Category: Manufacturing

Abstract

Businesses are affected by macroeconomic factors operating in their environment; the main risk with the external influences is that the company has minimal control over them. Depending with the trend in the market, changes in macro economic factors may have positive or adverse effect on the business. The phone industry has faced negative and positive effects from macro-parameters movement.

Introduction

The phone manufacturing industry is facing some changes with changes in macro-economic situation in the globe; the industry has been vested by major international companies like Apple Inc., Nokia, Samsung, and Ericson. In the next five years, the industry is expected to be affected by macro-economic factors as follows:

Population changes and growth

With increase in population, the industry is likely to have an increased number of people with varying needs and wants, with such changes, phone with different features will need to be developed that can meet the demands of the changing population. On the other hand, there have been influxes of generation Y in the country resulting to people whose needs are changing by day.

Technological changes

With technology changes and improvement, the world is likely to get a change on the features and applications that it is going to use in the electronics gadget. The technology changes will require that the companies making phones come up with new systems of innovating, inventing and developing their gadgets.

The trends that phone have taken show that they are tending to become smaller with more features that satisfy the customer more.

Political influences

With changes in globalization, there have been changes in interaction between countries which facilitate the growth of international trade and cooperation among countries; this has yielded an increase in the number of companies working in the international states.

The increase in cooperation is likely to make the demand of phones higher and with much demand, and then there will be need for improvement of the gadgets if they have to be competitive.

Social changes and lifestyle adjustments

With changes in living standards and lifestyles, phones are likely to become more of necessity to people thus the demand of the gadget is likely to improve. With the improvement, there are chances that phone making companies will have to increase their capacity and delivery mode to meet the demands.

Despite the prospected improvement of people living styles, there is the risk that factors like global warming, global financial crisis, among other social factors will reduce people’s living standards and styles to the disadvantage of the industry (Spears, 2003).

Discussion an final remarks

The world seems to have realized the need for effective and reliable communication and transport systems; with the realization the phone industry is growing drastically, the industry is supported by change in macro-economic activities and the trend is expected to remain the same in the foreseeable future.

Increased population more so generation Y which depends on phones for their communication is working for the good of the industry.

Improved living conditions and change in business styles in another benefit that the industry is deriving; people have improving living conditions thus they are depending on phones for their communication.

Other than the above benefits that are accruing to the industry from changes in macro-economic activities, there have been changes that are working to the negative of the industry. The growth of internet and its fast acceptability among the youth is offering the industry competition, thus offering a substitute way of communication.

The phone industry is also facing a challenge from the growth of Ipads and Iphones that have become a more preferred gadget than phones. There are some surveys that are showing that use of phones have adverse effects on human beings, such researches are likely to hinder the growth of the industry (Braun, 1999).

References

Braun, K.(1999).Postexperience Advertising Effects on Consumer Memory. Journal of Consumer Research. 25(4), 319-32.

Spears, N. (2003). On The Use Of Time Expressions In Promoting Product Benefits: The Metaphoric And The Literal. Journal of Advertising, 32 (2),33-44.

The case presented is an example of the problems of information security management. This problem affects a substantial number of companies. In the case, SCM is facing a lawsuit because of failing to take responsibility in safeguarding its information security network. A partner company takes advantage of the interconnected security network belonging to SCM in launching an information security attack on Bullard Enterprizes.

In this case, there is a high possibility that SCM will be liable if the case is presented against it by Bullard Enterprizes. An argument in the case suggests that SMC failed to put in place sufficient mechanisms for controlling the use of the interconnection security network. Therefore, the company failed in its ethical responsibility as the owner of the security network.

SCM is not a direct party in the case in which it is implicated. However, the fact that the attack was launched by the security system belonging to the company makes the company a direct party. SCM will be required to settle the issue with its partner that launched the attack. This could perhaps take place after the verdict of the case presented by Bullard.

Ethical lapses occur when a company fails to exercise responsibility. This are practices which the company is mandated to guard. The securing of information systems is a strenuous task given the fact that there are many challenges associated with the management of security systems. The challenges are even extended when a company shares the security network with other companies (Johnson, Goetz & Pfleeger, 2009).

Basing on the given case, I believe that Stratified Custom Manufacturing had a low sense of responsibility in managing the vendor network which it shared with other business partners. According to the case, SCM had made strong recommendations guiding the use of the vendor network.

The company did not give the recommendations a strong force. This would have helped in fostering discipline on other users of the network. Allowing other companies to use the vendor network is a desired practice which was meant to enhance the flow of information and business (Whitman & Mattord, 2011).

The company was supposed to give the recommendations a legal force which would have served as a caution to its partners who used the network. In this case, it is argued that there existed weak measures of enforcing the recommended practices of using the interconnection network.

This could thus be cited as one of the reasons why the company found itself in this situation. Its partners took advantage of the weak system of safeguarding the network to attack other companies. This is the reason why SCM is being sued by Bullard Enterprizes as its network was used for attacking Bullard (Whitman & Mattord, 2011).

Hyeun-Suk, Young & Cheong-Tag (2012), observed that information security management is a sensitive subject which is handled with a lot of care by companies. In the meeting between the Chief Information Officer of SCM and the Managing Director of the company, a lot of sensitive issues are expected to be discussed at length. The meeting is supposed to help in uncovering all information security concerns.

This resonates from the fact that the company risks losing because of a lapse in security information management. The meeting will first uncover the facts of the case facing the company. The two will discuss how to launch an internal investigation into the accusations made by Bullard Enterprizes. This is the basis on which the company can identify the facts about the security of the shared network.

The second thing, which is expected to feature in the meeting, is the possibility of developing quick measures to help in securing the interconnection network. This is part of a rapid response which seeks to seal the information security breach loopholes as the company handles the case facing it.

Available evidence points out that the company could be held responsible for the information security attack made on Bullard. Therefore, it is expected that the two will discuss the approaches to take in handling the case.

As mentioned earlier, information networks handle a lot of information hence they can be easily used for defamation by players in the competitive corporate sector. The SCM case is a superb example. SCM faces a possible prosecution due to poor management of its information security network.

Auditing of information security networks is a desired practice as it aids in rating the company’s information security system. As an Information Systems Auditor, I would help SCM in conducting practices which will help in preventing future risks that are associated with information security management.

I will help in identifying the possible leakages that are likely to exist in the use of the all the security systems of the company. I will achieve this by making strong recommendations after a thorough audit.

I will also help in researching and devising tools that will be used in monitoring the use of shared information security networks of the company. These tools will be used in detecting real breaches of recommended practices on the use of shared networks.

This will help in preventing cases such as the one presented by Bullard. Continued auditing of the security information systems is vital in this era where there is continued growth in technological invention and innovation (Hedström, Kolkowska, Karlsson & Allen, 2011).

References

Hyeun-Suk, R., Young, U. & Cheong-Tag, K. (2012). Unrealistic optimism on information security management. Computers & Security, 31(2), 221 – 232.

Hedström, K., Kolkowska, E., Karlsson, F. & Allen, J. P. (2011). Value conflicts for information security management. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 20(4), 373-384.

Johnson, M. E, Goetz, E. & Pfleeger, S. L. (2009). Security through Information Risk Management, IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine, 7(3), 45-52.

Whitman, M., & Mattord, H. J. (2011). Readings and cases in information security: Law and ethics. Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

Information security management is guided by several pieces of legislation (Rezakhani, Hajebi & Mohammadi, 2009). The legislation guides the investigation of claims of information security breaches that are committed by individuals and companies. Investigations of breaches of information security rules should be open.

These investigations are conducted by parties which feel that there are breaches of laws and ethics that govern the use of information networks. Concerning the SCM case, the company detected an unusual traffic on its information network and sought to investigate the issue. The security manager detected a heavy flow of traffic. The abnormal traffic flow was taking place between the three main operational sites of SCM.

According to the senior manager of information security, there were database violations. Therefore, George, the senior manager of information security management reported the incident to the chief security officer of the company; Mr. Tom. Company laws on security management were followed.

Laws of companies on information security management base on the national laws on information security management. Up to this point, it is imperative to say that there was no breach of the company and the national legislation on investigation of alleged violations of information security (Whitman & Mattord, 2011).

Upon receiving information from George, Tom launched an individual investigation into the matter. The aspect of launching an individual investigation comes out as a lack of sensitivity to the national and international laws on information security management. SCM ought to have ordered for an audit of its information security system.

The external audit report from an independent investigation firm could have a strong legal force for launching a case against the alleged hacking of the company’s system. External auditing gives a company a strong edge for launching a case against another party. Such auditing comes up with an independent report, which can be trusted by national and international players (Whitman & Mattord, 2011).

According to Rezakhani, Hajebi & Mohammadi (2009), the management of a company’s information security system is an issue that has been given a lot of attention by many companies across the world. This resonates from the point that companies keep sharing information with their stakeholders. The wider sharing of information increases the risk of violations of information security principles and practices.

This is the reason why international procedures have been laid down. The procedures govern the introduction and implementation of practices in information security management by firms. Companies need to follow the international rules and procedures when sorting out the issues that concern information security management.

SCM is not exempted from following international rules and procedures on information security as the company operates internationally. The threat that was detected on the security system of SCM had potential to harm the security system of other companies. Several concerns are raised from the case.

These concerns point to the fact that the company could have violated the procedures of information security management, which are used globally. The first concern is that the company chose to use an individual system. This system was created by the chief information security officer of SCM.

According to the international rules of information security management, there are standardized systems, which ought to be used for investigating such cases (Ma & Mark, 2009).

The second concern entails the failure of the company to inform its partners of the threats. This is desired in information security management at the international level. It enhances the aspect of collective security in information security management (Siponen & Willison, 2009).

This case is an example of the numerous challenges that companies face as they deal with cases in information security management. The culmination of events in the case denotes some level of breaches in procedures of handling cases of information security breach. Therefore, it is likely that SCM will receive criticism from the other companies that partner with it.

The attack on the security system of SCM would be disastrous not only to SCM, but also other companies including its suppliers, clients and vendors. When they learn about the security attack, other companies will turn on SCM. SCM will bear the full responsibility for its laptop was used to hack the system.

An internal investigation needs to be launched by SCM in order to detect how its laptop was used to attack the security system (Rezakhani, Hajebi & Mohammadi, 2009).

Cases to do with breaches in information security rules tend to be delicate. Such cases need maximum cooperation and composure. This is critical to detecting the violations and people who are responsible for such violations. This is also vital for making improvements of security networks so as to prevent such violations from recurring. Big companies like SCM shares their operational networks with many other partners.

When the operative network is under threat, the risks will spread to the partner networks. In the SCM case, the company needs to launch an investigation into the alleged case of hacking.

The launching of the investigation should take place after the company has notified all its partners who include vendors, contractors, and government agencies. This helps the partners to take caution ad prevent further damage as the case is managed (Kakoulidis, Koskosas & Siomos, 2011).

References

Kakoulidis, K., Koskosas, I. & Siomos, C. (2011). A model performance to information security management. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(4), 47-51.

Ma, Q. & Mark, B. S. (2009). An integrated framework for information security management. Review of Business, 30(1), 58-69.

Rezakhani, A., Hajebi, A. & Mohammadi, N. (2009). Standardization of all Information Security Management Systems. International Journal of Computer Applications, 18(8), 4-8.

Siponen, M. & Willison, R. (2009). Information security management standards: Problems and solutions. Information & Management, 46(5), 267-270.

Whitman, M., & Mattord, H. J. (2011). Readings and cases in information security: Law and ethics. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Overview

The videos show the manufacturing process of Chinook and Robinson aircrafts. The place where the aircraft is made is big and spacious especially for the Chinook military aircraft. The companies have equipped the staff with all the necessary resources. The manufacturing process of an aircraft involves sequential interdependence. There is therefore a lot of teamwork as the plane moves through the preparation of material, assembly, finishing, painting and testing processes. The process requires a lot of team work because the inputs of one department are used by another.

All the people in these departments have to work well to ensure that the product has been designed and manufactured well. From the videos one can see that it is a well coordinated process among the workers or technicians.

While the Robinson company video mainly concentrates on the design, manufacturing and testing process, the Chinook Company goes further to talk about maintenance of the aircraft and the selling strategy. The Chinook video is more in depth and even longer. From their video we learn that the customer is in the mind of the manufacturer as they design and construct the plane. The customer comes to check out the plane. Is it what he had in particular? The customer is also present in the testing process.

The companies throughout the manufacturing process are concerned with the safety in use of the aircraft. The narrators in the video show the various steps that the technicians take to ensure that the aircraft material and components can sustain the aircraft activities. Both companies also mention the amount of time it takes to complete the aircrafts from the beginning process. The Robinson Company furthermore gives the time required in the particular stages.

The Robinson aircraft

The helicopter is a versatile machine that flies in any direction. It is able to land in the most difficult place. In the video we are able to see how the process begins till the aircraft is taken to outside for flight tests. Before even the construction of the aircraft, the designers sit down and come up with the designs of the helicopter in 3D with the help of the relevant computer software. It takes a total of 700 hours between the drying stage and the cutting of the pattern on the fiber.

The Robinson helicopter is made up of carbon fiber which is a composite material lighter and stronger than steel. The material is protected by double layers of green plaster. To cut the carbon fiber the company uses a blade machine ultra sound.

They use several layers of carbon fiber to make the rear view of the helicopter. They use the green light of a laser to assist them position the parts. The technician then uses a heat gun they uses a beehive web that goes to solidify the structure. However the fiber material is still soft and it has to be hardened by being washed under pressure. It is put in an oven that is 177 degrees centigrade. It stays in the oven for a period of 10 hours. After these the pieces are removed from the oven and taken to the machining area. Before using the fiber the fiber material is hit with a resonance hammer so that the technicians can detect if there are any faults.

The technicians mount an electrical harness on a pattern before it is put in the helicopter (How it’s made episodes, 2009) The electrical wiring of the plane is connected to the flight control panel of the helicopter. This is an important part of the plane and it can be compared to the brain of a human being. An aircraft can have on average 2350 meters of wiring while there are others that can have 9000metres of wiring. An aircraft has on average 9960 rivets which are made secure by the use of a ram and a gun. There are precautions taken to ensure aid does not get into the airplane and cause humidity and corrosion of the parts.

The technicians put the pieces of the plane systematically that is the front and side parts. In the next step, the motor is brought to the plane.

The motor weights 120kg and needs to be handled carefully. Safety is a primary consideration of the company. The screws of the plane have been perforated so that a cable can be inserted. The presence of the cable is important as it helps the screws withstand the high pressure vibration of the airplane blades without loosening. The technicians now put the blades of the helicopter on the plane. Each of the blades weighs 41kg each. These blades are what assist the plane to fly. The blades are made up of composite materials and an aluminum alloy. They then test the flight control panel which has been put at the dashboard.

Once the technicians establish control with the control tower they have the assurance that everything is running well. Now all the technicians have to do is to finish the interior

of the craft. The spacing in the facility is well with adequate space for the technicians to carry out their work. The seats and the safety belts are installed. Finishing also entails putting the ceiling, the doors and the windows. The last step once the finishing is done is to paint the aircraft. After painting, it is taken outside for flight tests before it is used. The tests are very important as they help the technicians determine once more that the electrical and magnetic components are operating well.

The company takes on average a total of 110 days to finish assembling the whole aircraft. The components of the aircraft are many, totaling to 3019 parts. Every year the company assembles a total of 185 aircrafts. The aircraft after completions weighs a total of 2.8tonnes. The average altitude for the plane is 6096 meters above sea level.

The Chinook aircraft

The video does not show the assembly of a particular aircraft like the Robinson video but the narrator, who is the chief manager at the assembly site shows the viewer the different work stations involves and explains the whole process as well of aircraft manufacturing.

When it comes to the CH47D Chinook Boeing helicopters we are shown a working facility located in Philadelphia. The first work stations are the assembly points which are the main stages in aircraft manufacturing. There is an auxiliary power unit which is a small engine that enables the running of a generator for flight testing. We are also shown the maintenance work platform section in the facility when companies have brought in their aircrafts for maintenance. The machine location where the technicians

conduct their work as they move up and down checking the aircraft supports an average of 500 kilograms. This means that on average two people are able to look at the engines of the aircraft during maintenance.

There is the cable wiring section where they put the wires of the aircraft that will connect to the cockpit. The aircraft is bigger than the Robinson aircraft requiring manpower of around five people to do the wiring. There are safety precautions taken by the company. There is an engineer who goes through the aircraft plans to ensure that the installation by the technicians has been done according to plan. After the finishing, there are flight tests conducted to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

The aircraft after the finishing process goes to the last section where it is painted (Nam Video, 2008). It stays in this section for a total of 5 days. Before the flight tests however, the technicians conduct a simulated rain exercise on the aircraft to check whether there is any possibility of water getting inside the aircraft and affecting critical equipment or the personnel.

The aircraft leaves the painting zone and is taken to the nest stage. At this time the blades are put on the aircraft. Fuel is put into the aircraft and the aircraft is checked to see whether there are any leaks. A safety flight inspection is carried out. The installation and communication components are confirmed. The process of putting the blades, checking fuel and flight testing also helps the company to ensure that the aircraft performs to the company’s and customer’s level of satisfaction. This process takes an average of 25 to 30 days.

The customer actually comes to the assembly facility to view and test the plane to see if it matches his requirements. There is a section in the facility where the customers have an opportunity for their fuel to be checked and any problems resolved. The pressure for the plane is also checked at the same place. These are military crafts for carrying the troops as they engage in their diverse kind of duties. The aircraft carries and average of 35 troops.

Conclusion

The video for the Chinook is different from the Robinson. The Robinson movie has gone into much detail in discussing the materials used in manufacture and the processes taken by the company till the helicopter is ready for use. The Chinook presentation is different as it gives an overview of the work stations of the company and the roles the employees play in the work stations. The video shows a complete Chinook aircraft.

It then takes us to an incomplete one where we are shown what happens in the specific work stations. The Robinson aircraft is not as big as the Chinook aircraft. However the Chinook facility is big and facility and adequate in meeting the company and customer requirements.

From the videos, aircraft manufacturing has several stages which is designing, assembly wiring, putting blades, finishing, wiring and aircraft ground testing. It does not matter whether it is a big aircraft or a smaller one, the main processes are the same or well defined. It is a sensitive process and both companies take the necessary precautions. Both companies have highlighted how during the whole manufacturing they take precautionary steps to secure the safety of the pilot and the passengers.

Works Cited

How it’s made episodes. How it’s made helicopters. Online Posting. Youtube. 2009. Web.

Nam Video. Cool Stuff Being Made: Boeing Chinook helicopter. Online Posting. Youtube. 2008. Web.

Summarize the major challenges facing the beta Interferon Manufacturing Process Development project

The first major challenge facing the beta Interferon Manufacturing Process Development project is the elimination of the initial stages of the development process. The early phases are crucial to the familiarization of the employees with the new product. Although the crossover study would allow the company to commence the development process at clinical trials, it would slow down the adaptation of staff to the entire process. The planned use of the beta Interferon project to model a program that would accommodate other products requires that the project commences from the initial stage to allow the development of reasonable operating procedures. The process would require much time and planning.

What strategies have been implemented to address the above challenges?

The strategies to address the identified challenges include the formation of multiple teams at different levels. The top-level team would be in charge of the execution of the entire rota program while the second-level team would oversee the implementation of various subprojects. The third-level team would implement a manufacturing goal while the fourth-level team would comprise subgroups assigned different portions of the manufacturing development process. Each subgroup would complete the assigned task and coordinate its activities with the other subgroups. The hierarchy of the four teams would ensure the integration of all the development process tasks relating to the rBeta program.

What further challenges arise as a result of the implementation of the above strategies?

The further challenges that arise because of the implementation of the identified strategies include the conflict of task description due to the influence of traditional functional groups. Misinterpretation of job descriptions introduces confusion regarding the scope of the responsibility of sub-teams in the execution of tasks. The phenomenon of a sub-team assuming or avoiding multiple functions leads to the challenge of coordinating the sub-teams. A stalemate arises when a subgroup performs the whole task of a functional group. The decision to hire an independent contractor to harness the coordination and integration of tasks amongst different sub-teams increased skeptical perception of team-oriented behaviors.

What are the primary root-causes for all of the challenges?

The primary root causes of all the problems were poor management culture, job description, and employee motivation. The company’s top management lacked the time to oversee the implementation of crucial processes, which led to the breakdown in the coordination of various development process tasks. Poor job description influenced the employees to view particular duties as being more important than other tasks.

Employees who believed that their tasks were of low priority did not bother with the project’s timeline. On the other hand, employees who believed that their tasks were central to the entire project were aggressive in their activities. The lack of motivation and a common vision influenced the conflicts between various teams, which perceive the coordination and integration approaches to be a waste of time.

What can potentially be done with the root causes to improve future project management at Biogen?

The organization should adopt management strategies, which promote a positive organizational culture, efficient delegation of duties, and employee motivation. The top management should establish reliable communication channels, which allow the streamlined flow of information between various departments and employees at different levels. Nurturing a positive organizational culture will encourage employees to share the company’s vision and promote team-oriented behaviors towards the realization of a common goal.

The lack of motivation arises from management tendencies, which influence employees to develop the notion that their contribution to the company is insignificant. The top management should interact with employees frequently and conduct one-on-one discussions with them to demonstrate the importance of their contribution to the organizational goals.

Introduction

This project management document is prepared in response to the recent bid that was won by BlueCrux Inc.. The project is to conceptualize, design, and manufacture a GPS chipset prototype to be used in mobile devices. Once the prototype is developed and approved the company expects to get orders for mass production of this chipsets. The market for these chipsets is expected to be huge because there is a trend in the market to provide location specific services, such as promotions and deals, to customers directly on their cell phones. To receive these location specific services cell phones need to have GPS capabilities, which will be possible by incorporating these GPS chipsets. This project is expected to add 20% additional revenue to the bottom line of the company over a period of 2 years.

Background

BlueCrux Inc. is a leading national chip-manufacturing company and has a strong background in designing and manufacturing chips for the electronic industry. The company has innovated, developed and manufactured several semiconductor based chipsets for its clients. The company usually responds to bids and uses its existing manufacturing infrastructure, process engineering expertise, organizational structure, and industry experience as its competitive advantage. The company uses a balanced matrix organizational structure, detailed in Figure 1 below. This organizational structure allows the company to focus on the strengths of its functional departments but also allows cross departmental interaction during projects with the project manager having sufficient authority (PMBOK – 4^th Ed).

Shaded boxes represent staff reporting to PM for project related activities.

Strategic Alignment

The company has recently won a bid, issued by the customer through a RFP (Request for Proposal), to develop, design and manufacture a chip prototype that can be used in cell phones to provide it with GPS capabilities. After reviewing the RFP, that company determined that existing infrastructure can be leveraged to develop and produce the chip. Since the company is already in the business of manufacturing chipsets, the objectives of this RFP are consistent and strategically aligned with the business objectives of the company.

Project

During the RFP process, engineers have determined that this design is unique and needs to be specifically designed to meet customer requirements. As per the terms and conditions of the bid once the project is complete it will be handed over to the client for further testing. Since this bid is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product based on specific customer requirements, the company has decided to call this a project (PMBOK 4^th Ed.). Upon successful discussions and signing of contract, the start date and end date will be negotiated and a project manager will be assigned to the project. The project sponsors, the Vice President (Sales) and Vice President (Engineering), has prepared and issued a project charter giving it higher visibility. The project charter includes the project description, name of the project manager, customer requirements, project justification, known stakeholders, and project deliverables.

Project Management

During the initiating process a Project manager (PM) was selected and assigned to the project. After going through the RFP, reviewing historical documents and project management processes, and discussing with experts, the PM has broken the project into the following four phases, namely, conceptualization, engineering, pre-production, and product testing.

The company has existing historical documents which have been used by the project manager to develop Integration Management processes. These processes tie the various phases of the project together and are used throughout the project. These processes include helping in creating the project charter, which includes the business need and project objectives. Scope management, developing a project management plan, directing and managing project execution, monitoring and controlling the project, integrated change control and closing the project are part of the Integration management plan (Mulcahy, 2005).

Identifying Stakeholders

Identifying stakeholders is a continuous process. However since stakeholders have maximum influence on project deliverables during the early part of the project (PMBOK-4Ed.), the PM has taken the time to identify as many stakeholders as possible, in an effort to manage their expectations. A partial list of stakeholders is their expectations are listed below:

Table 1: Stakeholders and their expectations

Scope Management Plan

During the planning process, using the project charter, the requirements document prepared during the RPF process, and the existing historical documents. The Project Management team has prepared a project scope baseline which includes project scope statement, Work breakdown statement (WBS).

Project scope statement

The scope of the project is to develop, design, and manufacture a GPS chipset prototype, which can be used in mobile devices. The development of the chipset will be based on the general and technical specifications provided by the customer. The specifications will include power consumption, size, and packaging requirements.

The scope does not include any subsequent changes to the specifications after the requirements have been finalized. All changes will be handled through the change management processes.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The PM with the help of the project team has created a WBS as detailed in Figure 2 below. The project/product is logically decomposed into several levels, with each level adding more details. The level 2 contains the main phases which makes up the entire project and is further decomposed into smaller and more manageable activities. Levels 3 and 4 add more details to the work that needs to be accomplished. These levels allow the functional managers to understand the level of work required to be done by their staff. Level 5 are at the lowest level and cannot be decomposed any further. These are called work packages and are realistically estimated and can be completed quickly. The shaded boxes in Figure 2 indicate the work packages, which will be executed as activities.

Schedule Management Plan

The schedule management plan establishes a schedule baseline against which the schedule will be measured during the monitoring and control process. The work package identified during the WBS planning is executed as a single or set of activities, which is very specific and can be estimated, measured, and monitored. The PM and the team have estimated the duration of each activity which is listed below in Table 2.

Table 2: Activity Definition

Schedule Constraints

A two schedule constraints have been identified.

1. The project has coincided with an emergency leave of an engineer who is an expert in developing architecture for this specific chipset. Architecture/block diagrams have to be completed before he leaves on vacation and the PM has requested the engineer to complete the architecture before his leave. Also in case of an emergency, the PM has requested for permission to contact the engineer while away.
2. The vendor selection must be completed before the production of the pilot. The PM has put plans in place to prevent these schedule constrains from delaying the project. The PM has contacted the Director – Supply chain and requested for a list of vendors who specialize in producing packaging for these chipsets. The engineering team will develop specifications for packaging which will be provided to the supply chain and contracting departments so contracts can be drafted.

Milestones

As per the contract negotiated by the management with the customer, the customer will be billed upon completion of milestones. The PM, the project team, and the customer have decided on the following milestones.

1. Architecture document – This document will be completed after the completion of the conceptualization phase. The document will be reviewed by the customer before proceeding to the next phase.
2. Engineering Design Document – The document is completed after the completion of the Engineering phase.
3. Procurement document and Prototype Document – These documents are completed after selecting the vendor and the end of Pre-Production phase.
4. Test report – This milestone marks the end of the Product Testing phase and the project. This document will be sent to the customer for review to ensure the prototype meets specifications are stated in the datasheet.

Network Diagram

Based on the list of activities listed in Table 2 above, a network diagram is created as shown below in Figure 3. The Activity On Arrow (AOA) is used to develop the network diagram with arrows representing activities and nodes representing dependencies.

Most of the dependencies are mandatory dependencies because it is inherent in the nature of the project. From the network diagram, there are two paths which are detailed in the table below. The critical path of the project is 123.

As mentioned above, the organization uses industry best practices to manage projects and has established PM processes and procedures. SPI index is used to track projects schedule on a continual basis and the current SPI is 1.1, which indicates the project schedule is on track. The Gantt chart, Figure 4 in the appendix, describes the activity list, start and end date.

Project Cost Management

Project cost management plan was prepared which includes estimating, budgeting, and costing (Mulcahy, 2005). In the previous sections, the project was decomposed into work packages. Cost estimation for the project is completed by analyzing the project scope, WBS, network diagram, existing historical documents, and other organizational process documents. Existing historical documents were used to identify costs for known risks, human resources costs and project management costs. Since the company has already completed projects similar to this before, expert judgement was used to determine vendor costs and quality costs as compared to other mathematical techniques such as three-point estimating.

To budget for the project, the cost of each work package was determined by calculating the cost to complete each activity associated to the work package. Other costs such as management reserve, contingency costs, project costs were added up to develop a cost budget. The allocated budget for this project was $250K. Table below details the cost per activity, including contingency and management costs. The cost of materials is estimated to be $10,500.

Table 3: Cost Estimate

To control costs, the PM has decided to use the Earned Value Technique to measure variances on a continual basis. This technique will allow the PM to integrate cost, time, and scope to forecast future dates and costs (Mulcahy, 2005). The budget has taken into account contingency reserves to provide for known risks and additional management reserves to cover for unknown risks.

Cost Constraints

The cost management plan includes contingency and management reserves to offset any variance in costs during the project. The PM has identified two constraints for the project

1. The cost of materials is estimated to be $10,500. This value is determined based on invoices of preferred vendor. Depending on the vendor selected the price of materials may increase. $4,000 is reserved for block diagram development and designing in case an engineer is unavailable. Since funds for material are required later in the project, the PM has planned to use these funds to offset increase in material costs, in case it is still available.
2. Manufacturing costs are estimated to be $70,000 based on 40 days of work. This information is largely based on information available from historical documents. Cost management plan includes $4,000 for contingency in case of increase in manufacturing costs. Further a $10,000 is reserved under management expenses to offset increase in manufacturing costs.

Quality Management

Three issues relating to the quality of the GSM chip have been identified. Two of these are generic, which means they are applicable to most chip manufacturing processes. Fabrication problems can cause problems in a finished semiconductor chip and needs to be detected during the prototyping. During a new product development process, analog testing is crucial to ensure chip parameters and functional performance of the chip meets the customer specifications. The third issue is the quality of packaging. The vendor of choice has some labour relation issues and the quality of material available from the alternate vendor needs to be verified.

To achieve overall quality and reliability of the new chip, quality control department is independent of manufacturing and process engineering. The Quality management plan has taken into account the above mentioned challenges, quality requirements negotiated with the customer, and existing internal quality assurance and quality control policies. The plan is to have quality audits throughout the process to detect issues early in the project and reduce cost or rework.

Risk Management

Changes in Process technology causes increase in manufacturing costs and this directly affects the ROI of the company. This is a risk that has been identified during the planning process. News reports indicate that the preferred vendor is engaged in labour disputes and there are concerns about their ability to meet delivery of packaging material for the chips. If the preferred vendor is unable to meet their contractual obligations, new contracts will have to be drafted for alternate vendors and their ability to meet these requirements will have to be determined. The timing of the project coincides with the spring break and some key employees who have scheduled vacation several months ago will be on leave.

These are the known risks specific to the project that were identified early during the planning of the project. Besides these several known risks there are other inherent risks in the process engineering and manufacturing process that have been identified from existing historical documents. These risks are documented in a separate document called the risk register. The risk register contains all known risks and are categorized and high, medium, and low risks based on their impact to the project and the company. The risk register also contains potential responses and root cause of the risks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the project management plan has incorporated several industry best practices and industry approved project management methodologies. BlueCrux has many years experience in designing and manufacturing chips (IC) and have substantial documentation to be used for the current project. As seen in the network diagram in Figure 3, there are only two paths and since there are no convergence points, the project overall is less risky. SPI and CP indexes are used to measure schedule and cost performance continually to manage variance.

References

Mulcahy, R. (2005), The PMP Exam, 5^th edition, RMC Publications Inc.

PMBOK-4^th Edition (2008) – A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Project Management Institute Inc. (PMI), PA, USA

Last year, MAFF manufacturing company completed a project that was aimed at expanding the assembly department. The project had taken a maximum of two years. The first step was the acquisition of the adjacent land from a neighboring company. This was due to congestion that was being experienced in the old section. Besides, the company wanted to eliminate the possibility of accidents in the assembly section.

The aim of the exercise was to boost the production process of the company. This would be facilitated by an expanded assembly section. Secondly, there was the need to meet the company’s strategic plans for expansion after every five years. The other goal was to increase the number of employees that would ensure that extra output was achieved. The final goal was to create enough space in the working environment that would eliminate the occurrence of accidents.

The expansion exercise was a project because it had many operations. Operations were executed daily for two years. This saw the completion of the expansion project. The exercise encompassed many activities that met the requirements of a project. For instance, the exercise had a start and finish date (Binder, 2007). It was started in May 2010 and ended in May 2012.

Besides, resources were used to obtain results. Money was used to pay workers and purchase materials. Also, it had subprojects that contributed to the whole exercise. Thus, it was not a day-to-day exercise. Various organizations have different organizational structures. Organizational structures depict the flow of instruction or orders. They outline the hierarchy of the organization in terms of responsibilities.

MAFF manufacturing company has implemented an organizational structure called a matrix organizational structure. This is appropriate because the organization has different departments. This has seen to it that there are established sections or departments including; the procurement department, production department, finance department and assembly departments (Larson & Gray, 2011).

This project fitted well within the assembly department. Through the head of the assembly department, this department was able to get the required funds for its activities from the finance department. This organizational structure was of great significance to the project. First, employees were motivated to work as a team. This saw the completion of the project in good time.

Besides, the matrix organizational structure offered high efficiency (Daft & Willmott, 2010). Specialization was also achieved because people were involved in their right departments and sections. Finally, the structure offered appropriate decisions. Decisions made were appropriate.

However, there were limitations of this organizational structure regarding the project. High costs were involved. For instance, the project manager and the functional manager had to be paid. Again, there was a conflict that resulted in the power struggle (Project Management Institute, 2008). The project manager and the functional managers were influenced by personal issues.

Shifting responsibility was also evident when failure or problems occurred. One of the organizational cultures in the company is to reward hard work. This facilitated the achievement of good results in the project. There was professionalism in accomplishing the project. Employees and workers were rewarded because of their hard work.

The other issue is transparency in transactions. This benefited the project because there was no misappropriation of funds. As a result, this ensured the success of the expansion project. Besides, there were a few problems associated with this project.

References

Binder, J. (2007). Global project management: Communication, collaboration and management across borders. Aldershot: Gower.

Daft, R. L., Murphy, J., & Willmott, H. (2010). Organization theory and design. Andover: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F (2011). Project management: The managerial process. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Project Management Institute (2008). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (4th ed.). Newtown Square, PA.

Vestas Wind Systems

The company headquarters is in Denmark, and as a result of enormous growth of the company since its founding in 1945, it has set up manufacturing plants in several countries including Germany, United kingdom, India and US. When the company initially started, it used to manufacture household electrical devices but drastically changed their manufacturing through years making agricultural appliances, intercoolers, hydraulic machines and turned their focus to wind turbines since 1989.

Fairly writes that, “For the last eight years, the company merged with NEG Micon, another Danish company specializing in making wind turbines.” The two companies put their efforts together to establish the worlds biggest manufacturing plant of turbines using the brand, Vestas Wind Systems.

The company recovered in the year 2006 after a drop in sales the previous year making it be ranked the number one top green company in 2006. Towards the end of 2008, the company embarked on expansion plans in their plants in Colorado and Oregon. While the company is aggressively looking for new markets, it has been closing some of the plants in regions that their demand is low.

Fairly (43), states that, “Some of the closed manufacturing plants include the one in Scandinavia and Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom.” Todate, over forty thousand wind turbines have been installed by vestas worldwide with its workforce which is estimated at around twenty three thousand people globally. The new expansion targets include countries like China and US where its products are on high demand.

The company is gradually shifting production to China and US because of reduced demands in Europe. The companies goal when making their turbines is to provide customers with turbines of high quality, they don’t look at market share and prices when designing them. One of the products manufactured by Vesta is V112-3.0MW. It is designed in a manner that it can adapt to areas with low and medium wind.

The company projects that such areas will be shift to wind power in future. This device has the ability to produce more electric power than other turbines in that category of 3MW. This turbine is reliable, easy to service and offers greater efficiency than other turbines in the same class.

According to the company website, “Another product designed for areas with light winds is Vestas V90-2MW.” This one is mainly designed for European countries because of its light weather conditions. Another product from Vestas is Vestas V90-3MWwhich is used all over the world to generate electricity. The distinctive feature of this product is that is uses pitch control.

Vestas company spends a substantial amount of its revenue in research and development. Recent statistics indicate that it spend in excess of one hundred and thirty million in the year 2009 in research. Some of its recent research findings is unveiling a stealth wind turbine in collaboration with QinetiQ which can offer solutions of radar reflection to the aviation industry. According to financial statements of 2010, the company is doing well as it collected profits in excess of 156 million Euros (Reddal, 77).

Sinovel Wind Group Company

The company is the largest manufacturer of turbines in China, and its headquarters is in China. Globally, it is ranked number three in production of wind turbines. The company targets to be the leader of turbine production by the year 2015 with major target market being foreign countries. Sinovel employs approximately 200 employees and has a capacity to produce eight hundred units per year presently. Its manufacturing plant is in Dahlia, China though it intends to open other plants in China and other countries.

Sinovel aims at making wind turbines that are adaptable to all types of weather and environmental conditions around the world. The company has been growing steadily since its inception and has managed to make big milestones in production of electricity using wind turbines.

In the year 2008, the turbine installations of Sinovel produced almost 1500MW of electricity making it the leader of Chinese green energy production and seventh in the world. By the year 2010, it had more installations done in China and other parts of the world with total estimation of power generation being put at around 4400MW, thereby leading the Chinese market and becoming the world’s number two.

Sinovel has a mission that is based on its historical formation which is to localize production of important electrical equipments and the focus to provide green energy to the whole population of China and the world. Its long term strategy is to provide innovative products, in large scale to meet international demands.

Sinovel has been a leader of the Chinese market in producing innovative turbine equipments in the sense that; it is the first to introduce an advanced wind turbine in the world, it was the first to make and supply the turbine equipments locally, it was the leader in developing 1.5Megawatt turbines that can suit all conditions of weather in the world and many other achievements.

The company is majorly involved in manufacturing products for commercial and industrial use. On the list of several products manufactured by Sinovel is SL600 turbine. According to the company website, “This turbine was developed independently by Sinovel group with its own intellectual rights.” It designed in a manner that it uses modern technological generators with Sinovel’s expertise.

Acher writes that, “SL5000 is a type of wind turbines that they make which utilizes variable pitch and double power generation technology.” SL300 is another product that they have developed using their own expertise. Its average power rating is 3000kW with a rotor diameter that ranges from 90 to 113 meters. The advantage with this product is that it is adaptable to all weather conditions.

Since the company was started, it has given priority to provision of quality customer service and technical support. It continuously strives to provide services with an aim of meeting customer’s satisfaction.

As a technique of enhancing scientific skills in order to sustain itself with the competitiveness of the market, the company has employed experts from China and other parts of the world with specialization in wind power to form part of research and development team that consists of almost 700 personnel. The operation of the company has also been boosted by cooperation with China Development Bank to a tune of six and half billion dollars.

Xinjiang Goldwind Science and technology Company

Lou (22) describes Goldwind Company as “One of the largest companies manufacturing wind turbines in world and one of the leaders in China.” Its manufacturing plants are in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China. Lou further states that, “The Company was established in 1986, which marked the start of wind power energy in Xinjiang, China.”

The companies aim is to research and develop large sized wind turbines for commercial and industrial use. Some of the products that the company produces are 600kW to 1.5 MW permanent magnet wind turbine products.

Apart from these products, it is also involved in developing and selling wind power plants. In the year 2009, the company installed close to three thousand seven hundred wind turbines of 750kW and sixteen hundred 1.5 MW turbines. The main market of the company is China though it installed some turbines in Minnesota, United States.

For the last eight years, the companies’ market share in China has been growing steadily and is said to supply its products to over twenty five percent of the market. By the end of the year 2008, the company had sold more than three thousand wind turbines that have the capacity to produce two thousand eight hundred and ninety five mega watts of electricity. In the following years, the market demand in China grew making them receive enough orders.

The company receives a good number if orders for all the products that are made including 750kw and 1.5MW turbines. The company also made a breakthrough to the International market when it received orders from United States and Cuban company, Energoimport.

The company employs more than one thousand five hundred people and its profits have continuously grown over the years. For instance, in the financial year of 2010, it made profits worth RMB 4.02. More than ninety five percent of the revenue of the company is collected from sale of wind turbine generators.

According to the company sources, Goldwind intends to benefit greatly when local companies offering green energy and expand their markets to foreign countries. They believe they would have good chances of growing. According to its mission of growth, it intends to acquire technology companies that can design highly efficient generators that can be transported easily. It also intends to buy other renewable electric devices.

Siemens Wind Power

According to Wessel (10), “Siemens Wind Power is a manufacturing company of wind turbines with main offices and manufacturing plants situated in Brande, Denmark.” It specializes in designing products for commercial and residential use. The company was fully acquired by Siemens groups of companies from Germany through its division of renewable energy from the year two thousand and four. By the year 2009, Siemens Wind Power had a market of six percent worldwide with a large market in the shores of Europe.

Wessel (9), further worote, “The Company was first established in 1980 by Danregn.” The name of the company was changed later to Bonus energy in nineteen eighty three but was later sold to Siemens in 2004. According to Wilkes (26), “The main manufacturing plant is in Brande, Denmark with other subsidiaries in several countries.”

As part expansion plans, the company opened other offices for research and development in Colorado. One of the products of the company that is unique is the Hywind. It is a wind turbine that is designed in a manner that it can float in the sea while it functions. It is designed to utilize the winds of the sea to generate electric power. The main products of the company are SWT 2.3MW and 3.6MWwind turbines.

By the end of the year 2009, the company had employee capacity of about six thousand. Since the company started, its focus was to develop wind turbines that would remain competitive in the market and it has evolved from making 22kW wind turbines to the current Megawatt ranges.

In order to realize its vision, the company has employed experts in the field of wind turbines technology and using conventional technological devices. The output of their efforts is development of high power wind turbines that match the demand of the market. Siemens Wind Power is proud for the effort of its more than five thousand employees who have contributed to realization mission of the company.

Siemens Wind power provides customers with their products by giving them guarantees of the investments they have undertaken. They offer guarantees so that customers can be sure of the services during that period. The recent order from United States wind firms is to boost by a big margin profits of Siemen Wind Power.

Wilkes describes that, “This is a confirmation that that the company is the leading provider of wind power in off shores.” One of the most recent projects of Siemens wind power is the construction of DanTysk wind farm in Germany that covers seventy square kilometers with a capacity to supply electricity to over five thousand households.

Enercon

The company, Enercon, is a leading provider of green energy in Germany and the 4^th largest globally. The company specializes in manufacture of wind turbines and the main plant is situated in Aurich, Emden and Magdeburg in Germany. Other countries they have manufacturing plants include Portugal, Turkey and Canada.

Enercon mainly produces its wind turbines for commercial purposes and domestic use. By mid this year, it is estimated that Enercon had installed over seventeen thousand wind turbines that has an excess of 24 Gigawatts of power.

Their most common product is the E-40 wind turbine Model which is a modification of the 1993 design. As of mid this year, its market share was estimated to be slightly above seven percent globally, while in the German market, it controls sixty percent of the market share. One of its main foreign users is Ecotricity, from Britain.

A distinct feature of its wind turbines is the technology that uses gearless drivers, with an annular generator. According to Enercon at a Glance (55), “This is different from other wind turbines because the other wind turbines use gears to increase the speed of rotation of the gearbox. The other difference with this generators is the housing which is drop shaped in addition to their towers that are painted green to march the surrounding.”

Some of its popular products include E-126 model that is widely used in Europe. Initial power rating of this model was six Megawatts but has been modified to generate 7.5 Megawatts. Another product is the E-112 model that was invented in the year 2002, and became the largest in the world for two years because of its ability to generate 4.5 Megawatts. It was later modified to generate 6Megawatts. To date, the company has not embarked on setting up projects on off shores but has instead been critical of the offshore wind parks.

Enercon had been burnt from selling its products to the US market due to an infringement dispute with Kenetech (Hermann, 120). The company employs over thirteen thousand employees. Just like the other companies, Enercon lays emphasis on quality of its products and employs experts of wind turbines so as to meet the expectations of their customers. One of their core values is to consult with authorities and customers so that they can find practical solutions of green energy.

The financial performance of the company has been incremental over the years despite the limitation of US market.

Gamesa Corporation Tecnologica

This company is involved in manufacture and making materials for wind turbines. It makes products for commercial and industrial use. The company is Spanish based and its main plant is located in Biscay, North of Spain. It does business by management of wind farms as well as selling wind turbines.

Before the competition by Chinese manufacturers, Gamesa was the worlds’ second producer wind turbines; currently it enjoys the sixth spot, though, the company has not lost its grip in the Spanish market. According to Barriviera (111), “It is estimated that the company has installed an equivalent of twenty thousand Megawatts of power in 4 continents.”

The company began manufacturing activities in the 1976 with a focus of developing of developing technological devices that meet emerging needs of the society. Among the products that it started making were robots and composite materials. A division of the company was established in 1994 to manufacture wind turbines for commercial purposes.

The company has financial stability and has been listed in the stock exchange since the year 2000. It has assets worth 4.9 billion Euros and made profit worth 50 million Euros in the year 2010, while it employs more than six thousand seven hundred people.

Since 2006, the company changed its strategies and is now focused to manufacture devices associated with green energy, which is wind power. The company is interested in setting up turbines in offshore areas and has begun constructing a manufacturing plant in Britain to oversee this part of production.

The construction of this new factory is estimated to cost around one hundred and thirty four million pounds. The company has received global recognition for its efforts to provide sustainable energy and is listed in the sustainability index. An example of a wind farm project that Gamesa is involved is the Allegheny Ridge Wind farm (Acher, 11).

International sales of its products have helped sustain growth momentum. Among the leading international markets that they benefited from were India and Latin America. Of all the sales in 2011, all orders of MW category were sold to the international market.

Gamesa has employed experts in wind technologists and has been shown by manufacturing of several products that meet customer satisfaction. Among the list of its products is G10X-4.5 wind turbine which is one of the most competitive in the market. It is designed in a manner that it can suit the most complicated Grid connections. Among the advantages of this product is the inbuilt design that enables it reduce noise and ability to be transported with ease.

The G9X-2.0 is another wind turbine in the Megawatt category. It is made in a manner that can suit all wind conditions. Its advantages are reduced noise and ability to predict maintenance. G5X-850kW model is designed to generate electricity in areas with low wind levels.

Works Cited

Acher, John. China became top wind power market in 2009 Reuters. Web.

Acher, John. A Wind Power Market in 2009 Reuters. Web.

Barriviera, Guadalupe; Tobin, Paul. “Gamesa Aims to Control a Fifth of Wind-Turbine Market”. Bloomberg. 2008. “Enercon at a Glance”. Web.

Fairly, Peter. Stealth-Mode Wind Turbines Technology Review, 2009. Web.

Hermann, Simon. Hidden Champions of the 21st Century : Success Strategies of unknown World Market Leaders. London: Springer, 2009. Web.

Lou, Ying. “Goldwind Plans IPO as China Combats Climate Change”. Bloomberg. Web.

Reddall, Braden. Vestas will not chase market share at any price Reuters/BTM Consult, 2010. Web.

Wessel, Lene. Siemens overtakes Vestas (in Danish) Ing.dk, 2010. Web.

Wilkes, Justin. Operational offshore wind farms in Europe, end 2009 EWEA. Web.

Research Article Summary: “Control and Decision Support in Automatic Manufacturing Systems”

The new concept and structure of the Manufacturing operating system (MOS) can provide the structure for managerial support and help in managerial decision-making. The MOS system can control the complex environment of unstructured decision-making, thus relieving managers from complex tasks. Automated systems are rapidly increasing in different industries and organizations. The current automatic manufacturing systems pose several limitations because they do not consider the systems’ state and goals. The MOS has three main components; data management organizes and manages data used for the system’s operation. The logic management component is responsible for the retrieval, organization, storage, and execution of algorithms used in the system and the interfaces used to aid both the users and controllers. This paper summarizes the article titled “Control and decision support in automatic manufacturing systems” which explains the concept of MOS deeper.

The Problem Addressed and Its Significance

Automatic manufacturing systems are popular in many modern businesses and industries. Most are usually composed of complex process controls where a set of units such as machines are arranged systematically into one unit. Nonetheless, the current systems are faced with various limitations when it comes to providing managerial decision support as the systems cannot handle unstructured decision problems. The current Automatic Manufacturing systems cannot constantly review the changing state of the systems. Thus, computer systems help in deterministic and non-deterministic tasks such as scheduling, inventory control, and capacity planning.

A Computerized Integrated System (CIM) may be necessary to solve this problem. Show that Computerized Maintenance Repair Systems (CMMS) are more reliable than traditional systems.

The complex environments of the systems limit the Persons who handle these systems, and hence the tasks are delegated to the decision support systems. These systems are called MOS and control and guide all facets of the manufacturing process. This system is applied in various areas, including supply chain management, quality control, scheduling, and maintaining budgets. Unlike humans, these systems provide consistency, give data-oriented results, streamline communications, and unify the company culture. The simple concept followed by the MOS is the plan, do check, act, and steadily improve the performance. MOS is significant to the course under study because it enables the management to detect and correct mistakes before they become serious hence helping prevention of losses.

Background and Known Practice

The general architecture of a MOS model consists of the following parts. First, there is the user interface where users and controller give their input and receive their output. Then there is the MOS operating system, where information is processed. The database section deals with reference data, operational data, and decision logic (Nof et al., 1980). Lastly is the interface with the process controllers that help the system run efficiently. This article under review did get into the scope of the architecture of the MOS model. Four primitives: operators, operands, paths, and conditions were used in the paper to model the manufacturing system. An operator is an active element, such as a person who performs or indicates which action to perform. An operant indicates what items to apply the actions and the ones to avoid. Paths can be defined as the connectors between operators and operands (Nof et al., 1980). Conditions in the MOS are defined as relevant operators’ attributes that enable the activities. MOS can be modeled using Petri nets which are directed bipartite graphs that two different elements called places and transitions depicted as circles and triangles. Petri nets are handy in depicting asynchronous activities associated with MOS. Petri nets are also famous for modeling structures of hardware mechanisms in complex computer systems. The modeling used in the paper under review was a technique named Evaluation nets (E-net), which uses one particular variation of the Petri nets.

New Methods and Results

The control procedure of the MOS in the paper under review had four significant steps. First was the identification of operators. The operators that affected the status of the system are identified. Then all the possible actions performed by the affected operators are identified. Then the decision logic and implementation were done. The second step was to retrieve all possible actions and decision logic made. Thirdly, the action was sorted out, and recommendations for actions were set. If there is no recommendation, nothing was done. If there was one, it is implemented. If there is more than one, the fourth step is taken. The fourth step entails a higher-level evaluation is taken, and the decisions have to be made by the manager.

Strengths and Limitations of the Article

This article possesses many strengths, but it also has its fair share of limitations. The biggest apparent strength while reading the article is that the argument is explicit. The authors go a long way to ensure no vagueness or ambiguity in the paper by conducting and giving real-time examples and case studies. The authors have inserted numerous figures to help clarify their various arguments concerning MOS to confirm their arguments. Another strength of the article is that the paper is orderly and the topics are well defined. The paper’s aim is also well stated, and the conclusion gives a clear opinion of the authors. The evidence provided in the article is convincing contradictory arguments may be hard to produce.

This article has a weakness in that the keywords are not clearly defined. A quick look reveals that the article is written for only expert readers, and even they could have challenges understanding some terms. Arguments in the paper are more technical than logical and thus can be viewed by the majority as a weakness. The authors did not manage to capture the readers’ emotions in their work an argument of it being a scientific article can be made. Compared with other articles on the topic, the paper’s clarity is below average; hence, it can be considered less clear and understandable. The authors did not also take their time to consider secondary sources.

Evaluation

The readers’ understanding of various manufacturing systems, especially the MOS, is likely to improve upon reading the article. I differentiated critical terms used in the MOS and its related fields. I realized how these systems help relieve managers of complex monotonous work with their intervention. I saw how the previous manufacturing systems could not handle unstructured work and how the MOS one differed. My creativity and interest in manufacturing systems increased and made me wish to contribute to the field. In conclusion, though hard for an average reader to comprehend, the article offers great insight into the concept and structure of the MOS model and its implementation control.

Research Article Summary: “Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing Planning and Control”

Bullers, Nof, and Whinston’s (1980) study explored specific issues of concern in manufacturing systems planning and control. Their research focused on the problems relevant to automatic operations. According to the authors, they wanted to establish how artificial intelligence can be incorporated into the manufacturing environment to provide a solution to the possible challenges experienced. They based their argument on well-researched work elaborating their findings using different sets of data. They further explained the points using illustrative problems to indicate how glitches can be handled through a decision support system, especially when there is conflict occurrence. The researchers have cited several scholars who have contributed to different aspects such as computer information that is closely related to manufacturing and operations that aids managers in decision-making. The article summary will explore the significance of artificial intelligence in facilitating decision-making in manufacturing planning and control settings.

The Problem Addressed and Its Significance

Based on Bullers et al. (1980) study, the research problem is the decision-making process in manufacturing planning and control that is complex and makes the management and control of manufacturing activities complicated. According to the authors, manufacturing environments are mainly controlled by shop-floor computers and other process controllers with predetermined system range functionality. Since the machines are operating in an interdependent manner, they require timely decisions at different levels of operations. From the view of writers, irrespective of the computer’s ability to process large information from the provided data, there is a need for human intervention to sift through the data to command them to execute some crucial actions. The inability makes them able to make proper planning and control decisions at the manufacturing level.

The problem addressed by the researchers is crucial to the technological world. In the current generation, most businesses are applying digital technology to enhance their business operations. Without a proper understanding of the shortfalls that the management may experience if they completely rely on the decision made by the process control computer, the planning activities may face dire challenges. The issue covered by the authors elaborates shows the need to have a deep understanding of how computers operate to increase their output efficiency. The problem allows me to explore more areas involving automatic machine system operations related to my project.

Background and Known Practice

According to the work of Bullers et al. (1980), there are three main levels of activities involved in managerial decision-making in manufacturing planning and control. They include tactical manufacturing, production and inventory, and operational process of material flow. The authors argued that the manufacturing environment is dynamic and entails various factors that significantly influence all the levels that require decision-making. The article states different machine systems have been manufactured to enable managers to make constructive conclusions concerning the manufacturing activities they encounter.

The authors added that in settings where computers control the operations of different facilities automatically, supervisors face complicated roles, which is critical to the respective organization. This is because most of the systems are operating interdependently, thus requiring properly timed decisions in various stages of manufacturing. According to the researchers, the manufacturing environment is controlled by shop floor and process controllers. The systems are programmed in prior, thus making them incapable of adapting and processing planning decisions that contain unstructured data.

New Methods and Results

Bullers et al. (1980) formulated a new approach that can enable managers to have productive decision support without relying on computer operators to execute actions for the system to process the available data. Based on the article, the authors stated that artificial intelligence technology is the ultimate solution to the problems associated with the inability of the system to provide effective planning and control. They continued to say that the technology will facilitate automatic manufacturing, thus increasing the productivity of the management.

The article states that having the technology will allow the transfer of human intelligence needed to make crucial operational decisions to the computer. This approach will ensure most of the judgments are made automatically by the machines without human intervention. According to the authors, the procedure will speed the process of decision-making, thus preventing delays that can tamper with manufacturing activities. Artificial intelligence can handle a large volume of unstructured data and undertakes logical manipulation to resolve possible machine conflicts.

Based on the article, the artificial intelligence technique assists computerized machines in solving primitive problems by methods. The approaches use the built-in predicate to assess and evaluate the probable issues. According to the authors, the problems are categorized concerning the procedure type applied to examine the predicate. They include a primitive database management system (DBMS), which applies the retrieval methods and primitive subroutine procedures that assess predicate and provide either true if the value of x

Bullers et al. (1980) state that assessing predicates enables the machines to have a varied number of elements for the given symbol of the predicate. The article defines a predicate as P (al=xl, a2=x2), where P indicates a class of predicates that uses different combinations of two characters. The approach allows the system to reduce the predicate symbol used in representing the problem. It forms the basis for resolving issues in the static time sphere of management operations.

Strengths and Limitations of the Article

Some of the article’s strengths are generalizability because the authors included other peoples’ findings in their research to provide a wider perspective of the problem question. It is also reliable in that the study challenge is posted accordingly so that users of the paper can easily grasp the purpose of the search. Despite the fortes of the research, it has some weaknesses, such as the use of complex language and statistical formulas that are not easy to comprehend.

Conclusion

The article has enhanced my understanding of artificial intelligence and how it can influence and improve the field of technology. From the analysis provided, I can now resolve computer problems based on the procedures outlined in the paper. Generally, the study has contributed magnificently to the challenges most managers face during planning and control. Based on the methods used in reducing the problem, the logic language should be simplified to allow an easy understanding of the procedures by different computer operators.

In summary, the article “Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing Planning and Control” has provided significant insight into how the productivity of the manufacturing environment can be effectively improved by adopting the use of artificial intelligence. The technology allows managers to have access to reliable information from data processed by the systems. Furthermore, the paper elaborates on how the engineering operates, thus making it easier for users to understand how the computers produce the details needed for operational activities.

References

Bullers, W. I., Nof, S. Y., & Whinston, A. B. (1980). Artificial intelligence in manufacturing planning and control. AIIE transactions, 12(4), 351-363.

Nof, S. Y., Whinston, A. B., & Bullers, W. I. (1980). Control and decision support in automatic manufacturing systems.AIIE Transactions, 12(2), 156-169.

The selected sub-system is the laser accelerometer for defining a lathe cutter position. This is required for the automated guidance of a lathe, and better calibration and precision of the cutter and chuck positions. (Penrose, 2005) The mentioned accelerometer will be intended for the following actions:

• Defining the position of the cutter and chuck, and further adjustment of their positions in accordance with the given parameters
• Simplify the process of calibrating the lathe regulators
• Improved turner’s safety. If the position of the cutter changes, and that is not stated in the program, the signal from the accelerometer will be interpreted as the signal for urgent lathe stop.
• Decrease the percentage of spoilage

General

The key purpose of the accelerator is to control the position of the lathe cutter and chuck and define the proper cutting angle, considering the optical tilt angle.

Assembly

The general algorithm of the assembly is as follows:

The optical part is mounted on the cutter, and chuck is set to the initial position. This is needed for more accurate and precise calibration. The following step is an assembly of the wired connections and assembly of the fixative bails. The control wires are joint to the position control scheme, and power wires are connected to the electric scheme of the lathe. The location of the wires and fixative bails should not prevent the free movement of the cutters, and should be considered by qualified engineering personnel.

Function and Performance

The accelerometers were installed to define the initial position of the chuck and cutter, and then perform the calibration. This may be performed in manual or automatic regimes. The test program will define the accuracy of the calibration and will be able to perform the necessary tests for defining the motion smoothness of the cutter, as well as the positioning accuracy. If some errors are logged, the program will test the calibration process and may ask to repeat the calibration.

Parameters Adjustment

There are four key parameters that are regulated:

• Sensitivity. This is regulated in accordance with the necessary precision level. Higher sensitivity decreased the speed of a cutter, as the program will have to perform more tests.
• Zero shift. This parameter is used for calibration, and calibration check.
• Random walk. Deflection of the indicator from the zero shift. This is regulated automatically
• Nonlinearity. Depending on the cutting requirements, this parameter defines the position of the cutter and chuck depending on the initial position of the detail or a perform.

Interface

The interface of the regulating software is offered for several platforms, and includes all the necessary parameters for installation, calibration, and work. Parameters may be adjusted in metrical and US systems, and may be interpreted by the software pack. The program operates with the 3D models of the required details, and performs all the necessary calculations for controlling the cutter. Initial installation and calibration parameters are decrypted with an access password, and can not be changed by a non-qualified employee.

Environment

The laser lens should be kept under protection cover. This will protect it from dust, cutting chip, unintentional touches, and other contaminants that may violate the work of the accelerometer. The installation of components and wires, as well as integration to the motion control scheme, and further service works, should be performed in latex gloves, and with deenergized schemes.

Material Appraisal

The offered PDS is based on the key requirements for the laser systems. Therefore, the materials that are used for manufacturing the system are featured with the increased endurance, and lowered weight. In accordance with the material assessment offered by Holzapfel (2003, p. 156):

It is clear that the output of any useful design system should be a specification detailing the way in which the product is to be made, and the standard to which it is to be manufactured. Such a specification will take into account the company’s manufacturing capability, the relative performance of candidate materials, the behaviour of the market and many other technical and commercial factors.

Therefore, it should be stated that the actual requirements for the system design are defined by the idea for a product. Considering the fact that the system should be effective, it should be also adapted for the environment, hence, the materials used for the accelerometer system fulfil the basic requirements stated by ANSI. (Murray, 2005)

The market of high precision systems experiences the needs that are evolved in accordance with the product opportunities and capacities. Therefore, while the accelerometer offers high precision and endurance, the manufacturing standards will be shifted to higher precision. (Wasim ad Raouf, 2005) Additionally, the key requirements associated with the material standards and the following appraisal will involve the idea of the increasing complexity and design aimed at minimization of the construction. (Wilson and Linscott, 2000)

The material appraisal is closely linked with the values of standards attributed to the given class of systems. Hence, as it is stated in The Open University report (2001, p. 451):

In addition to being the facilitator for standards, it is also the responsibility of the ISO to establish the standards. The standards that the ISO is interested in establishing are meant to ensure desirable characteristics of products and services. This includes factors like quality, environmental friendliness, safety, reliability, efficiency, and interchangeability. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to establish these standards within the organization.

Therefore, the materials used for the system should correspond the key manufacturing standards. This will increase the value of the system, however, if other materials are used, the characteristics of the system may change depending on the material. In fact, it is recommended that compound carbon-filled plastic materials should be used for the body, and monolith polycarbonate for the lens cover. In fact, sapphire glass may be used instead; however, this will increase the cost of the system by 5%. As an alternative to carbon body, titanium alloys may be used. It is featured with the increased cost of the system, and this will increase the danger of electrostatic damage of the laser system.

Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing of the proper polycarbonates for the lens cover is associated with essential difficulties, as the environmental requirements and restrictions forced the manufacturers to develop non-phosgene ways of producing to polycarbonates. This increased the cost of the material by 20%, however, made it 10% more durable, and 5% more transparent (Parvin and Williams, 1999). As Howdeshell and Peterman (2003, p. 1184) emphasize: The interfacial process uses a chlorinated solvent such as methylene chloride which is subject to exposure limits. There is also an economic penalty in that the chlorine content of phosgene is wasted and converted to sodium chloride. The problem of achieving adequate contacting of solid BPA with gaseous phosgene was solved leading to the current interfacial polymerisation process. Here, alkali salts of BPA in aqueous solution are phosgenated in the presence of an inert solvent.

Sapphire glass for the cover is made from pure sapphire boules. Then these are sliced and polished. This materials is more durable to pressure and tension, however, if all the installation requirements are met, there is no need to replace polycarbonate cover with sapphire glass one.

As for the body materials, carbon-filled plastic is cheaper to produce, and the manufacturing process involves filling of the polymer fiber with carbon particles. This requires form for creating the necessary shape, and the compound. Ismail (2008, p. 220) described this process as follows: There are two ways to apply the resin to the fabric in a vacuum mold. One involves mixing of the two-part resin and further applying before being laid in the mold and placed in the bag. The resin induction system: the dry fabric and mold are placed inside the bag while the vacuum pulls the resin through a small tube into the bag, then through a tube with holes or something similar to evenly spread the resin throughout the fabric.

High quality titanium alloys are produced in vacuum environment, (Vydehi, 2006) and should be covered with an isolating material in order to prevent electro-static damage of the scheme that is inserted inside.

In general, there is no need to use more expensive materials as the system is not subjected to extreme temperatures, tension, or humidity. Otherwise, it is not recommended to use the lathe systems in such environments. Polycarbonate, and carbon filled fiber are regarded as the most suitable materials for the laser accelerometer.

Reference List

Holzapfel, W., Mahdavi, N. 2003. Inertial Grade Laser Accelerometer Practicability and Basic Experiments. XVII IMEKO World Congress, 2003, Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Howdeshell, K.L., Peterman P. H. 2003. Bisphenol A is Released From Used Polycarbonate Animal Cages Into Water at Room Temperature. Environmental Health Perspectives 111 (9): 1180–1187.

Ismail, N. 2008 Strengthening of bridges using CFRP composites. Beijing, 217-224.

Murray, T. 2005. A Conceptual Examination of Product Design, Appropriate Technology And Environmental Impact. Hanser Gardner Publications.

Parvin, M., Williams, J. 1999. “The effect of temperature on the fracture of polycarbonate”. Journal of Materials Science 10 (11): 1883.

Penrose, R. 2005. “17.4 The Principle of Equivalence”. The Road to Reality. New York: Knopf. pp. 393–394.

The Open University (UK), 2001. T881 Manufacture Materials Design: Block 1: The design activity model,. Milton Keynes: The Open University.

Vydehi A., J. 2006. Titanium Alloys: An Atlas of Structures and Fracture Features. CRC Press.

Wasim, A. K., Raouf, A. 2005. Standards for Engineering Design and Manufacturing (Dekker Mechanical Engineering). CRC Press.

Wilson, R., Linscott, J. 2000. The New Manufacturing Standard. Hanser Gardner Publications.