Last modified: 2012-06-27
Abstract
Supply Hub in Industrial Park (SHIP) is a public depot which provides shared warehouses and fleets for enterprises to reduce their logistics costs through economy of scale. SHIP normally adopts milk-run logistics for material collection and distribution. Instead of once processing a full order, smaller-lot orders from multiple suppliers/manufacturers are mixed and fulfilled in a milk-run round. Milk runs go in parallel with the production processes of all manufacturers, cutting down the shop-floor stocks. However, such lean logistics is subject to failure if production dynamics cannot be timely and accurately considered in arranging the milk-run resources and routes. This paper introduces a RFID-based small-lot and high-frequency JIT production logistics management system. Real-time materials outputs and consumptions are captured by RFID-enabled manufacturing execution systems deployed at both suppliers and manufacturers, generating adaptive materials collection and distribution orders respectively at the two sides. By real-time adaptive decision modules, orders are dynamically split into pieces and consolidated into a sequence of shared logistics tasks which are then scheduled based on the real-time status of logistics resources and progresses. Through RFID-enabled operation facilities, the materials collection and distribution around SHIP are collaboratively and accurately executed in a small-lot and high-frequency milk-run mode logistics.
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