Role of Human Resources, Production Process, and Flexibility on Commercial Benefits From AMT Investments

Advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) acquisition by maquiladoras (foreign-owned manufacturing companies) is a tendency that allows these companies to maximize their commercial benefits. However, it remains unclear how the AMT implementation impacts on their performance. In addition, this research studies 383 responses to a questionnaire about the AMT implementation in the Mexican maquiladora industry and reports an analysis with four latent variables associating obtained benefits after the AMT implementation—human resources, flexibility, production process, and commercial benefits—where their relationships are evaluated through six hypotheses using a structural equation model (SEM). Finally, the outcomes demonstrated that AMT benefits for human resources have a direct effect on flexibility, production process, and commercial benefits. However, the direct effect from human resources benefits, knowledge, and experience on commercial benefits are acquired through indirect effects, using flexibility and production process as mediator variables.

A 4.32-ps precision Time-to-Digital Convertor using multisampling wave union method on a 28-nm FPGA

In this paper, a fully implemented field programmable gate array (FPGA) based time-to-digital converter (TDC) using multisampling wave union method (MSWU) is proposed to get higher measurement precision with lower resource utilization. Different from the previously published works based on wave union methods, an inverter-chain-based wave launcher is introduced to generate more low-jitter edges in the same operation range. Meanwhile, a new de-bubble solution combining with offline bin alignment and online bin sorting is applied to eliminate severe bubbles in FPGAs of advanced manufacturing technologies. The proposed TDCs are verified on a Virtex-7 (28 nm) of FPGA development board VC707. According to test results, the average measurement precision and mean resolution reach 4.32 ps and 0.82 ps, respectively with [-0.98;3.43] LSB DNL and [-6.06;34.1] LSB INL. A complete TDC channel only uses 831 D-type flip-flops (DFFs), 1305 look-up tables (LUTs) and 6 block random access memories (BRAMs) of 36k bits.

Biopharmaceutical Industry Capability Building in India: Report from a Symposium

The biopharmaceutical industry is evolving with a shift in focus from recombinant proteins and antibodies towards more complex cell and gene therapies. To be competitive globally, biomanufacturers need to focus on aligning with global standards with regard to drug quality, reducing manufacturing failures and delivering drugs to market quickly. Building these capabilities requires a multifaceted approach that includes improvements in operations, quality compliance, and control strategies. To address these needs, the US Pharmacopeia (USP), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) India, and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) held a symposium to discuss the requirements and gaps in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors in India and other developing countries. A panel of experts from academia, manufacturing, and governmental agencies identified several drivers needed for capability building, including a skilled workforce, public–private partnerships, advanced manufacturing technologies, novel biologics, and favorable policies. This article summarizes the recommendations put forward by this panel.

Technological priorities for the development of Russia’s industrial sector in the context of deep digital penetration

Industry 4.0 dictates certain requirements for the modernisation of processes and production facilities. This is especially true for industry, which has a relatively high share of the country’s gross domestic product The outline of the future strategic development of the industry sector in an environment of external change is therefore of particular relevance. The purpose of the study is to forecast technology priorities and possible stages of development of advanced manufacturing technologies in Russia. The main research method is foresight methodology, based on long-term integrated assessment models of global production and technology market development in scenario form. This method has allowed to identify the most functional information resources needed for this study. The article presents a methodology for systemic anticipation of long-term technological change to update the strategic vector of industrial development, which is consistent with the context and content of the country’s industrial policy. The study resulted in a comprehensive forecast of possible stages in the development of advanced production technologies and the anticipation of the priority of technological changes to modernise the industrial complex in the context of deep digital penetration, based on the concept of a new industrial society.

Key Barriers of Digital Transformation of the High-Technology Manufacturing: An Evaluation Method

It is acknowledged that quality of life is related to economic development in a country or region. The impact of the ongoing transfer to the digital economy on economic growth, sustainable development, and quality of life has been a recent academic focus, finding that the development of digitalisation of the economy and society is happening at a comparable pace. Yet, despite the availability of governmental support and overall strategic orientation of top managers, there is evidence of low digital/advanced manufacturing technologies adoption readiness across economic sectors. Therefore, the object of the research is the digital/advanced manufacturing technologies adoption readiness, which can be assessed on both industrial and organisational levels. The authors carried out an expert poll that has shown low digital/advanced manufacturing technologies adoption readiness on the industrial level (average readiness of 2.18 across estimated industries). For this reason, the focus subject of the research is the evaluation method for determining barriers of digital transformation on organisational level. The review of the academic literature and available digital maturity assessment models has shown the lack of metrics for barrier evaluation. The objective of the research is to develop a method for digital-transformation barrier evaluation. An analytical research method is used to develop a ready-to-use method in a form of a questionnaire that can be applied to measure an overall digital-transformation barrier level and identify problem areas for a manufacturing enterprise. The developed method is approbated in two large industrial companies. The overall barrier equals 39.3% for a power engineering company, which is a deterrent barrier. The overall barrier equals 75.0% for a machine-building company, which is a limiting barrier. The results of approbation correspond with results of the expert poll: the power engineering company has a lower barrier level, which is in line with the engine building and turbine engineering industry showing higher levels of readiness to adopt digital technologies. This finding supports the hypothesis about the rationality of the author’s method.

Embracing advanced manufacturing technologies for performance improvement: an empirical study

PurposeThis study has analyzed strategic issues in implementing advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) in manufacturing organizations in India and their relative importance.Design/methodology/approachA survey of manufacturing organizations was conducted, and the data were analyzed using statistical tools (one-sample t-tests, correlation and regression analyses).FindingsImprovement in product quality and flexibility of operations are the motivation for AMTs implementation. Top management support and sound financial conditions are essential for implementing AMTs. Successful implementation of AMTs helps in reducing the lead time and improving overall business performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study will help organizations in the implementation of AMTs for improving productivity and business performance. The study is limited to manufacturing organizations in India.Practical implicationsOrganizations should allocate sufficient funds for AMT applications. Organizational culture should be made conducive to the adoption of new technologies. Employees should be provided adequate training for its successful implementation.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this paper is that it provides a detailed analysis of strategic issues for implementing AMTs in manufacturing organizations.

AI Adoption in the Printing Industry: A FVM perspective

Despite its application in high-profile areas, AI's utilisation in the print manufacturing sector is still scarce. Competitiveness and advances in this sector urgently require higher value-added processes, including digitisation, incorporation of advanced manufacturing technologies, and efficient resource utilisation. This paper outlined challenges in organisational adoption of AI demands systematic assessment of the fit and viability of software implementations in heterogeneous, concurrent, and integrated systems while accounting for the performance, efficiency, stability, and sustainability of the sector. We develop a working framework for further assessment based on multiple theories and case studies, with particular attention to the Fit-Viability Model (FVM). Keywords: AI technologies adoption and implementation; Fit-Viability Model; printing industry; Industry 4.0 eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6iSI5.2945

Managing emergency situations with lean and advanced manufacturing technologies: an empirical study on the Rumbia typhoon disaster

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of lean manufacturing (LM) on the financial performance of companies affected by emergency situations. It additionally explores the role of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) in complementing LM to enhance financial performance in emergency and non-emergency situations.Design/methodology/approachBoth survey and archival data were collected from 219 manufacturing companies in China. With longitudinal data collected before and after an emergency situation (i.e. Typhoon Rumbia), regression analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of LM and AMTs on financial performance in different contexts.FindingsOur results reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between LM and financial performance in the context of emergency. We also found that AMTs exerted a positive moderation effect on the inverted U-shaped relationship, indicating high levels of AMTs that mitigated the inefficiency of LM in coping with supply chain emergencies.Research limitations/implicationsThrough simultaneous investigation of LM and AMTs as bundles of practices and their fit with different contexts, this study takes a systems approach to fit that advances the application of contingency theory in the Operations Management literature to more complex patterns of fit.Originality/valueThis study illuminates how AMTs support LM practices in facilitating organizational performance in different contexts. Specifically, this study unravels the interaction mechanisms between AMTs and LM in influencing financial performance in emergency and non-emergency situations.