Materials, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to persuade, convince and argue effectively; manage time and tasks effectively in the context of individual study and group work activities and take responsibility for carrying out agreed tasks; (Contributing to AHEP LOs: P11m, G1, G4)
• Present technical and economic assessments of manufacturing options, accounting for uncertainty. (Contributing to AHEP LOs: D3m)
• Communicate in writing or orally (ideas, knowledge, arguments or proposals) with clarity and impact. (Contributing to AHEP LOs: D6)

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Identify appropriate performance indicators to effect improvement and control of manufacturing operations, using a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of mathematical and computational models relevant to the engineering discipline, and an appreciation of their limitations (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM5m)
• Understanding of the key drivers for business success, including innovation, calculated commercial risks and customer satisfaction (Contributing to AHEP LOs: EL7m)
• Design appropriate procurement, quality, service and operational systems from an engineering perspective; with the ability to identify classify and describe their performance through the use of analytical methods and modelling techniques, applying an integrated approach to solving complex manufacturing problems (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM3m, EA2, EA4m)
• Awareness of relevant legal requirements governing engineering activities, including personnel, health & safety, contracts, intellectual property rights, product safety and liability issues, and an awareness that these may differ internationally (Contributing to AHEP LOs: EL5m)
• Discuss the nature and management of production and operational systems; showing understanding of concepts from a range of areas, including some outside engineering, and the ability to evaluate them critically and apply them effectively in engineering projects, extracting and evaluating pertinent data and applying engineering analysis in the solution of unfamiliar problems (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM6m, EA6m)
• Evaluate the role of materials, technology, production and supply chain processes in manufacturing design; showing awareness of developing technologies relevant to discipline, and carry out a critical analysis by applying these principles, using fundamental knowledge to investigate new/emerging technologies (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM4m, EA1m, EA5m)
• Critically engage in advanced problem solving techniques and supply chain design for different business criteria; using a range of mathematical and statistical models, tools and notations, establishing rigorous and creative solutions that are fit for purpose for all aspects of the problem including production, operation, maintenance and disposal (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM2m, D4)
• Evaluate the key roles of design for manufacture and quality improvement in all their aspects; taking into account business, customer and user needs, including the wider engineering context, public perception and aesthetics; plan and manage the design process, including cost drivers, and evaluate outcomes (Contributing to AHEP LOs: D1, D5)

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The identification of human and environmental aspects, also potential for time and cost savings through the reduction and elimination of non-value adding activities and materials; applying quantitative techniques and including any constraints including environmental and sustainability limitations; ethical, health, safety, security and risk issues; intellectual property; codes of practice and standards (Contributing to AHEP LOs: D2, EL2, EL4, P5, P6, P10m)
• Appropriate management techniques and processes for manufacturing; showing comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the underlying scientific principles, methodology and knowhow (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM1m, P1, P9m)
• Structural choices in the design of production and operational systems; enabling appreciation of the scientific and engineering context, supporting their understanding of relevant historical, current and future developments and technologies (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM1m, P1, P9m)
• Utilising the principles of quality assessment including Total Quality Management (TQM) and 6 Sigma approaches; working with information that may be incomplete or uncertain, quantifying the effect on design and where appropriate using theory or experimental data to mitigate deficiencies (Contributing to AHEP LOs: SM1m, D3m, P7, P8m, P9m)

Materials and manufacturing:

Applying and evaluating the role that materials and production technology processes play in the design of manufacturing operations and plant. Case study material to be considered includes:

• Applied manufacturing processes;
• Design of production lines for flow & batch production, multi-component assembly, complex systems;
• Prototyping/piloting, optimising and preparing full production as applied to low and high value components;
• Design and selection of production equipment and processes;
• Facilities layout, logistics and materials handling;
• Engineering standards and quality control applied to materials and manufacturing improvement, including TQM, Lean, and 6 Sigma approaches;
• Human factors and environmental considerations in manufacturing.

Supply Chain Analysis:

An overview of the appropriate processes and components required in supply chain know-how including:

• Inventory and capacity management and control;
• Supply chain structures for different business drivers;
• Reverse supply chains;
• Advances in IT systems – ERP, Advanced Planning Systems (APS) and supply chain planning software, Enterprise Integration technology;
• Communication within supply chains;
• Greener logistics.

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

• Lectures including examples.
• Set example questions are supported by group problem solving sessions.
• Guest lectures to provide industrial context.

Learning activities include

• Directed reading.
• Group and individual work on examples.
• Coursework project: to produce a short report

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Deming, W. Edwards (1986). Out of the Crisis: Quality, Productivity and Competitive Position.. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Centre for Advanced Engineering Study.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: External