A Unified Framework of Manufacturing and Supply Systems Management

Abstract

Chapter 3 has identified the gaps in the existing approaches, and highlighted the need for an effective means to help companies manage their manufacturing and supply systems through their life cycle. In particular, there is evidence that the factories of future will not only need MS information systems to plan and control the operation of its existing MS structures, but also need methodologies and tools to help restructure their MS systems themselves (Wu 1996a). Using the relevant ideas and current thinking in the fields, this chapter presents a conceptual MSM framework that logically link a number of new and previously established techniques together. Its overall structure closely follows that of a prototype system model to satisfy the set of prerequisite conditions for the effective control and operation of a system (Chapter 2).