In this book quantitative approaches are proposed for production planning problems in automated manufacturing. In particular techniques from operations research/combinatorial optimization provide ways to tackle these problems. Special attention is devoted to the efficient use of tools in production planning for automated manufacturing systems. The book presents models and tests solution strategies for different kinds of production decisions. A case study in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards highlights the methodology. This book will help understand the nature of production planning problems emerging in automated manufacturing and show how techniques from operations research may contribute to their solution.

In this book quantitative approaches are proposed for production planning problems in automated manufacturing. In particular, techniques from operations research provide ways to tackle these problems. Special attention is given to the efficient use of tools in automated manufacturing systems. The book presents models and tests solution strategies for different kinds of production decision problems. A case study in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards highlights the methodology. The book will help to understand the nature of production planning problems in automated manufacturing and show how techniques from operations research may contribute to their solution.

The papers in this volume present recent and highly relevant topics in the fields of production research as 3D printing, additive manufacturing processes, agile product development, change dynamics in companies, configurable material systems, data analysis in process optimization, future technologies with high potential in value creation, global production, learning production systems, production of the future, organization of assemblies, resource efficiency in production, robotics in assembly, and technology trends in machine tools. Researchers and practitioners in the field of mechanical engineering and production technology will benefit from this content.

The book familiarizes the reader with the flexible assembly systems planning and scheduling issues and various operations research modelling and solution approaches. Some of the many topic highlights presented are the overall structure and components of a flexible assembly system, bi-objective integer programming models and algorithms for machine loading, assembly routing, and assembly plan selection, and fast combinatorial heuristics for scheduling flexible assembly lines with limited intermediate buffers. Also the book deals with just-in-time scheduling of flexible assembly lines, and dynamic dispatching algorithms for simultaneous scheduling of assembly stations and automated guided vehicles.

Design of Work in Automated Manufacturing Systems focuses on the need to improve the working conditions in the workplace while at same time putting emphasis on the use of technologies in various industries. The book takes into account how automation has altered the operations of small- and medium-sized firms. The text then presents a comparison of the use of computer-controlled applications in different countries and industries, as well as how these applications have influenced the working conditions of workers as well as the division of work in the workplace. The changes that manufacturing industries have undergone and the adjustments that were made in adopting the use of automated manufacturing systems are also highlighted. Also noted are the changes that computer-aided production systems have done on engineering, including the observation that workers can effectively work in an environment that is partially controlled by computer-controlled applications. However, the text also notes that organizational problems have evolved in firms that have adopted computer-controlled applications. The book can be a source of information for social scientists and those involved in developing computer-controlled applications in organizations.

In two volumes, Planning Production and Inventories in the Extended Enterprise: A State of the Art Handbook examines production planning across the extended enterprise against a backdrop of important gaps between theory and practice. The early chapters describe the multifaceted nature of production planning problems and reveal many of the core complexities. The middle chapters describe recent research on theoretical techniques to manage these complexities. Accounts of production planning system currently in use in various industries are included in the later chapters. Throughout the two volumes there are suggestions on promising directions for future work focused on closing the gaps.

Production and manufacturing management since the 1980s has absorbed in rapid succession several new production management concepts: manufacturing strategy, focused factory, just-in-time manufacturing, concurrent engineering, total quality management, supply chain management, flexible manufacturing systems, lean production, mass customization, and more. With the increasing globalization of manufacturing, the field will continue to expand. This encyclopedia's audience includes anyone concerned with manufacturing techniques, methods, and manufacturing decisions.