Supply chain management has attracted much attention in the last decade. There has been a noticeable shift from a traditional individual organisation-based management to an integrated management across the supply chain network since the end of the last century. The shift contributes to better decision making in the supply chain context, as it is necessary for a company to cooperate with other supply chain members by utilising relevant information such as inventory, demand and resource capacity. In other words, information sharing and coordinated management are essential mechanisms to improve supply chain performance. Supply chains may differ significantly in terms of industry sectors, geographic locations, and firm sizes. This study was based on case studies from small and medium sized manufacturing supply chains in People Republic of China. The study was motivated by the following facts. Firstly, small and medium enterprises have made a big contribution to China’s economic growth. Several studies revealed that most of the Chinese manufacturing enterprises became aware of the importance of supply chain management, but compared to western firms, the supply chain management level of Chinese firms had been lagging behind. Research on supply chain management and performance optimisation in Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) was very scarce. Secondly, there had been plenty of studies in the literature that focused on two or three level supply chains whilst considering a number of uncertain factors (e.g. customer demand) or a single supply chain performance indicator (e.g. cost). However, the research on multiple stage supply chain systems with multiple uncertainties and multiple objectives based on real industrial cases had been spared and deserved more attention. One reason was due to the lack of reliable industrial data that required an enormous effort to collect the primary data and there was a serious concern about data confidentiality from the industry aspect. This study employed two SME manufacturing companies as case studies. The first one was in the Aluminium industry and another was in the Chemical industry. The aim was to better understand the characteristics of the supply chains in Chinese SMEs through performing in-depth case studies, and built models and tools to evaluate different strategies for improving their supply chain performance. The main contributions of this study included the following aspects. Firstly, this study generalised a supply chain model including a domestic supply chain part and an international supply chain part based on deep case studies with the emphasis on identifying key characteristics in the case supply chains, such as uncertainties, constraints and cost elements in association with flows and activities in the domestic supply chain and the international supply chain. Secondly, two important SCM issues, i.e. the integrated raw material procurement and finished goods production planning, and the international sales planning, were identified. Thirdly, mathematical models were formulated to represent the supply chain model taking into account multiple uncertainties. Fourthly, several operational strategies utilising the concepts of just-in-time, safety-stock/capacity, Kanban, and vendor managed inventory, were evaluated and compared with the case company's original strategy in various scenarios through simulation methods, which enabled quantification of the impact of information sharing on supply chain performance. Fifthly, a single objective genetic algorithm was developed to optimise the integrated raw material ordering and finished goods production decisions under (s, S) policy (a dynamic inventory control policy), which enabled the impact of coordinated management on supply chain performance to be quantified. Finally, a multiple objectives genetic algorithm considering both total supply chain cost and customer service level was developed to optimise the integrated raw material ordering and finished goods production with the international sales plan decisions under (s, S) policy in various scenarios. This also enabled the quantification of the impact of coordinated management on supply chain performances.

Es wurde ein plattenförmiges Qualitätshalbzeug aus Spezialholzwerkstoffen für den konstruktiven Einsatz im Maschinebau, mit dem Schwerpunkt Fördertechnik entwickelt. Mit diesem Halbzeug sind ökologisch vorteilhafte Konstruktionen möglich. Entwicklungsschwerpunkte waren: einstellbare, hohe absolute und spezifische mechanische Eigenschaften mit kleinen Streuungen. Die Entwicklung wurde durch verschiedene Werkstoffprüfungen von Labor- und Industriewerkstoffen begleitet und deren Ergebnisse mittels speziell erarbeitetet Bewertungskriterien evaluiert. Weiterhin wurde das Werkstoffverhalten von diversen Holzwerkstoffen unter dynamischer Belastung klassifiziert. / A panel-shaped high quality semi-finished product made of special wood-based materials for structural applications in mechanical engineering, with a focus on materials handling technology, was developed. With said semi-finished product ecologically advantageous constructions are possible. Development priorities were: adjustable, high absolute and specific mechanical properties with little variation. The development was accompanied by various materials tests of laboratory and industrially manufactured materials, and their results were evaluated by specially developed evaluation criteria. Furthermore, the material behaviour of various woodbased materials under dynamic loading was classified.

Darbo tikslas: ištirti apsauginių kultūrų panaudojimo mėsos pusgaminių gamyboje galimybes, gerinant saugą ir kokybę. Darbo uždaviniai: įsisavinti apsauginių kultūrų panaudojimo mėsos pusgaminių gamyboje būdus, pusgaminių kokybinių ir saugos rodiklių nustatymo metodus; ištirti apsauginių bakterijų kultūrų: Lactobacillus spp. Staphylococcus xylosus, poveikį mėsos pusgaminių mikrobiologiniams ir fizikiniams cheminiams rodikliams, įvertinti jų saugą ir kokybę; ištirti termiškai apdorotų mėsos pusgaminių su apsauginėmis bakterinėmis kultūromis Lactobacillus spp., Staphylococcus xylosus juslines savybes; palyginti įprastų ir gautų mėsos pusgaminių su apsauginėmis kultūromis kokybę ir saugą, juslines savybes, vartojimo terminą; apdoroti statistiškai gautus duomenis, apibendrinti rezultatus ir pateikti išvadas. Rezultatai: priedas su apsauginėmis kultūromis Lactobacillus spp., Staphylococcus xylosus visiškai išnaikino E. Coli jautienos farše, supakuotame į vakuuminę pakuotę (p ≤ 0,01), modifikuotų dujų atmosferą (p ≤ 0,01), laikomo aerobinėmis sąlygomis (p ≤ 0,001) lyginant su kontrole. Apsauginių kultūros ženkliai sumažino bendrą aerobinių mikroorganizmų skaičių lyginant su kontrole (p ≤ 0,001). Apsauginių kultūrų įterpimas sumažino biogeninių aminų tiramino, spermidino ir spermino kiekius iki mažesnių už aptikimo ribą kiekių (< 5 mg/kg), tačiau mėginiuose su apsauginių kultūrų priedu, laikomuose aerobinėmis sąlygomis, nustatytas padidėjęs fenilalanino kiekis, lyginant su kontrole... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the work was to investigate the possibilities of using protective cultures in the manufacture of semi-finished meat in improving safety and quality. The tasks of the work were to master ways of using protective cultures in production of semi-finished meat; methods for determining quality and safety indicators of semi – finished meat; to investigate the impact of protective bacterial cultures: Lactobacillus spp., Staphylococcus xylosus to microbiological and physico-chemical parameters of semi – finished meat in order to ensure their safety and quality; to investigate organoleptic properties of the heat-treated semi – finished meat with a protective bacterial cultures Lactobacillus spp., Staphylococcus xylosus; to compare quality and safety, organoleptic characteristics, expiry date of conventional and meat preparations with protective cultures; to process statistically obtained data, summarize the results and present findings. Results: • Additive with protective cultures Lactobacillus spp., Staphylococcus xylosus completely destroyed E. coli in vacuum packed minced beef (p ≤ 0,01), in modified gas atmosphere (p ≤ 0,01), stored under aerobic conditions (p ≤ 0,001) compare with the controls. • Protective cultures significantly reduced the total number of aerobic microorganisms compare with controls (p ≤ 0,001). • Insertion of protective cultures reduced biogenic amines tyramine, spermidine and spermine below the detection limit (<5 mg / kg), however, samples... [to full text]

A melhoria de qualidade e redução de custos para produtos e processos industriais pode ser realizada utilizando-se métodos de otimização experimental. Esta dissertação apresenta um método estruturado para a otimização do processo de classificação de couro wet blue usando em forma integrada as ferramentas de Análise de Sistemas de Medição e Projeto de Experimentos aplicado a variáveis discretas. O couro sofre vários processos químicos e mecânicos até chegar no estágio final de couro acabado sendo os principais estágios; os de wet blue, semi-acabado e acabado. O primeiro deles consiste na preparação da derme para o curtimento com o objetivo de tornar o couro imputrescível. O segundo processo, que transforma o couro em um produto semi-acabado, confere as características de maciez, resistência, cor e espessura e por último no processo de acabamento se obtêm as características finais de textura, brilho, toque superficial e valores técnicos exigidos pelos clientes como resistências a fricção, flexão, solidez a luz e adesão. O principal objetivo do trabalho é otimizar o processo de classificação no estágio wet blue a fim de reduzir o índice de refugos por classificação errada no produto acabado, sem aumentar o desperdício por refugar matéria-prima na origem. O método é ilustrado com um caso em uma Indústria Curtidora da região do Vale do Sinos em Rio Grande do Sul. Historicamente, existiam refugos no produto acabado que constituíam o principal problema de qualidade da indústria e um dos fatores de maior peso no custo da não qualidade. O estudo do Sistema de Medição permitiu modelar um treinamento aplicado aos classificadores de couro e estabelecer um sistema de indicadores que permitiu acompanhar a evolução ao longo do estudo. A aplicação do Projeto de Experimentos serviu para definir a melhor prática de classificação que conduziu à diminuição de erros por classificação errada. Os dados coletados ao longo da implantação permitiram apresentar conclusões comparando a situação antes e depois. Assim, verificou-se, com a implantação das medidas sugeridas com este estudo, uma redução de 60 % no índice de refugos por classificação errada no produto acabado e semi-acabado que traduzido a valores financeiros representou 420.000 reais por ano. / Quality improvement and cost reduction for manufacturing process and products can be executed using experimental optimization methodology. This Dissertation shows a structured method to optimize the sorting process of wet blue leather using at the same time the Measure Analysis System and Design of Experiment tools, both of them applied to discrete variables. Chemical and mechanical process, are applied to the hides to get a finish leather product, being the main steps; wet blue, crust and finish. The first consists in the preparation of the skin for the tanning to avoid the rottenness of the leather. The second process, which transforms the wet blue in a crust, gives to the leather the softness, resistance, color and substance and finally, the finishing process gives the final characteristic of texture, shine, touch and technical values required by the customers, like rubbing, bending, color fastness and adhesion. The main objective of the work is to optimize the sorting process in wet blue in order to reduce the rejects due sorting errors on the finished leather without increase the waste of good material at the origin. The method is illustrated with a case in a Tannery Industry located in Vale do Sinos area in Rio Grande do Sul. Historically, there were rejects in finished leather which created the main problems of Quality and one of the causes of greater importance of non-quality cost. The Measure Analysis System allowed to model a training applied to the leather sorters and establish a group of index to follow up the evolution of the study. The application of the Design of Experiments served to define the best practice of sorting which led to the reduction of sorting errors. Conclusions were shown during the implementation obtained by the collected data, comparing the previous situation with the present. In this way it was possible to verify, with the implementation of the suggested rules, a reduction of 60 % of the rejects index caused by sorting errors which means 180.000 u$s per year.

A melhoria de qualidade e redução de custos para produtos e processos industriais pode ser realizada utilizando-se métodos de otimização experimental. Esta dissertação apresenta um método estruturado para a otimização do processo de classificação de couro wet blue usando em forma integrada as ferramentas de Análise de Sistemas de Medição e Projeto de Experimentos aplicado a variáveis discretas. O couro sofre vários processos químicos e mecânicos até chegar no estágio final de couro acabado sendo os principais estágios; os de wet blue, semi-acabado e acabado. O primeiro deles consiste na preparação da derme para o curtimento com o objetivo de tornar o couro imputrescível. O segundo processo, que transforma o couro em um produto semi-acabado, confere as características de maciez, resistência, cor e espessura e por último no processo de acabamento se obtêm as características finais de textura, brilho, toque superficial e valores técnicos exigidos pelos clientes como resistências a fricção, flexão, solidez a luz e adesão. O principal objetivo do trabalho é otimizar o processo de classificação no estágio wet blue a fim de reduzir o índice de refugos por classificação errada no produto acabado, sem aumentar o desperdício por refugar matéria-prima na origem. O método é ilustrado com um caso em uma Indústria Curtidora da região do Vale do Sinos em Rio Grande do Sul. Historicamente, existiam refugos no produto acabado que constituíam o principal problema de qualidade da indústria e um dos fatores de maior peso no custo da não qualidade. O estudo do Sistema de Medição permitiu modelar um treinamento aplicado aos classificadores de couro e estabelecer um sistema de indicadores que permitiu acompanhar a evolução ao longo do estudo. A aplicação do Projeto de Experimentos serviu para definir a melhor prática de classificação que conduziu à diminuição de erros por classificação errada. Os dados coletados ao longo da implantação permitiram apresentar conclusões comparando a situação antes e depois. Assim, verificou-se, com a implantação das medidas sugeridas com este estudo, uma redução de 60 % no índice de refugos por classificação errada no produto acabado e semi-acabado que traduzido a valores financeiros representou 420.000 reais por ano. / Quality improvement and cost reduction for manufacturing process and products can be executed using experimental optimization methodology. This Dissertation shows a structured method to optimize the sorting process of wet blue leather using at the same time the Measure Analysis System and Design of Experiment tools, both of them applied to discrete variables. Chemical and mechanical process, are applied to the hides to get a finish leather product, being the main steps; wet blue, crust and finish. The first consists in the preparation of the skin for the tanning to avoid the rottenness of the leather. The second process, which transforms the wet blue in a crust, gives to the leather the softness, resistance, color and substance and finally, the finishing process gives the final characteristic of texture, shine, touch and technical values required by the customers, like rubbing, bending, color fastness and adhesion. The main objective of the work is to optimize the sorting process in wet blue in order to reduce the rejects due sorting errors on the finished leather without increase the waste of good material at the origin. The method is illustrated with a case in a Tannery Industry located in Vale do Sinos area in Rio Grande do Sul. Historically, there were rejects in finished leather which created the main problems of Quality and one of the causes of greater importance of non-quality cost. The Measure Analysis System allowed to model a training applied to the leather sorters and establish a group of index to follow up the evolution of the study. The application of the Design of Experiments served to define the best practice of sorting which led to the reduction of sorting errors. Conclusions were shown during the implementation obtained by the collected data, comparing the previous situation with the present. In this way it was possible to verify, with the implementation of the suggested rules, a reduction of 60 % of the rejects index caused by sorting errors which means 180.000 u$s per year.

Karton ist ein aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen hergestelltes Halbzeug, biologisch abbaubar und mit sehr guter Wiederverwertbarkeit. Damit stellt Karton eine zukunftsträchtige Grundlage für die Herstellung von Verpackungen für die Lebensmittel- und Konsumgüterproduktion dar. Schon heute werden in vielen Verpackungslösungen Kunststoffe durch naturfaserbasierte Halbzeuge ersetzt, um von den genannten Vorteilen zu profitieren. Um die Verbreitung dieses Naturstoffes weiter zu unterstützen, werden intelligente und effektive Herstellungsverfahren benötigt, die eine Massenfertigung von Packmitteln in hoher Qualität ermöglichen. [... aus der Einleitung]

A melhoria de qualidade e redução de custos para produtos e processos industriais pode ser realizada utilizando-se métodos de otimização experimental. Esta dissertação apresenta um método estruturado para a otimização do processo de classificação de couro wet blue usando em forma integrada as ferramentas de Análise de Sistemas de Medição e Projeto de Experimentos aplicado a variáveis discretas. O couro sofre vários processos químicos e mecânicos até chegar no estágio final de couro acabado sendo os principais estágios; os de wet blue, semi-acabado e acabado. O primeiro deles consiste na preparação da derme para o curtimento com o objetivo de tornar o couro imputrescível. O segundo processo, que transforma o couro em um produto semi-acabado, confere as características de maciez, resistência, cor e espessura e por último no processo de acabamento se obtêm as características finais de textura, brilho, toque superficial e valores técnicos exigidos pelos clientes como resistências a fricção, flexão, solidez a luz e adesão. O principal objetivo do trabalho é otimizar o processo de classificação no estágio wet blue a fim de reduzir o índice de refugos por classificação errada no produto acabado, sem aumentar o desperdício por refugar matéria-prima na origem. O método é ilustrado com um caso em uma Indústria Curtidora da região do Vale do Sinos em Rio Grande do Sul. Historicamente, existiam refugos no produto acabado que constituíam o principal problema de qualidade da indústria e um dos fatores de maior peso no custo da não qualidade. O estudo do Sistema de Medição permitiu modelar um treinamento aplicado aos classificadores de couro e estabelecer um sistema de indicadores que permitiu acompanhar a evolução ao longo do estudo. A aplicação do Projeto de Experimentos serviu para definir a melhor prática de classificação que conduziu à diminuição de erros por classificação errada. Os dados coletados ao longo da implantação permitiram apresentar conclusões comparando a situação antes e depois. Assim, verificou-se, com a implantação das medidas sugeridas com este estudo, uma redução de 60 % no índice de refugos por classificação errada no produto acabado e semi-acabado que traduzido a valores financeiros representou 420.000 reais por ano. / Quality improvement and cost reduction for manufacturing process and products can be executed using experimental optimization methodology. This Dissertation shows a structured method to optimize the sorting process of wet blue leather using at the same time the Measure Analysis System and Design of Experiment tools, both of them applied to discrete variables. Chemical and mechanical process, are applied to the hides to get a finish leather product, being the main steps; wet blue, crust and finish. The first consists in the preparation of the skin for the tanning to avoid the rottenness of the leather. The second process, which transforms the wet blue in a crust, gives to the leather the softness, resistance, color and substance and finally, the finishing process gives the final characteristic of texture, shine, touch and technical values required by the customers, like rubbing, bending, color fastness and adhesion. The main objective of the work is to optimize the sorting process in wet blue in order to reduce the rejects due sorting errors on the finished leather without increase the waste of good material at the origin. The method is illustrated with a case in a Tannery Industry located in Vale do Sinos area in Rio Grande do Sul. Historically, there were rejects in finished leather which created the main problems of Quality and one of the causes of greater importance of non-quality cost. The Measure Analysis System allowed to model a training applied to the leather sorters and establish a group of index to follow up the evolution of the study. The application of the Design of Experiments served to define the best practice of sorting which led to the reduction of sorting errors. Conclusions were shown during the implementation obtained by the collected data, comparing the previous situation with the present. In this way it was possible to verify, with the implementation of the suggested rules, a reduction of 60 % of the rejects index caused by sorting errors which means 180.000 u$s per year.

The graduation theses is focused on an application of logistics in food company. Theoretical part defines terms like stocking, manipulation units, wraps, material flow etc. The application part is based on the logistics in Povltavské mlékárny, a. s. It describes different departments like purchase (and also program Milsoft), estimates of sale, finished stock room and fleet department. The second part of the application part is based on the thoughts and calculation of sufficient capacity of the finished stock room after implementation of laboratory tests for listeria.

Sandwichplatten sind effiziente Leichtbauelemente. Sie werden im Fahrzeugbau, in der Luft- und Raumfahrt, im Werkzeugmaschinenbau und überall dort, wo es auf geringe bewegte Massen ankommt, eingesetzt. Sandwichplatten sind oft Halbzeuge. Sandwichbauteile haben oft einen aufwendigen Herstellungsprozess, der eine Wärmebehandlung, die höhere Genauigkeiten ausschließt, beinhaltet. Aus diesen Gründen ist es oft sinnvoll, Inserts erst im Nachhinein in die fertige Sandwichplatte bzw. in das fertige Sandwichbauteil einzusetzen. Diese Inserts haben unterschiedliche Aufgaben. Sie dienen z.B. der Aufnahme von Schrauben, Bolzen und Lagern. Die vorgestellte Verbindung entspricht durch ihre spezielle Geometrie den hohen Anforderungen für Verbindungselemente in den genannten Gebieten hinsichtlich Genauigkeit und Stabilität. Es wird der Konstruktionsprozess eines Inserts für Sandwichplatten aus CFK- Verbundmaterial beschrieben. Ausgehend von einer patentierten Lösung der Autoren findet eine schrittweise Produktverbesserung bis hin zu einem einsatzfähigen Prototypen statt. Durch die Insertverbindung können für den Maschinenbau erforderliche Genauigkeiten nun mit CFK- Halbzeugen umgesetzt werden. Die Anwendung dieses Leichtbaupotentials führt zur Energieeinsparung und zum Transfer von CFK- Anwendungen in den Maschinenbau.

The thesis is focussed on project of a tool – a hot working clipping punch, where the hole is punched in the upsetting ends of stabilizer. We talk about punching of a two layered semi-finished product, in which burr is formed at the layer interface, which is undesirable from the point of the customer requirement. The stabilizer is mounted in the car chassis, where it is fastened to the axle with screws. The literature study is focused on the theory and problems of punching. In the practical part, several design solutions of cutter faces are discussed, from which three types of face shape were selected. This was associated with a change in the design of the ejector. Two tool materials were selected for comparison. The cutters were tested on an automatic forming centre. Finally, after summarizing and evaluating all the practical experiments, an optimal solution of a tool designed for punching a hole with a two layered semi-finished product is proposed.