28645 - Industrial Systems T-AB

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the general criteria and corresponding mathematical methods required to support plant engineering decisions concerning the selection, design, and implementation of industrial facilities and production systems. Starting from feasibility and market studies, the design process covers product selection, the choice of the production process and production capacity, the economic evaluation of the project, site selection, the development and assessment of alternative facility layouts, and, finally, plant implementation.

Course contents

Students will be able to:

· analyze and forecast market demand;

· compare the production performance and costs of manufacturing systems;

· size production resources and evaluate their economic performance;

· design assembly lines;

· identify and classify plant layout solutions, assessing their advantages and limitations;

· size machines, equipment, manufacturing cells, and production facilities for plant layout design;

· develop production layouts consistent with the available resources and material flows;

· apply engineering models and analytical methods to realistic industrial case studies.

 

CONTENT

PART A

Lecturer: Professor Mauro Gamberi
Teaching period: February-April

Introduction

The module introduces the concept of industrial plants, distinguishing between production (or technological) plants and service facilities. It presents the main definitions of production systems, the stages of feasibility studies, and product analysis, highlighting their role in the design and management of manufacturing systems.

Demand Forecasting

This section addresses methods for demand analysis and forecasting, including short-, medium-, and long-term market analysis and the study of demand components (trend, business cycle, seasonality, and random variation). It covers data collection through sample surveys, the fundamentals of Gaussian and binomial sampling with confidence intervals, correlation and linear regression methods, extrapolation techniques (moving averages and exponential smoothing), K1, K2, and K3 forecasting error indices, time-series analysis using the ISTAT method, and preliminary considerations for selecting production processes and supporting services.

Cost Analysis

This section examines production costs and their classification according to production capacity and time. It develops the concepts of cost–volume relationships, cost functions, break-even analysis, key operating points (Qp, Q* and Qopt), contribution margin, and the use of linear programming to determine optimal production capacity. It also addresses the influence of time on costs, the Opportunity Cost of Capital (OCC), economic and tax depreciation, depreciation schedules, equivalent annual cost, machinery replacement analysis (OLD vs. NEW), and related economic evaluations.

Stage Capacity, Resource Efficiency and Induced Costs

The section introduces the concepts of stage capacity and processing cycle time, resource performance assessment through Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), and the determination of the number of machines or operators required to satisfy production demand. It also analyzes the impact of machinery depreciation on production costs.

Investment Profitability Analysis

This section presents the main economic and financial evaluation criteria for industrial investments, with particular emphasis on Net Present Value (NPV) and Payback Period (PbP). It also covers pricing strategies based on production costs, break-even conditions or target NPV, together with cash-flow analysis and investment profitability assessment.

Fundamental Principles for Assembly Line Design

This section develops the principles of assembly line design, including cycle time, line productivity, precedence matrices and diagrams, determination of the minimum number of workstations, and the main performance indicators (Line Efficiency, Smoothness Index, and Balance Delay). It introduces the exact optimization models ALB-P1 and ALB-P2, objective functions and constraints, implementation using Excel Solver, the main heuristic methods (Largest Candidate Rule, Kilbridge and Wester, and Ranked Positional Weights), and the determination of product assembly costs.

Assembly Line Feeding

The final section focuses on assembly line feeding systems, introducing the concepts of line feeding, Bill of Materials (BOM), component consumption rates, and KLT industrial containers. It also addresses tugger train systems, the calculation of the number of trains required to supply an assembly line, and the evaluation of OEE and transport system utilization.

 

PART B

Lecturer: Professor Riccardo Manzini
Teaching period: April–June

Introduction to Layout and Production System Sizing

Classification of production systems: make-to-order, make-to-stock, unit production, batch production, continuous production, intermittent production, etc. Richard Muther’s Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) procedure.

Study of Material Flows and Operating Activities

Product and quantity analysis. Product–Quantity Data Sheet. Classification of layout solutions: product layout, process layout, fixed-position layout, mixed/multi-cellular layout. Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs): constituent elements, including tool storage, fixture/pallet storage, and input/output stations where part loading and setup activities are carried out. Off-line setup in FMSs versus machine setup in traditional machines and CNC machining centres. Documents for material-flow analysis: Assembly Process Chart, Operation Process Chart, Multi-Product Process Chart, From–To Chart. Study of service activities in the absence of physical material flows: the Relationship Chart. Examples and case study.

Group Technology and Cellular Manufacturing

Multi-cellular layout. Families of similar products and manufacturing cells. Diagonalization of the incidence matrix. Clustering algorithms for the cell formation problem: Rank Order Clustering algorithm (ROC, King) and Direct Clustering algorithm (DC, King & Nakornchai). Management of exceptions in the diagonalized incidence matrix: intercellular flows and resource duplication.

Determination uf the Required Space

Mathematical methods for determining the required space. Calculation of the number of machines for in-line manufacturing activities and departmental manufacturing activities. Production efficiency and OEE index. Utilization rate of a machine, workstation, and production department. Transition from departmental production to a production line: the product characteristic curve and the average utilization rate of a production line. The “value-based” characteristic curve.

Calculation of the number of operators in a production system. Determination of the number of operators in a product layout using the Kottas–Lau method. Calculation of the expected/probabilistic total cost of off-line completion.

Manufacturing/assembly cells. Determination of the optimal number of automatic machines served by a single operator: Operator–Machine Chart and analytical calculation model for identical machines. The idle-time factor of a cell and calculation of its productivity.

Activity Relationship Diagram and Layout Design

The Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) model. Classification of solution methods for layout planning: construction heuristics, local-search heuristics, and metaheuristic approaches. Software packages for layout design: ALDEP, CORELAP, CRAFT. Other algorithms: the Total Closeness Rating (TCR) for developing the Activity Relationship Diagram, the Pairwise Exchange Method, and the Relationship Diagramming Method (RDM).

Space Relationship Diagram and Layout Design

Empirical methods for determining the areas required by departments/activities. Software platforms for plant layout and company case studies.

Selection among Layout Alternatives

Readings/Bibliography

Readings/Bibliography

Suggested readings:

• Pareschi, Arrigo, Impianti industriali. Criteri di scelta, progettazione e realizzazione, 2ª ed., Bologna, Esculapio–Progetto Leonardo, 2007, 347 pp. ISBN 978-88-7488-234-2
• During the lectures, materials and readings on virtuale.unibo.it

Useful readings:

• TOMPKINS, James A.; WHITE, John A.; BOZER, Yavuz A.; TANCHOCO, J. M. A. Facilities Planning. 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2024. ISBN 978-1-119-69960-6.
• FRANCIS, R. L.; McGINNIS, L. F.; WHITE, J. A. Facility Layout and Location: An Analytical Approach. 2nd ed. Pearson Education, 2015. ISBN 978-9332551787
• S. HERAGU, “Facilities Design”, Ed. CRC PRESS, 2022
• JACOBS, F. Robert; BERRY, William Lee; WHYBARK, D. Clay; VOLLMANN, Thomas E. Manufacturing Planning and Control for Supply Chain Management: The CPIM Reference. 3rd ed. McGraw Hill, 2024. ISBN 978-1-265-13851-6
• Heizer, J., Render, B. and Munson, C. (2023) Operations Management: Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. 14th edn. Harlow: Pearson.
• Krajewski, L.J., Malhotra, M.K. and Ritzman, L.P. (2022) Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains. 13th edn., Global edn. Harlow: Pearson.
• Chopra, S. (2020) Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning, and Operation. 7th edn., Global edn. Harlow: Pearson.
• Silver, E.A., Pyke, D.F. and Thomas, D.J. (2017) Inventory and Production Management in Supply Chains. 4th edn. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
• Jacobs, F.R. and Chase, R.B. (2021) Operations and Supply Chain Management. 16th edn. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
• Manzini R., Regattieri A., Manutenzione dei Sistemi di Produzione, Progetto Leonardo,vEsculapio, Bologna, 2010.
• Manzini R., Accorsi R., Warehousing and Material Handling Systems for the Digital Industry. The New Challenges for the Digital Circular Economy, SPRINGER 2024
• Manzini R. (ED.), Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain. Advanced Models, Tools and Applications for Storage Systems, SPRINGER London UK, ISBN 978-1-4471-2273-9.

Teaching methods

Theoretical lessons are completed by a serie of exercises and applications to allow the student to be familiar with the common design practices.

Assessment methods

The final assessment of each modulo consists of a written examination including both numerical exercises and theoretical questions.

As the final examination will take place in a computer laboratory, all students are required to complete Modules 1 and 2 of the online training course on health and safety in study environments in advance:
https://elearning-sicurezza.unibo.it/

STUDENTS WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES OR TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT DISABILITIES

Students are strongly advised to contact the relevant University office well in advance:
https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it

The office will propose any appropriate accommodations for the students concerned. Such accommodations must, in any case, be submitted to the lecturer for approval at least 15 days in advance. The lecturer will assess their suitability, also in relation to the learning outcomes of the course.

USE OF GENERATIVE AI IN EXAMINATIONS

With regard to the assessment of learning, the use of AI is prohibited. Any use of AI constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TAKING THE FINAL EXAMINATION

In accordance with the University Code of Ethics, students are reminded to act with the utmost integrity.

Any activity aimed at improperly altering the outcome of the examination is prohibited, including, for example, cheating, plagiarism, accessing online teaching materials, or using unauthorized AI tools. In particular, merely possessing unauthorized equipment or materials during the examination will result in the immediate invalidation of the exam paper and the matter being reported to the relevant University offices.

Any conduct in breach of this prohibition may lead to disciplinary proceedings or, where the conduct constitutes a criminal offence, to reports being made to the competent authorities.

Teaching tools

During the course several practices and numerical applications will be illustrated in order to apply models and solution methods. In addition, some case studies and supporting decision tools and software will be illustrated.

Teaching materials

Teaching materials not illustrated on the recommended text book will be available to the student electronically via the Internet. To get the educational material: virtuale.unibo.it
Username and password are reserved for UniBO students.
Language of instruction: Italian
Office hours: See the teachers' web site

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Manzini

See the website of Mauro Gamberi

See the website of Mauro Gamberi

See the website of