A major challenge in designing and controlling flow lines is to achieve high customer service level while stay lean. Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing approach has triggered various 'pull production system', such as CONWIP or Kanban controls, which emphasizes on response to demand rather than forecasts. We identified and documented the anatomy of various pull type control policies. Based on the analysis, we designed a new class of control policy called Extended CONWIP Kanban control (ECK). We conducted comprehensive simulation comparison studies. Simulation results showed that the new control policy can achieve higher service levels with lower inventories than other policies including hybrid ones. We developed a state space comparison methodology to compare various policies with that of optimum solution. Our analysis reveals that our ECK policy provides the most adjustment flexibility toward the optimum. We also proposed a parameter design procedure and an adaptive parameter adjusting system. A case study verifies the advantages and utilities of the ECK policy. Beside the cost savings, another major advantage of the ECK policy is its robustness. That is, the total cost of the ECK policy is less sensitive to demand or system variations.

There are many business in Taiwan that their production type are indistinct between make-to-stock and make-to-order. This kind of production type can shorten the lead time of order and decrease the fluxion of customer¡¦s demand, on it¡¦s technology of predicting customer¡¦s demand for pre-production and inventory. Thus, the efficacy of production must depend on it¡¦s precision of predicting customer¡¦s demand. Recognition that traditional work order dispatching made to some specific standardization. Therefore, it is leaded to customization product and less flexible. And the decision-maker must choose one goal between minizing inventory cost, WIP¡¦s level and lead time. The production type, work order dispatching must have flexibility,and it must accomplish the customer¡¦s order on time considering inventory cost and customer service. This thesis hopes that it would be to develop a work order dispatching method to improve the efficiency of WIP administering, the flexibility for work order dispatching and decreasing lead time of customer¡¦s order. According to production¡¦s characteristic of different manufacturing stage, it can create one applicable dispatching rules to increase the production efficiency. Finally, using simulation software, applying to case study comparing the performance of the real case and new work order dispatching

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-58).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-138). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

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In a rapidly-changing globalised economy, companies need to become more competitive to stay ahead of the competition and sustain the advantage of being on the top. Supply chain efficiency and lean production are familiar in supply chain management. However, there are impediments to the extent of success that companies wish to achieve. One such impediment is demand amplification (or the bullwhip effect) through the supply chain. This study investigated the impact of human behaviour on the bullwhip effect, the impact of variability in materials and information flow, and the relationship between the impact of human behaviour and that of materials and information flow on the bullwhip. The research included a case study to validate the findings of the former investigations. A questionnaire survey was conducted using a sample of supply chain role-players for the investigation of human behaviour of the bullwhip. A separate study was conducted on a sample of real-time projects for the investigation of materials and information flow on the bullwhip. A comparison was drawn between the two independent studies. A case study was presented, based on a power-lines refurbishment project, currently in the construction phase. The results on human behaviour revealed that the types of "disabling" behaviour, namely "panic" or "safe harbour" exist amongst supply chain role-players. The findings of the study on real-time projects showed chronic variability in materials and information flow. Similar results have been reported from the findings of the case study. The key conclusion is that there is a relationship between people and processes and both have an impact on the bullwhip. The recommendations made are applicable to a generic company as well as Eskom. An action plan for a way forward for Eskom is included in this study. The key elements of the action plan include revision of the current policy document with suppliers, prioritization of customer projects and optimal use of the warehousing function. Further research is proposed to extend the investigation to other regions and divisions within Eskom and to probe into the suppliers' supply chain to promote efficiency. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.