrogel Interface for Bioelectronic Recording and Stimulation.

The past few decades have witnessed the rapid advancement and broad applications of flexible bioelectronics, in wearable and implantable electronics, brain-computer interfaces, neural science and technology, clinical diagnosis, treatment, etc. It is noteworthy that soft and elastic conductive hydrogels, owing to their multiple similarities with biological tissues in terms of mechanics, electronics, water-rich, and biological functions, have successfully bridged the gap between rigid electronics and soft biology. Multifunctional hydrogel bioelectronics, emerging as a new generation of promising material candidates, have authentically established highly compatible and reliable, high-quality bioelectronic interfaces, particularly in bioelectronic recording and stimulation. This review summarizes the material basis and design principles involved in constructing hydrogel bioelectronic interfaces, and systematically discusses the fundamental mechanism and unique advantages in bioelectrical interfacing with the biological surface. Furthermore, an overview of the state-of-the-art manufacturing strategies for hydrogel bioelectronic interfaces with enhanced biocompatibility and integration with the biological system is presented. This review finally exemplifies the unprecedented advancement and impetus toward bioelectronic recording and stimulation, especially in implantable and integrated hydrogel bioelectronic systems, and concludes with a perspective expectation for hydrogel bioelectronics in clinical and biomedical applications.

3D Printing Strategy in Manufacturing of Health Monitoring Devices

3D Printing Strategy in Manufacturing of Health Monitoring Devices

Investigating the impact of digital transformation on manufacturers’ Business model: Insights from Swedish industry

Digital transformation (DT) triggers a fundamental technological shift in industry enabling the creation of smart and connected factories. DT is not only a technology-driven innovation approach: it also requires changes of the Business Model (BM). Despite this, there is a lack of comprehensive studies that examine how aspects of manufacturing digitalisation align with the Business Model Innovation (BMI) process. To address this gap, this paper analyses the DT journey of several Swedish medium and large firms through semi-structured interviews with staff involved in such process. The empirical findings reveal that the BM elements addressing value creation and strategy aspects are the most affected by DT. Additionally, this study identifies the links among such elements. The findings are compiled in a holistic framework that can serve as a blueprint for practitioners seeking to adopt digital technologies in their production environments. This holistic approach aims at supporting practitioners to understand the BMI process triggered by DT and consequently aligning their manufacturing strategy with the BM’s components.

Optimizing Talent Acquisition: Strategies for Efficiency and Employee Engagement

This research study aims to analyze the resource-intensive nature of current recruitment practices in selected companies in Mysore City and develop strategies for sustaining employee engagement and loyalty. By examining the challenges faced in talent acquisition and retention, the study seeks to identify opportunities for enhancing organizational efficiency and effectiveness in attracting and retaining skilled individuals. This study conducts a thorough examination of recruitment practices and employee engagement strategies in both manufacturing and service sectors by employing a descriptive research design. A sample size of 100 HR managers and executives are selected using simple random sampling, with primary data collected through structured questionnaires. Statistical tools such as ANOVA are utilized to analyze the data, providing insights into industry-wise variations and uniformities in recruitment practices and employee engagement initiatives. The analysis reveals consistent employee engagement scores across manufacturing and service sectors, with non-significant differences in variables such as employee satisfaction scores, retention rates, and participation in training and development programs. Moreover, industry-wise variations in employee engagement strategies, including communication effectiveness and mentorship program participation, are found to be statistically insignificant, This study unfolds the importance of adopting a holistic approach to employee engagement and recruitment practices. The findings suggest that certain engagement initiatives can be implemented uniformly across industries, although organizations should remain attentive to sector-specific needs. Future research could delve deeper into understanding the impact of organizational culture on employee engagement and explore innovative strategies to address evolving workplace dynamics. Ultimately, fostering a resilient and loyal workforce requires continuous adaptation and refinement of engagement strategies in diverse organizational settings.

Product Design Optimization Strategies for Metal Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace Applications

Product Design Optimization Strategies for Metal Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace Applications

Nanostructural modulation of chitosan matrix for facilitating transport of organic molecules across the membrane by pervaporation

Chitosan, as the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, is constantly increasing attention from different fileds such as biomedicals, food, energy, and the environment. However, its application in membrane technology such as pervaporation is lacking of an effective membrane manufacture strategy to improve its separation efficiency. Herein, we use a chitosan-based membrane subjected to neutralization and crosslinking procedures in contrasting solvents—specifically, water and ethanol—to explore the impact of polymer-solvent interactions on the effective nanogaps between polymer nanofibers. Under identical conditions, the procedures conducted in water yield hydrated membranes, while those in ethanol resulted in anhydrous membranes. In hydrated membranes, strong hydrogen bonds formed between water and amine groups block nanogaps amongst polymer nanofibers, significantly impeding molecular transport. Conversely, the absence of such strong hydrogen bonds in anhydrous membrane avoided this effect. This study highlights the potential of controlling the transport of organic molecules by tuning the nanogaps within the membrane matrix. This was achieved through a novel strategy involving washing the chitosan-based membranes with pure ethanol to remove free acids, followed by direct crosslinking in a glutaraldehyde ethanol solution. This strategy was able to double the membrane selectivity despite a 25 % reduction in methanol permeance.

Electrochemical study and structural comparison of Ni electrodepositions on W/Si and Cr/C multilayered structure films

The Ni electrodeposition combined with multilayered structure film is a promising strategy in modern optical manufacturing, while less effort has been devoted to comprehending the electrochemical reaction process, which is essential for their practical applications. In view of this, the initial reduction dynamics and nucleation mechanisms of Ni electrodepositions on multilayer W/Si and Cr/C films were analyzed in this work, and the morphological, crystal, and mechanical characteristics of produced Ni electrodeposits were further determined and compared. The results show that the considerably irregular crystals accompanied by high tensile stress of 119.5 MPa were formed for the Ni electrodeposit on W/Si film, which were mainly attributed to the progressive nucleation process with more severe side reaction of hydrogen evolution. By contrast, the instantaneous nucleation mode with lower reduction resistance were revealed for the Ni electrodeposition on Cr/C film, which presented a comparatively fine–grained texture, less roughness, and smaller stress structure. To summarize, the more stable electrochemical reaction process and improved structure uniformity are obtained for the Ni electrodeposition on metal/C–based film, which offers a theoretical guidance for optimized fabrication of multilayer optical devices in extreme ultraviolet, x-ray, and neutron focusing fields.

Liquid Metal‐Printed Semiconductors

Liquid metal (LM) electronic ink (e‐ink) is a promising new‐generation material for printed electronics. Extended from this ideal platform, such ink can be post‐processed or loaded with semiconductor nanoparticles to further make semiconductors in the forms of dots, wires, and films on its surface. In this way, targeted semiconductors can be quickly fabricated and patterned as desired with low cost at around room temperature. This leads to the unconventional bottom‐up strategy for direct manufacture of functional devices. Along this direction, a series of p–n junction diodes, field‐effect transistors, and light‐emitting devices have been developed. LM‐printed semiconductor would significantly innovate the classical processes of preparing integrated circuits and electronic devices. To push forward further progress of this cutting‐edge frontier, this article is dedicated to present an overview of LM‐printed semiconductor. The material category of LM semiconductor e‐inks and their synthesis approaches is introduced. Then the core strategies toward printing semiconductors are systematically outlined. Following that, the typical printed semiconductor materials and electronic devices thus constructed as well as their potential applications are summarized. Finally, scientific and technical challenges thus raised are interpreted. Perspective in the area is given.

A STUDY ON COMPETITOR ANALYTICS AS A DECISION MAKING CATALYST IN A LEATHER MANUFACTURING COMPANY

This study investigates the impact of competitor analytics on decision-making at a leather manufacturing company, using machine learning algorithms such as Random Forest, Support Vector Regression (SVR), and XGBoost. Trained on a dataset of 5,871 samples, the models were evaluated with Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). SVR emerged as the most efficient model. Python libraries NumPy and Pandas in Jupyter Notebook facilitated the data analysis. The SVR model provided valuable insights for strategic decision-making and competitor performance predictions. This study underscores the importance of competitor analytics and machine learning in enhancing manufacturing strategies. Keywords: competitor analytics, machine learning algorithms, strategic decision making, predictive modeling, python, data science

Structure-Foldable and Performance-Tailorable PI Paper-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators Processed and Controlled by Laser-Induced Graphene.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) technology has provided a new manufacturing strategy for the rapid and scalable assembling of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). However, current LIG-based TENG commonly rely on polymer films, e.g., polyimide (PI) as both friction material and carbon precursor of electrodes, which limit the structural diversity and performance escalation due to its incapability of folding and creasing. Using specialized PI paper composed of randomly distributed PI fibers to substantially enhance its foldability, this work creates a new type of TENG, which are structurally foldable and stackable, and performance tailorable. First, by systematically investigating the laser power-regulated performance of single-unit TENG, the open-circuit voltage can be effectively improved. By further exploiting the folding process, multiple TENG units can be assembled together to form multi-layered structures to continuously expand the open-circuit voltage from 5.3 to 34.4Vcm-2, as the increase of friction units from 1 to 16. Last, by fully utilizing the unique structure and performance, representative energy-harvesting and smart-sensing applications are demonstrated, including a smart shoe to recognize running motions and power LEDs, a smart leaf to power a thermometer by wind, a matrix sensor to recognize writing trajectories, as well as a smart glove to recognize different objects.