The volatility of the customer demand and the high number of variants in the
automotive industry result in demand fluctuations at the assembly line. These demand
fluctuations are transmitted to the upstream logistics processes by call-off systems
and are aggravated by process interruptions, which make the efficient use of the
logistics capacity difficult.
A concept for call-off control of demand fluctuations is presented in this doctoral
thesis. In addition to the development of a decision-making algorithm for the calloff
system, the feedback loops between the call-off parameters are analysed. The
innovative exact demand-oriented call-off control results in an efficient use of logistics
capacity despite demand fluctuations.
Based on the overall stock level in the system, which is necessary to ensure supply due
to the fluctuations, the developed decision-making algorithm chooses a consumptionoriented
or a demand-oriented call-off. Despite demand fluctuations at the assembly
line, an exact demand-oriented call-off, with a high degree of capacity utilisation of
the transport vehicles, is realised by harmonising the two call-off parameters supply
frequency and batch size within sequenced supply.
Both the qualitative evaluation of the concept by studies at an OEM and the quantitative
evaluation by simulation studies confirm the hypothesized effects.
A consumption-oriented call-off system for single product supply based on fluctuations
in the upstream logistics processes results in up to 26% lower overall stock level
than a demand-oriented call-off. For sequenced supply with demand fluctuations at
the assembly line, the innovative exact demand-oriented call-off reduces the stock
level and the call-off fluctuations so that the degree of capacity utilisation of the
transport vehicle is raised. Thus, under defined surrounding conditions, the number
of transport vehicles can be cut down.
«
The volatility of the customer demand and the high number of variants in the
automotive industry result in demand fluctuations at the assembly line. These demand
fluctuations are transmitted to the upstream logistics processes by call-off systems
and are aggravated by process interruptions, which make the efficient use of the
logistics capacity difficult.
A concept for call-off control of demand fluctuations is presented in this doctoral
thesis. In addition to the development of a decision...
»