Production Process Integration Using Fulfillment-Time Probability Indexes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inadequate information flow in industrial supply chains leads to demand fluctuations, resulting in idle inventory, re-planning, and suboptimal production batches, due to deficient IT systems in planning and monitoring across production levels.
Innovation Solution
A production process integrating method that identifies machine and human activities, associates production agents, measures physical parameters, and determines a probability index for fulfillment time, providing this information to higher production levels to optimize production planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate production entities operate independently with traditional IT systems, then each entity maintains operational autonomy, but information flow becomes inadequate leading to demand fluctuations and inventory accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate production entities into a unified virtual production capacity by integrating their IT systems through a common platform. This allows information flow to be consolidated and shared across the entire supply chain, eliminating the information silos that cause demand fluctuations and inventory accumulation while maintaining the operational independence of individual entities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized information platform as an intermediary that connects separate production entities. This mediator collects, processes, and distributes production data across the supply chain, enabling reliable information flow without requiring direct integration between all entities, thus balancing reliability improvement with acceptable system complexity.
2Reliability
If production entities accumulate inventory to buffer against demand fluctuations, then supply reliability improves, but inventory costs and idle capacity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback loops where production data from all entities is continuously collected, analyzed, and used to adjust production plans. This feedback mechanism enables the system to respond dynamically to actual demand patterns, maintaining supply reliability through coordinated production rather than inventory buffers, thereby eliminating the waste associated with holding excessive inventory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses predictive analytics and probability index calculations to anticipate future production needs and potential bottlenecks. By performing preliminary actions based on predicted demand patterns, the system can prepare production schedules in advance, ensuring supply reliability without the need to accumulate safety stock, thus reducing inventory holding costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If production planning is performed continuously to respond to demand changes, then responsiveness improves, but re-planning costs and production disruptions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes continuous production planning processes where data collection, analysis, and schedule adjustment occur without interruption. This continuous operation allows the system to adapt to demand changes in real-time while maintaining steady production flows, avoiding the stop-start nature of periodic re-planning that causes disruptions and time losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic production scheduling that automatically adjusts to changing conditions based on real-time data. The system transitions from static, periodic planning to dynamic, continuous adaptation, where production schedules are flexible and can be modified instantly in response to demand changes, improving responsiveness without the disruptions associated with manual re-planning cycles.
4Productivity
If production entities operate in batches to optimize local efficiency, then local productivity improves, but overall supply chain coordination deteriorates causing capacity utilization issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal production planning platform that serves multiple functions: it maintains local batch production schedules for efficiency while simultaneously coordinating across the entire supply chain. This multi-functional system allows entities to operate in batches locally while the central platform ensures overall coordination, preventing capacity utilization issues and improving supply chain reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a production process integrating method for the integration of multilevel production processes in which the end product produced by a production entity (100, 200) operating on a lower production level serves as the input material for a production entity operating on a consecutive higher production level (000, 100), characterised by that - identifying machine and/or human activities collaborating in the production of the end product in the production entities (100, 200) operating on the individual production levels, and associating production agents to the identified activities, - identifying the physical parameters influencing the activity of the production agents, - measuring the identified physical parameters with sensors, - determining a probability index relating to a fulfilment time of the activity associated with the given production agent using the measured physical parameters, - determining a probability index relating to the fulfilment time of a quota consisting of a given amount of end product to be produced on the given production level from the probability indices determined for the production agents, - the probability index relating to the fulfilment time of the quota is provided to a production entity (000, 100) operating on the consecutive higher production level.