In January 2000, Mercedes-Benz started to implement the Mercedes-Benz Prod- tion System (MPS) throughout its world-wide passenger car plants. This event is exemplary of a trend within the automotive industry: the creation and introduction of company-specific standardised production systems. It gradually emerged with the introduction of the Chrysler Operating System (COS) in the mid-1990s and represents a distinct step in the process towards implementing the universal pr- ciples of lean thinking as propagated by the MIT-study. For the academic field of industrial sociology and labour policy, the emergence of this trend seems to mark a new stage in the evolution of the debate about production systems in the auto- tive industry (Jürgens 2002:2), particularly as it seems to undermine the stand of the critics of the one-best way model (Boyer and Freyssenet 1995). The introduction of company-level standardised production systems marks the starting point of the present study. At the core of it is a case study about the M- cedes Benz Production System (MPS).

Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Technology 1979 is a compilation of papers presented at the second IFAC/IFIP Symposium held at Stuttgart, Germany on October 22-24, 1979. The book discusses the following topics: flexible manufacturing systems research; information processing in large and small systems; materials handling in a manufacturing system; control requirements in industrial robot use; and quality assurance in automated manufacturing processes. The text gives an overview of the Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing program employed in aerospace batch manufacturing. One paper then presents a research and development program of Japan pertaining to use of lasers in a flexible manufacturing system complex. Another paper discusses the development and set-up of two flexible and different manufacturing systems; the paper also explains the appropriate information processing system that will control such complicated manufacturing processes. Another paper presents the advances in computers for quality control applications that are expected through lower hardware costs and better utilization of statistical methods. Mechanical engineers, technical designers, and students with serious interest in automatic control and computer-aided systems will find this book valuable.

This paper treats a two-echelon inventory system. The higher echelon is a single location reffered to as the depot, which places orders for supply of a single com modity. The lower echelon consists of several points, called the retailers, which are supplied by shipments from the depot, and at which random demands for the item occur. Stocks are reviewed and decisions are made periodically. Orders and/or shipments may each require a fixed lead time before reaching their respective desti nations. Section II gives a short literature review of distribution research. Section III introduces the multi-echelon distribution system together with the underlying as sumptions and gives a description of how this problem can be viewed as a Markovian Decision Process. Section IV discusses the concept of cost modifications in a distribution context. Section V presents the test-examples together with their optimal solutions and also gives the characteristic properties of these optimal solutions. These properties then will be used in section VI to give adapted ver sions of various heuristics which were used in assembly experiments previously and which will be tested against the test-examples.

The research reported in this book began as part of a Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the University of Pittsburgh in 1976. Revisions were accomp lished at Florida International University in Miami. There have been many people who were instrumental in the formation and completion of this research. The contributions made by Jack Ochs are far too numerous to mention. Jack's insights and suggestions will always be appreciated. I am also grateful to Melvin Greenhut, David Houston, Tatsuhiko Kawashima, Asatoshi Maeshiro, William Miernyk, Josephine Olson, Peter Nijkamp and Harry Richardson who read and critically re viewed earlier manuscripts. I am doubly indebted to Harry Richardson who initially suggested this investigation. Special thanks are in order for Gene Gruver, Peter Montiel, Randy Miller and James Wheller for always finding the time to hear out many of my arguments. In addition, I appreci ate the valuable suggestions they made as well. I am grateful, moreover, to Janice Carlino who most generously gave of herself to assist in this in any way she could. Janice not only helped with data preparation and with typing-entire drafts of earlier manuscripts, but, more importantly, showed an unusual degree oftolerance toward one for whom the research effort is not the most tranquil of experiences.

This book is a collection of papers presented at the 7th ISPE International Conference on Concurrent Engineering (CE): Research and Applications. The papers deal with different topics providing information on information modelling, CE in virtual environment, and standards in CE.

In the 21st century, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) systems will not only be the economic development tools but will also be the essential means of achieving a higher level of flexibility, cohesiveness and performance. CIM systems are beginning to settle into our society and industries, with greater emphasis on the integration of economic, cultural and social aspects together with design, planning, factory automation and artificial intelligent systems.This volume of proceedings brings together 10 keynote and invited speaker addresses, and over 180 papers by practitioners from 28 countries. It documents current research and in-depth studies on the fundamental aspects of advanced CIM systems and their practical applications. The papers fall into 3 main sections: CIM Related Issues; Industrial AI Applications Aspects; and Concurrent Engineering, Advanced Design, Simulation and Flexible Manufacturing Systems.

An authoritative source about methods, languages, methodologies and supporting tools for constructing information systems that also provides examples for references models. Its strength is the careful selection of each of the above mentioned components, based on technical merit. The second edition completely revises all articles and features new material on the latest developments in XML & UML. The structure follows the definition of the major components of Enterprise Integration as defined by GERAM (Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology). 1st edition sold about 600 copies since January 2003.

I*PROMS 2005 is an online web-based conference. It provides a platform for presenting, discussing, and disseminating research results contributed by scientists and industrial practitioners active in the area of intelligent systems and soft computing techniques (such as fuzzy logic, neural networks, evolutionary algorithms, and knowledge-based systems) and their application in different areas of manufacturing. Comprised of 100 peer-reviewed articles, this important resource provides tools to help enterprises achieve goals critical to the future of manufacturing.I*PROMS is an European Union-funded network that involves 30 partner organizations and more than 130 researchers from universities, research organizations, and corporations.* State-of-the-art research results * Leading European researchers and industrial practitioners * Comprehensive collection of indexed and peer-reviewed articles in book format supported by a user-friendly full-text CD-ROM with search functionality

Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Networked Manufacturing Enterprises Management addresses prominent concepts and applications of AI technologies in the management of networked manufacturing enterprises. The aim of this book is to align latest practices, innovation and case studies with academic frameworks and theories, where AI techniques are used efficiently for networked manufacturing enterprises. More specifically, it includes the latest research results and projects at different levels addressing quick-response system, theoretical performance analysis, performance and capability demonstration. The role of emerging AI technologies in the modelling, evaluation and optimisation of networked enterprises’ activities at different decision levels is also covered. Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Networked Manufacturing Enterprises Management is a valuable guide for postgraduates and researchers in industrial engineering, computer science, automation and operations research.