Date of Award

2017

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.Sc.

Department

Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering

Keywords

Customize Platform To Order, Manufacturing Strategies, Mass Customization, Product Families, Product Platforms, Product Variety

Supervisor

ElMaraghy, Hoda

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

Customers’ demands and needs are changing over time. As a result, manufacturers are seeking new ways to respond to market changes effectively and efficiently. They include offering customers a wide range of product varieties in a reasonable time while reducing associated costs. One of the prime techniques adopted by manufacturers is mass customization and its enablers, such as product family and product platforms. The main objective of this research is to help manufacturers manage a high level of variety by implementing the most suitable manufacturing strategy and product platform design. Customized Platform To Order (CPTO) has been introduced and compared with existing manufacturing/production strategies, such as assemble to order (ATO). CPTO is a hybrid assemble-to-stock (ATS)/assemble-to-order (ATO) strategy that uses a platform customization approach to increase the efficiency and productivity of manufacturers. The platform(s) design is based on customers’ historical demand rather than on commonality between product variants. In this thesis, the CPTO approach was compared to the ATO and hybrid ATS/ATO strategies. A discrete-event simulation model of the learning factory iFactory in the Intelligent Manufacturing System Centre (IMSC) is developed. The results were then compared with a physical implementation conducted in the (IMS) Centre. The results of this investigation indicated that the CPTO approach provides manufacturers the ability to be more responsive by reducing the lead time by 30% and assembly time by 27% as well as lowering inventory and assembly costs by 24% and 18% respectively for the considered case study. This approach is applicable to products with modular and flexible platforms and both flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing systems.

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