The transition to data-driven production logistics:Opportunities and challenges
Time: Tue 2021-12-14 09.00
Location: C1 (Casesal), Kvarnbergagatan 12, Södertälje
Video link: https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/62351760965
Language: English
Subject area: Production Engineering
Doctoral student: Masoud Zafarzadeh , Industriell produktion
Opponent: Univ.lektor. Matias Urenda Moris, Uppsala University, Institutionen för samhällsbyggnad och industriell teknik, Industriell teknik
Supervisor: Professor Magnus Wiktorsson, Avancerad underhållsteknik och produktionslogistik; Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, Avancerad underhållsteknik och produktionslogistik
Abstract
A data-driven approach is considered a viable means of dealing with thehigh degree of dynamics caused by the constant changes that occur withinproduction logistics systems. However, there is a dearth of knowledgeregarding the consequences of employing a data-driven approach inproduction logistics in real industrial environments. This thesis aims toextend the existing body of knowledge concerning the opportunities andchallenges of a transition to a data-driven state in relation to productionlogistics through investigating real industrial cases.In addition to reviewing the literature, this thesis aims to answer threeresearch questions. First, it seeks to determine how enabling technologiescontribute to value creation in a data-driven production logistics system.Second, it studies three industrial companies, analyses their productionlogistics flows and compares the tradition approach to a data-drivenapproach by means of discrete event simulation. Third, through interviewswith several experts with different competences who work for the casecompanies, it aims to identify the challenges associated with the transitionto a data-driven approach.The results show that following a systematic and balanced approach totechnology implementation is important with regard to value creation. Thepotential benefits include improved operational performance, improvedvisibility through real-time control and the possibility for dynamicscheduling and planning. The challenges associated with the transition canbe divided into two major categories: organisational and technical.Moreover, the identified challenges can be mapped against each step in theproduction logistics data life-cycle.Among the identified challenges, some represent potentially valuableavenues for future research. Investigating the possibilities for addressingthe data ownership challenge among stakeholders is one such avenue.Additionally, future studies could address the fact that the technologiesrelated to data analytics, such as artificial intelligence, big data andblockchain, lack a large-scale implementation history when compared withtechnologies such as radio frequency identification. Given the limitations ofprior studies, another possible research avenue involves analysing the dataanalytics use cases in more detail within real industrial environments.