Day 3 How we start this research

My research is focus on establishing an information system to support mass customization manufacturing.
In previous post, the motivation and goal of this research was presented.
So, it is time to do something to start this research.

Before entering industry case study, I already done several literature review.
The literature review is focus on mass customization, agile manufacturing, agent based manufacturing and process analysis methodology.
I found that accuracy shop flow control, customize parts inventory management and supply chain management is crucial for mass customization manufacturing management. These issues are all related to information sharing and management. Correctness and real time information update and notification is also important for the mass customization. So, I also do some literature review on real time data collection methodology. No doubt RFID technology is considered the most popular data collection methodology. However, there still some issue need to solve before we adopt this technology ,for example, the radio wave in manufacturing environment may result the inaccuracy sensing due to the radio reflection.
The as-is status of the target industry is another important thing that I should deal with.
Now, I am planing to interview with 2~5 bicycle manufacturing company for further.
After the interview, I want to figure out the current process of bicycle manufacturing and their suppliers' collaboration relationship. An as-is process model will be produce as the result of as-is analysis.

Day 2 About mass customization in bicycle industry

About the mass customization
The mass customization is not only a ultimate goal of consumer when buying things but also a challenge of manufacturing. Too many things need to be considerate when a company wants to provide a customization service to their customers.
The consideration should be include the following things:

• Does there exist any possible market for mass customization?
• Does the products we made are suit for customization?
  
• Does the value chain of the product exist or established?
• How to share the customization knowledge to the value chain?

The first consideration is market issue, for a company the market should be keep the market in mind. After all the market is the only driving force to drive a company move forward.
The second consideration shows the customization show based on existing product and the product should exist some capabilities to enable the customization. The third consideration tells a company should think more the integration with their suppliers. A customized product is the final result of collaboration with many companies intensively. Each company contribute its value to the product. So, the suppliers of the product are all part of the product value chain.
The forth consideration is happen when the company decide to provide a mass customization service to its customers. How to share the customization to the value chain will be the most important issue. Because the product will be built through the value chain. Hence, the customization specs or requirements should be transfer to suppliers preciously.
Why using bicycle industry as study target
Due to the standardize interchange parts, people's using preference and modular design, it is very obviously that bicycle industry have the potential to provide mass customization service to consumer.
According to the Taiwan Bicycle Exporting Association 20081Q bicycle parts exporting is NT$77,560,190 which is increased 11.14% compared with 20071Q.
The bicycle parts' can be categorized as following:

• 腳踏車用電器照明設備
• 腳踏車照明視覺信號設備
• 其他車架.前叉及相關零件
• 輪圈
• 輪幅
• 輪轂
• 飛輪之鏈輪
• 煞車鋼線及其零件
• 其他煞車器及其零件
• 腳踏車車座
• 踏板及其零件
• 曲柄齒輪及其零件
• 腳踏車用滾子鏈
• 腳踏車用變速器
• 腳踏車用飛輪
• 腳踏車用軸心
• 腳踏車用把手豎管
• 腳踏車用座管及上下管
• 腳踏車用把手
• 腳踏車用新橡膠氣胎
• 腳踏車用橡膠內胎

As can be seen in the picture above, bicycle is a good platform for mass customization study.

Reference

1. http://www.tbea.org/
2. http://www.cycling-update.info/K/dict/images/bike_l.jpg
3. http://www.cycling-update.info/K/dict/images/bike_s.jpg

Day 1 The Goal statement

This research is focus on the customer's order information sharing between companies. Hence, the information sharing system architecture is crucial. In order to make the sharing process more efficiency, we will adopt agent technology to perform some decision making and information distribution tasks inner a company.
I list the goal of this research as following:

• Analyze the process of mass customization in manufacturing aspect.
• Define the information flow of the mass customization.
• Establish the information sharing environment by agent technology
• Find a way to enabling the mass customization can be easy managed.

This research will focus on the goal statement list above. Now the first thing is to know more about how manufacturing process is managed when the manufacture strategy is make to order.