Maintaining viability by rapid supply chain adaptation using a process capability index

Unpredictable disruptions of the supply chain, as they have been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, require a rapid adaptation of the supply chain, i.e., the reconfiguration of processes and structures to re-establish resilience and maintain viability. Promising reconfigurations need to be identified and assessed regarding anticipatable supply chain performance and costs. Nevertheless, a comprehensive comparison of all potential reconfigurations is difficult as several objectives need to be aligned. To support a rapid preselection of the most promising ones, this paper presents the novel approach of a Supply Chain Resilience Analysis (SCRA), which allows to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of supply chain reconfigurations under disruption to ensure long-term recovery. Key concept of the SCRA is the combination of all relevant metrics into a single Supply Chain Resilience Index (SCRI) that builds upon an adapted process capability index (PCI). The PCI is usually applied in quality management of production processes to assess if a process adheres to specified limits of quality characteristics. In combination with a digital twin of the supply chain, the SCRA methodology can be applied for an automatic pre-selection of supply chain reconfigurations. For verification and validation of the developed methodology and its index, the presented methodology has been applied in a use case of an automotive supply chain. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

SUPPLY CHAIN SIMULATION AS A SERVICE TO INCREASE ADAPTATION CAPABILITY IN MANUFACTURING

The COVID-19 crisis represents significant challenges for the manufacturing industry, especially for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and further emphasizes the need for supporting the fast and efficient reconfiguration and repurposing of manufacturing lines and supply networks. The European CO-VERSATILE project addresses these challenges by offering the Digital Technopole, a central hub for decentralized services, including manufacturing and supply network simulation, among other vital services in aid of the reconfiguration process. Such simulation services are provided through an external cloud-based platform, the Digital Agora (emGORA). This paper highlights how such novel cloud-based simulation services can be efficiently implemented and offered using the Digital Agora and the Digital Technopole. The presented case study aims to optimize the supply network related to the manufacturing process of silicon facemasks, involving three European SMEs. The implemented solution is offered as cloud-based service to provide scalability, convenient access and reduction of upfront costs. © 2022 Society for Modeling & Simulation International (SCS)

Rapid Reconfiguration of Supply Chains with Simulation as a Support to Public–Private Partnerships during Pandemics

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many medical device manufacturers faced a significant and unexpected increase in demand. To handle this sudden spike in demand, a ramp-up of production and inbound material flow had to be organized. At the same time, the pandemic caused issues in the supply of materials for their medical products. Due to disruptions in global transportation, local unavailability of parts, and the urgency of the demand, companies established public–private partnerships to allow the organization of sufficient part supply for the production of medical products. In order to engage in the public–private partnership and to specify the necessary support, it is required to identify bottlenecks within the supply chain and options to address them. One of the methods commonly used to specify bottlenecks in a dynamic environment is event discrete simulation. To support the sudden simulation requirement by companies, a generalized simulation model is set up as a service to support, in particular, small and medium enterprises. The service allows to identify part bottlenecks and evaluate options in a rapid mode. The resulting service enables companies to address supply chain bottlenecks to ensure a fast ramp-up of production. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Supply Chain Simulation As A Service To Increase Adaptation Capability In Manufacturing

The COVID-19 crisis represents significant challenges for the manufacturing industry, especially for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and further emphasizes the need for supporting the fast and efficient reconfiguration and repurposing of manufacturing lines and supply networks. The European COVERSATILE project addresses these challenges by offering the Digital Technopole, a central hub for decentralized services, including manufacturing and supply network simulation, among other vital services in aid of the reconfiguration process. Such simulation services are provided through an external cloud-based platform, the Digital Agora (emGORA). This paper highlights how such novel cloud-based simulation services can be efficiently implemented and offered using the Digital Agora and the Digital Technopole. The presented case study aims to optimize the supply network related to the manufacturing process of silicon facemasks, involving three European SMEs. The implemented solution is offered as cloud-based service to provide scalability, convenient access and reduction of upfront costs. © 2022 SCS.