Process Management

In many industries the success of companies depends on efficient and sustainable processes: In which way higher output can be achieved by less resource consumption? Many process optimization projects improve single processes but not the whole process chain. Thus a high amount of potentials of resource efficiency are unutilized in manufacturing. For realising enormous achievements energy and resource efficiency have to be integrated into the optimization process.

Against the background of complex and volatile value chains the success factor quality is gaining increasingly in importance. Today, product quality and process quality as well as their continuous improvement are the basis for entrepreneurial success. Thus quality controlling becomes a central function in order to assure competitiveness of companies. New approaches are in demand in order to fulfil quality requirements along value chains and in order to link quality management systems with quality controlling. By an inter-divisional and company-wide implementation of Quality Gates these requirements can be met.

This article describes an opportunity to model actors and systems in various business processes into an overall model by using the technique of networking. To achieve this goal, an algorithm is introduced. Next, different metrics based on social network analysis, are described. These metrics are able to expose parts of the network which have a huge utilization and therefore the underlying process itself. With this technique it is possible for project leaders, managers and decision makers to analyze the processes for flaws, finding out capacities and to build new project teams together (staffing).

Today`s complex and dynamic logistic processes are largely addicted to the efficient management of relevant information. Integrated into centralised planning and control structures, the flow and management of information is mostly handled in separate processes or sub processes. This proceeding results in an additional effort for the information processing and in corresponding delays during the process execution. This is especially the case for mobile work processes. Wearable computing systems offer the possibility to use modern information and communication technologies for a direct integration of the information processing and information management into the mobile work process. In this way the mobile user is discharged and able to concentrate on his logistical main task.

Particularily in local processes the search for and dispersion of information as well as the recognition of experts, resources and their availability all takes place by direct social interaction. In distributed time-constrained processes or decentralisable, formal processes employees have to question this information , especially if problems arise. The adequate visualisation and navigation of this information is a reason for the fact that persons responsible for processes can quickly orientate themselves to be able to react adequately in an altered situation. This contribution develops a model for the simulation and visualisation of the collaboration in such situations by means of semantic nets and Web3D.

Although using CAM-systems effect the efficiency of manufacturing processes significantly, small and medium size enterprises often avoid establishing computer-aided systems for financial reasons. The IFW (Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools) develops a business concept for a cooperation of machine manufacturers, software manufacturers and engineering consultants. A collective supply of services for CAM-based optimization of manufacturing processes would enable small and medium size enterprises to use CAM-systems and simulations without high investments.

The global players of the aviation industry are shifting a growing shares of their value added to their subcontracters. New subcontractors must do considerable expenses to get accustomed to the special quality and security requirements of the aviation industry. This can be done as an EASA approved production organisation or as an extended workbench. The decision orientates itself at the specific activities required.

There is hardly a company that would not claim to be very flexible. Being flexible has become essential in today’s business world. It is a common misconception to consider high flexibility as the ability to compensate for weaknesses in processes or their design. On the other hand it is associated with the readiness or acceptance of the staff to cushion surges in needed capacity without additional expenses being incurred whatever induced the fluctuations. In times of market depression as we see today the narrow limits become blatantly apparent in the light of the current redundancy trend. If flexibility to such an extent is an important characteristic of manufacturers how and where can we see it? Proper process design which orients itself by the principles of simplicity and clarity is the core of highly flexible manufacturing systems. In conclusion by examining manufacturing processes of a low volume production the necessary prerequisites, the potential gains as well as limitations to ...

The integration of mechanical, electronical and informational components characterizes modern technical products. These mechatronic systems usually provide high product functionality by which the product complexity is increased. Handling this complexity confronts the manufacturer with technical but also organizational challenges. The improvement potentials of the existing development processes are analyzed as a possibility of facing the organizational aspects. For that reason a maturity model is developed that identifies the weaknesses in detail and shows the next steps for improving the interdisciplinary development process.

Integrating products and services to customized hybrid products can help firms to differentiate from their competitors. The essential value proposition of such bundled offerings can comprise usage-based selling (e.g. of machines) combined with guaranteed availability or the operation of customers’ complex production factors such as a complete assembly line. Operational efficiency is no longer sufficient for achieving long term success with hybrid products. Rather it is the way of interaction with customers which provides new opportunities for value creation. In the context of hybrid products the way of creating value for customers changes from a purely transactional view to a relational process. Accordingly, this paper addresses this change from a process-oriented perspective.