Category Archives: Production Operations

4 Reasons Why 3D Printing is a Niche

Posted on April 2, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Well, now MIT has said it.  3D printing is not exactly going to take over the world.  Several important issues (quality, speed, development or setup time) are raised here.  And I think there are others.

 

4 Reasons Why 3D Printing is Still a Niche Application | Supply Chain @ MIT.

 

So I wonder if the maker labs people have really thought this stuff through. What they’re doing reminds me of shop class in high school– we put some folks together and let them make stuff.  But we don’t know whether anyone wants them, and often no one does.  So the yield of products, jobs, economic value might not be large.

Perhaps they should spend more time with design thinking and less with building stuff.  What is the problem, who has this problem, and what would solve it for them?

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Posted in Leadership, Production Operations, Strategy

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U.S. West Coast ports must reform

Posted on March 19, 2015 by | Leave a comment

The GM of the Port of Oakland laid it out in full.  And notice that truck driver concerns are two of the key areas — Chassis shortages, and reduction of times to pick up cargoes.

Waterfront Coalition told that U.S. West Coast ports must reform – Article from Logistics Management.

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Posted in Labor Economics, Logistics, Production Operations, Supply Chains

McKinsey on Manufacturing growth and resource productivity

Posted on March 19, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Here is the story in favor of operations management and process improvement to make your firm do better.  McKinsey summarizes the essence of the approach we are teaching about.  We see that a new stage is emerging, beyond things like lean and  employee involvement.

Manufacturing growth through resource productivity | McKinsey & Company.

The authors’ point 1, Think Lean, is old hat by now.  Their point 3, Think Profit per Hour is also an old point, about productivity measures, but ties closely to the notion of productivity economists use to evaluate labor (or any input).  You can’t make a profit if your profit per hour is negative. For a while you might be able to if you have deep pockets; but eventually you will fail if it continues.

Their points about stretch goals and circular thinking are both in line with the modern design school of improvement.  We have to find ways in operations to be truly innovative, and these are two directions to look.

The fourth point about holistic thinking shows how technologies, behaviors, and management practice must be aligned to genuinely create value.  No one is a silver bullet.

It’s a good article that operations management students should read and contemplate.   The book the blog article is based on might be a good investment.

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Posted in Production Operations