Thesis: M.B.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2018. / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2018. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 92-95). / This thesis presents work that was done to improve the effectiveness of cleaning processes at an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing site that was in the phase of engineering trials and cleaning cycle development. Cleaning cycles executed on the site prior to the project were found to be inconsistent in cleaning the equipment to the desired specifications. Lack of repeatability of cleaning processes was hypothesized to be a resultant of inadequate process control and monitoring. Statistical Process Control (SPC) implemented using process automation was found to improve the success rate of cleaning processes significantly. SPC introduction required breaking down the cleaning operation into component steps, identifying critical process parameters (CPPs) and calculation of control limits using Shewhart Control Charts for these CPPs. Significant modifications were done to the automation controls for the recipe to ensure deviations from recipe are captured and appropriate actions are taken by the system or the operator to bring the process back in control. The success rate of cleaning processes improved from 38% to 72% post the implementation of Phase I of SPC with the newer non-conformances being associated to special external causes outside the control of the process. Real-time Multivariate Statistical Process Monitoring (RT-MSPM) was also introduced and piloted as a future opportunity for enhanced control and continuous quality improvement. Multivariate statistical process control eliminates the need to monitor multiple control charts (one for each variable) at the same time accounting for the correlations among process variables. / by Rajkumar aka Rahul Shankarlal Nechlani. / M.B.A. / S.M.

Thesis: M.B.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2018. / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2018. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 87-88). / Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is a concept that proposes to provide short-range transportation solutions that enable customers to travel point-to-point more quickly than they can today using cars or public transportation. The concept of Urban Air Mobility is not new, but there has been rapidly increasing interest in providing air transportation services within major metropolitan areas. The combination of increasing congestion and advancements in electric aircraft and automation makes the Urban Air Mobility market more attractive for vehicle manufactures and transportation companies. There are many potential applications for new aircraft. However, these applications cannot be based solely on what is technological feasible, but must consider the market, demand, and customer needs. This thesis investigates these factors in order to identify operational challenges that may develop during the implementation and operation of an Urban Air Mobility system. The study focuses on Dallas-Fort Worth to set the scope to one potential early adoption market. The objective is to understand the Dallas-Fort Worth environment better in two dimensions. The first is resident's current perceptions and values. The second is the operational challenges and constraints associated with operating a UAM system. In order to meet this objective, a survey of community members and potential early adopters is conducted to determine customer's perceptions of a UAM system and identify operational challenges that may develop based on customer needs. Next, a case study is completed using 10 reference missions in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The missions represented potential commuter trips, point-to-point trips like sporting events, and randomly generated missions. Through this case study, nineteen operational challenges are identified that may impact the development, implementation, and operation of an Urban Air Mobility system. After reviewing each reference mission, community acceptance of aircraft noise and take off and landing area availability were identified as the operational constraints likely to cause the greatest challenges for UAM operations in Dallas Fort Worth. / by Nicholas Dunn. / M.B.A. / S.M.

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, In conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2018. / Thesis: M.B.A. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management 2018 In conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. "June 2018." / Includes bibliographical references (pages 108-111). / Engine Health Management (EHM) is a comprehensive maintenance service offered by engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (PW) to its airline customers. In its current form, engine performance is monitored through recorded physical metrics, such as gas temperature, pressure, and altitude, taken as single snapshots at various phases of flight. The advent of the Enhanced Flight Data Acquisition, Storage and Transmission (eFASTTM) system, which allows for near-continuous recording of engine metrics, provides Full-Flight Data Analytics (FFDA) that may proactively alert and recommend maintenance activity to airlines. Adopting eFASTTM may help avoid Adverse Operational Events (AOE) caused by unexpected engine failures and the associated cost burdens. With respect to operating cost, airlines standardly report Cost Per Available Seat Mile (CASM) and Cost Per Block Hour (CBH). EHM services that prevent operational disruptions can help airlines reduce these unit-cost metrics, whose scrutiny by industry analysts affect investment guidance, stock performance, and overall business outlook. In this study, the value of FFDA services to airlines is investigated on the International Aero Engines V2500, a mature engine with customers' operational histories well-documented. Using a Poisson distribution to model the occurrence of six operational disruption types-Inflight Shutdown, Aircraft-On-Ground, Aborted Takeoff, Air Turn-Back, Ground Turn-Back, and Delay/Cancellation-the cost savings potential is quantified as a function of events avoided by a hypothetical FFDA service. Airline Form 41 financial data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics is then used to estimate the magnitude of savings on CASM and CBH retroactively for 2012-16. Results show that unit cost reductions of 0.5% to 1.5% are possible through engine event avoidance, representing savings up to $104M annually, but outcomes are highly dependent on assumptions about cost of operational disruptions for each individual carrier. Overall, a baseline model and procedure is developed for valuating FFDA and associated EHM services. Further collaboration between airlines and Pratt & Whitney on data availability and accuracy will help refine this model, which is the first to bridge publicly available airline costs with engine history data, helping stakeholders transition to an eFASTTM ecosystem that promises greater operational efficiency and safety. / by Henry H. T. Luu. / S.M. / M.B.A.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemical Engineering; and, (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2010. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-84). / Given that research is based on innovation, it has been believed that its activities can only be optimized with equipment upgrade, increment in personnel scientific knowledge, development of new analytical software and/or changing the areas of study. After realizing the limited results achieved with these approaches, lab representatives started to notice the opportunity of introducing process optimization tools, such as Lean and Six Sigma, which showed success in manufacturing environments,. This project analyzes the interrelation between process and results, providing a clear explanation of cause and effect conditions, and a concise list of areas for improvement. Specifically, the document defines a measurement system using process maps and key performance indicators (KPIs). With this, the document describes the current state through historic trends, provides a complete data and root cause analysis for current state description, and provides a process capability study for the available indicators. Implementation of the steps mentioned above show how focus in lab turnaround times have been deviating attention from more impactful improvements, which can greatly affect overall drug discovery duration. Also, the analysis identifies that constant technology changes caused constant adaptation of process procedures, which generated non-value added activities. These non-value added activities today occupy about 50% of a lab associate's time. Lastly, historic data evaluation shows that root cause statistical analysis is limited by the presence of a combination of special and common cause variations. Some of the project recommendations include: incorporation of chemist's knowledge about compound potency, integration of equipment and software information, change in booking system, incorporation of assay and plate criteria, definition of standard procedures for specific activities, and integration of assay development and data submission tools. Overall, these changes can lead to a 50% reduction in the profiling times greater than 60 days, decrease of 62% and 60% in Compound Manager (CM) and Compound Profiler (CP) non-value added times respectively, 30% decrease in CM and CP total duration per assay plate, and increase in profiling time stability and predictability. Despite the fact that timing and scale of available resources will impact the realized benefits, the proposed framework gives EPP the opportunity to assess the improvements by their effect and alignment with goals. / by Tatiana Yglesias. / M.B.A. / S.M.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2011. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-76). / As part of continuing lean transformation efforts at Pratt & Whitney, the Middletown Engine Center has turned its focus on the GP7000 turbofan engine as a target for lean implementation. Projected increases in GP7000 production volume over the next few years, along with aggressive cost reduction targets, are driving the current push to optimize GP7000 assembly and test operations. The internship work described in this thesis was sponsored to achieve three primary objectives: (1) Identify and then implement opportunities to reduce waste and increase productivity for GP7000 assembly and test, (2) determine an optimal configuration for restructuring GP7000 assembly and test operations and create a business case demonstrating the value of the proposed configuration, and (3) organize an implementation team and begin execution of a GP7000 strategy. This thesis details an approach for lean transformation of assembly and test operations in an aerospace company. Additionally, the thesis provides a framework for making difficult relocation decisions and shows how lean transformation can be part of an assembly relocation strategy. As a direct result of this work a lean transformation and relocation strategy is in place for the GP7000 and the implementation of that strategy was underway at the conclusion of the internship. The thesis also describes a comprehensive risk management plan that employs the Operational Risk Management (ORM) process from the U.S. Air Force together with a phased implementation approach. / by Stephen Andrew Hale. / S.M. / M.B.A.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; and, (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2012. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Page 70 blank. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-62). / The biotechnology industry is undergoing a paradigm shift in the properties of the manufactured drug product. As therapeutic protein formulations change from agonist to antagonist methods of action, the concentration of proteins in each dose increased by orders of magnitude, and with it, the challenge of producing and inspecting the product. Current inspection technologies meet the requirements to properly inspect the existing drug product portfolio, but as new pipeline drugs enter commercial manufacturing, inspection will become a pressing issue from operational efficiency, compliance, and quality standpoints. It is known that the properties of some of these pipeline products render them "uninspectable" by currently installed Automatic Visual Inspection Machines (AVIMs) but the scale and scope of the challenge is not well defined currently. The process and approach outlined in this research focuses on distilling large datasets of future product forecasts together with product attributes and infrastructure capability to generate a quantitative understanding of the future challenge. Through this research, product attributes critical to inspection such as viscosity, presentation, and protein aggregation, are identified for each commercial and pipeline drug product. These attributes are paired with production forecasts to generate attribute focused inspection requirements through 2020, which are then mapped against current capabilities. Gaps identified between requirements and current infrastructure capabilities are determined and the scale quantified. These capability gaps are then segmented by potential solutions, complexity of solutions, and cost of inaction in order to give Amgen the best foresight into future decisions and investments. Based on the gaps identified and near term engineering challenges, several solutions are developed, proposed, and tested throughout the internship. These include the use of Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW) to agitate heavy particles into suspension through acoustic streaming, enhanced lighting and imaging techniques to better identify particles, and segmented machine vision algorithms. These approaches are part of a larger portfolio of technical solutions which must be developed to address future product attributes which render current inspection processes ineffective. / by Marnix E. Hollander. / M.B.A. / S.M.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2012. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 69). / With a growing focus on sustainability many companies are proactively assessing their product and supply chain footprints. Cisco is a leader in the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) industry and is working to define best practices and standards. Product life cycle assessment (LCA) capability is an important competency as customers begin to request environmental impact data. The current LCA standard is to use a commercial software package, such as GaBi or SimaPro, but these tools require significant workforce resources. Often the majority of the time spent completing the assessment is focused on areas that have a minimal contribution to the overall product footprint. Industry specific estimation techniques are being developed which will allow for assessments to be completed with fewer resources. The goal of this work is to evaluate the footprint of a single rack unit router using a full life cycle assessment. Results from the life cycle assessment show that the use phase contributes over 95% of the total global warming potential (carbon footprint) given the selected assumptions. For the production phase, printed circuit boards and integrated circuits contribute over 70% of the total global warming potential. The iNEMI Eco-Impact Evaluator methodology allows for a significant reduction in analysis time to calculate a footprint and offers a valid option for creating life cycle assessments. The footprint results from this estimation technique show similar trends when compared to the results of the full life cycle assessment. The use phase is predicted to be the dominant phase. Based on a detailed comparison, the iNEMI Eco-Impact Evaluator methodology shows great promise as an option to generate product life cycle assessments with lower analysis time. This technique will allow users to integrate LCA capability into the design cycle and make valuable trades to reduce the environmental impact of future products. / by John J. Conway. / S.M. / M.B.A.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2013. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-68). / Amgen is shifting certain drugs from traditional vial and syringe primary containers to more patient friendly delivery devices known as combination products. Combination products are defined by the combination of a medical device and drug into a single entity. These new products are accompanied by new regulations and new production processes. Traditional drug manufacturers are required by the FDA to embrace certain practices traditionally pertinent to medical devices. As Amgen seeks to integrate these device processes into its business processes, additional quality procedures are necessary to control and improve the new production processes. This thesis seeks to examine process control techniques in the clinical manufacturing organization in an attempt to understand and improve the current new processes. A control plan was developed based on risk inputs, observational run data, and batch release requirements. A data collection process was then implemented and data was analyzed in control charts and aggregated defect rate analysis. Results show that 1) the overall assembly process appeared to stabilize over the period of analysis, 2) although processes were within specification limits, none of the inspection processes were entirely within statistical control, and 3) investigative avenues for out of control processes are suggested as a part of the control feedback loop. Recommendations regarding managerial challenges in implementing a quality control system are also suggested. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Amgen Inc. / by Dhanya Cumbum Rangaraj. / S.M. / M.B.A.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; and, (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2013. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-82). / This thesis explores how a retailer should determine whether to source goods domestically vs. directly by imports through international sourcing. Through the research a landed cost model was developed and designed to calculate the total landed cost of items that were shipped from overseas locations into the US. The landed cost model is different from typical models in that it integrates the physical size of the item to be imported into the total landed cost considerations. With the landed cost estimates at SKU level, the decision of whether to import or to source domestically is derived. What attributes make better import candidates over others given that a landed cost calculator outputs "yes" to import? What are some of the risks? In addition to creating a landed cost calculator, the research presents approaches around these questions. The characteristics of good import candidates are analyzed through evaluating the variables that contribute to total landed cost. Basker and Van (2008) present theories that examine the two way relationship between the size of a dominant retailer and the imports of consumer goods. They conclude that a chain needs to reach a threshold size before it begins to import. Benchmark studies of import giants like Wal-Mart are presented in this paper to understand how a longer history in the retail sector along with a robust IT infrastructure gives a company an advantage in importing retail goods. The results of this research can help retail companies with new and small import programs understand the variables that are needed to calculate total landed costs with the consideration of container utilization. Additionally it will help the retailer to decide on the best items to import in a smaller program until they can acquire economies of scale through higher import quantities. Ordering methods such as the Periodic Order Quantity Method (POQ) for fixed order periods with variable demand and Newsvendor models for advance ordering are also addressed. The results show that given several import items of varying sizes, there is an optimum region of importing which relates to COGS, size, inventory holding cost, delta of domestic to imports COGS, demand and other costs. The retailer can find this optimum region by applying analytical techniques to evaluate the candidates that are under consideration for importing. In addition to these findings, the organizational and infrastructural needs of a small imports program are addressed. The research also ties in globalization of the retail industry and the world market economy into shifts in the retailer's decisions. / by Sophia E. Scipio. / M.B.A. / S.M.

Thesis: M.B.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2014. In conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT. / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2014. In conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 78-81). / In the manufacturing of any complex product it is a generally accepted phenomenon that defects will occur at various stages in the process. In aircraft modification and repair facilities, the low levels of automation and high degree of manual labor results in a significant increase in the rate of errors and defects caused throughout the production cycle. This results in a significant amount of unplanned rework that is scheduled and executed along with the previously planned work. This thesis presents a project carried out during an internship at Boeing focused on developing and implementing a quality management strategy targeting improvement projects to reduce rework and the occurrence of defects. This includes both the development of analysis and communication tools for identifying the most common causes of rework and working with teams to develop improvement projects to reduce their occurrence. The modification facility where the project took place was still in its early stage of operation, having only been in operation for a short period of time prior to the start of the internship. This created a very dynamic work environment that was constantly evolving and improving at every level of the organization. Previous quality initiatives had been started in the past but a lack of support and commitment from senior management inhibited their adoption. The quality initiative is focused on several key quality metrics that have been identified by the leadership team at the company. The quality management strategy is developed through a cross-functional team effort, bringing a data driven approach and aspects of several common continuous improvement methodologies. Following the framework established during the internship, some project examples are provided along with the methodology behind the root cause and corrective action steps taken. / by Orion T. English. / M.B.A. / S.M.