Dynamic method for identifying customization level

Mass Customizations （MC） require the enterprise to identify quickly and precisely the product customization level. On one side, the enterprise could avoid manufacturing products which cannot be sold out and cut the production cost; on the other side, the enterprise could meet customer requirements as fast as possible. However, there is no perfect method for identifying the customization level till now. A new dynamic method is presented to solve this problem through gradual thought and management information system technology. The method is capable for promptly determining and alerting the product customization level.

CASE-BASED PRODUCT CONFIGURATION AND REUSE IN MASS CUSTOMIZATION

The increasing complexity and size of configuration knowledge bases requres the provisionof advanced methods supporting the development of the actual configuration process and design reuse.A new framework to find a feasible and practical product configuration method is presented in masscustomization. The basic idea of the appoach is to integrate case-based reasoning (CBR) with a con-straint satisfaction problem(CSP). The similarity measure between a crisp and range is also given,which is common in case retrieves. Based on the configuration model, a product platform and customerneeds, case adaptation is carried out with the repair-based algorithm. Lastly, the methodology in theelevator configuration design domain is tested.

TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION OF PRODUCT EVOLUTIONARY DESIGN BASED ON CONFIGURATION IN MASS CUSTOMIZATION MODE

Product customization has been recognized as an effective means to implement mass cus-tomization （MC）. A new theory and method for MC-oriented evolutionary design of configuration product is presented based on the study of developing law of evolutionary design in integrated envi-ronment, which focuses on the innovation and reuse properties of configuration product. The key technologies for general requirement modeling in quick response to customer requirement, multi-level stepwise configuration optimization driven by customer requirement and evolutionary deduction of product variable structure based on configuration association are thoroughly investigated. The suc-cessful application of the presented method in the development of real-life products demonstrates its utility, flexibility and robusticity.

Customization Product Design Based on User's Emotion and Needs

The paper presents a design method that ensures the ingenuity of the product form as well as the whole and exact expression of user’s needs. The key idea is to establish an automatic design system which can transform the user’s language needs into the product features in real-time. A rifle was taken as a research instance and soldiers were chosen as evaluation customers. The theory of fuzzy set and semantic difference are adopted to evaluate the relationship between user’s needs and product features as well as their alternatives. FAHP (fuzzy analytic hierarchy process) is utilized to judge the user’s satisfactory forms. This method can also be applied to other product form designs.

Social Manufacturing for High-end Apparel Customization

Social manufacturing(SM), a novel distributed,collaborative and intelligent manufacturing mode, is proposed and developed for high-end apparel customization. The main components of SM cloud are designed, and its research topics are summarized. Then, SM's key technologies are studied. 3D technologies for apparel customization, like 3D modeling, 3D fitting mirror and 3D customization, are developed to improve the customization precision and user experience. Information based collaborative management is realized to share, communicate,and handle the information efficiently among all groups and individuals of SM cloud. Suppliers' evaluation mechanism is designed to support the optimal decisions making. Next, SM cloud is constructed in five layers for high-end apparel customization.By using SM cloud based crowd-sourcing, social resources can be allocated rationally and utilized efficiently, consumer can customize the product in any processes like innovation, design,making, marketing and service, and traditional apparel enterprise can be upgraded into SM mode for keeping it competitive in the future customization markets.

Customer Requirements Mapping Method Based on Association Rule Mining for Mass Customization

Customer requirements analysis is the key step for product variety design of mass customiza-tion(MC). Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used management technique for understanding the voice of the customer (VOC), however, QFD depends heavily on human subject judgment during extracting customer requirements and determination of the importance weights of customer requirements. QFD pro-cess and related problems are so complicated that it is not easily used. In this paper, based on a general data structure of product family, generic bill of material (GBOM), association rules analysis was introduced to construct the classification mechanism between customer requirements and product architecture. The new method can map customer requirements to the items of product family architecture respectively, accomplish the mapping process from customer domain to physical domain directly, and decrease mutual process between customer and designer, improve the product design quality, and thus furthest satisfy customer needs. Finally, an example of customer requirements mapping of the elevator cabin was used to illustrate the proposed method.

Grey Incidence Analysis Applied to Civil Aircraft Customization Process

The airlines need to select the optional equipment according to their individual development demands and the manufacture′s standard specification manual when purchasing a new airplane.For this customization process,the selection theory is mainly based on qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis.The grey incidence analysis(GIA)is used for modeling,which evaluates the correlations between optional equipment and airlines′individual demands.Meanwhile,the customization demands are quantitatively processed as different weights in evaluation index system with analytical hierarchy process.Then,the value of grey incidence degree is obtained which shows whether the optional equipment is on the purchasing list or not.Finally,two airlines′customization demands are applied in the example of aircraft cabin′s seats,so two different purchasing priorities and equipment installation lists can be obtained.The results and comparisons verify the reasonable of modeling,which provides an objective scheme of aircraft equipment selection.

Research of the Optimization Methods for Mass Customization (MC)

A group of graphical models and mathematical models a re used to describe the methods of mass customization (MC). The relationships am ong the models and methods are shown in Fig.1. Fig.1 Relationships among optimization methods for MCThe methods for MC relate to both of product and process, also customized quanti ty and deepness. The methods for MC are integrated by the work in the paper, whi ch can help to understand and use MC better. The optimization and standardization of product is the key for MC. Increasing op timization breadth in product family can help to decrease the customization quan tity in every section of production process. Increasing optimization deepness in products family can help to move the CODCP backward in production process. At the same time, the optimization and standardization of product is the key to reduce cost of customized product. The optimization of the integration of pr oduct and process is the key to reduce lead time of customized product.

Female's Characteristic Index of Upper Body for Apparel Mass Customization

The measurements of female aged from 18 to 50 in the East China are taken by TC2 3D-body scanner. The first five factors are obtained by factor analysis of SPSS from 25 items of the upper body which influence the body shape, that is, circumference factor, height factor, side shape factor, frontal shape factor, and shoulder slope factor. Then characteristic indices of upper body are chosen by analyzing body scan data. This study will be useful for developing pattern more fitting and faster and helpful for realizing apparel mass customization.

REQUIREMENT PRODUCT CONFIGURATION IN MASS CUSTOMIZATION

On the basis of researching on requirement product configuration in mass customization, the concept of product family requirement class （PFRC） and requirement-matching template are put forward. A case-based requirement product configuration （CB-RPC） model and corresponding requirement product model are established. The result of requirement product configuration is obtained by using the method of two-level similar matching. In addition, the effect of the method on requirement responding is analyzed. Finally, the model and the method given are applied in elevator industry, and have improved the enterorise＇s ability of rapid responding to customer＇s reouirements.

Intelligent customization of digital carpet based on C2B

New requirements have been put forward by the age of "Internet+" to improve the abilities of reform,transformation and innovation for traditional carpet industry in combining the technology of the fully digital fabric tufting and the system of networked intelligent customization that forms C2B mode of personalized customization of the digital carpet to promote the carpet industry to develop towards individuation,intelligence and high efficiency. Exploring the market background of C2B mode of intelligent customization of the digital carpet and developing the technology of the fully digital fabric tufting makes it possible to achieve personalized customization of the digital carpet. The industrial internet which is integrated by a lot of robots of the fully digital fabric tufting will change completely traditional carpet industry.

Analysis Economics of Realizing Mass Customization

This paper breaks through the old study pattern,emphasizing the important of economic analysis and put forward the analytic method.The paper compares mass customization to just-in-time,analyses the two facets which include production and distribution.The production facet is influence of the indirect cost,scale economy,experiences economy and dynamic alliance.The reduction of indirect cost is the innovation,which has special angle comparatively traditional economic analysis.There is gaming between satisfying customer special demand and deciding price.Mass customization emphasizes that customer must achieve to loyalty not only content without increasing extra service charge-faith in company and product.The paper sets forth the economics of scale e- conomy and dynamic alliance to embody the extensive economy.In addition it is another innovation that this paper analyses the de- fects of mass customization to evaluate the economic risk.Through comparing the traditional production mode,demonstrating the implement feasibility in company.That is mass customization has less economic risk whether or not.So the analysis proposes the evi- dences of the way of enterprise production.

MODEL OF OPERATING AND BALANCING ASSEMBLY LINE IN A MASS CUSTOMIZATION ENVIRONMENT

The successful implementation of mass customization lies on reengineeringtechnology and management methods to organize the production. Especially in assembly phase, variousproduct configurations, due-time penalties and order-driven strategy challenge the traditionaloperation and management of assembly lines. The business features and the operation pattern ofassembly line based on mass customization are analyzed. And the research emphatically studiesvarious technologic factors to improve customer satisfaction and their corresponding implementmethods in operating assembly line. In addition, the models are proposed for operating assembly lineunder dynamic process environment in mass customization. A genetic approach is developed to providethe optimal solution to the models. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is evaluated with anindustrial application.

Study on Design Methodology of Mass Customization Products

Based on introduction characteristics and classific at ion of Mass Customization (MC), the paper expounds foundations and design me thods of MC. The foundations of MC production are standardization, seriation and normality of production, guiding thought of Concurrent Engineering (CE), ap plication of CAD/CAM technology and etc. And design methods of MC products are d esign for product family, modular design, parameterization CAD, variant design, design for manufacturing (DFM) and design by customers. Design for product famil y is a method that first to design a basic form of the product, and then to with draw variant parameters to become a variable product model, makes a family or a series of product design at the same time. Modular design is that based on produ ct function analysis of different function or the same function but different sp ecification within a certain scope, divides and designs out a series of function modular, and through selection and combination of the modular can make up diffe rent products. Parameterization CAD is a CAD method that has function of dimensi on drive. Variant design is a method that under circumstance of keeping principl e constant and construction similar or likeness, properly adjusts part of constr uction and design parameters to adapt design demands. DFM demands the designer t o consider problems that will appear in manufacture in the stage of design, and to avoid them through optimal design. And design by customers is guiding custome rs to design within the scope of production capacity of enterprise and optional items that enterprise has designed to satisfy their requirements of form, functi on and price. Among them modular design, parameterization CAD and variant design are key technology of design methods of MC products. And design by customers is a main characteristic of design of customization product, and an effective sale means also.

The Realization of Mass Customization Using Modularization Method

In the view of the comparison of Mass Customization ( MC) with Mass Production and Customization Production, the objectives of MC are analyzed. It is pointed out that the core objectives of MC are to realize in dividuation customization, low cost, quick response to market demands. The modul arization theory is simply introduced. Based on the characteristics of modular ization, the mechanism of realizing MC with modularization is analyzed. The in dividuation customization can be realized with the different combinations of mod ules. The low cost can be realized with the scale economy and the category econo my of modules. The quick response can be realized with standard modules and its interfaces. So, the modularization is a kind of effective method in realizing MC . The modularization for MC is a systems engineering. With product modularized, production organization and management and manufacturing equipment will be chang ed. In addition, the paper also proposes a Mass Customization production model w hich is based on modularization. This Mass Customization production model is con sisted of modularization of product design, specialization of manufacturing, Vir tual Enterprises based on modularizing enterprises, and modularizing manufacturi ng equipment. The module design for MC, modularizing enterprises, and reconfigur able automation manufacturing equipment are discussed, and it is pointed out tha t they are the important supports for MC.

Study on the Product Description Method for Networked Customization

Networked customization had gradually become one of t he import manufacturing and marketing patterns in the information age. Product d escription had an important effect on realizing networked customization. From th is point of view, this paper firstly analyzed four requirements of adaptability, stability, conciseness and definitude that product description methods for netw orked customization must satisfy. According to these requirements, the paper com mented on current methods of product description, pointing out their advantages and disadvantages. As none of current methods could satisfy the four requirement s simultaneously, they were not fully applicable to networked customization. The n a plug-in based product description method was brought forward and discussed in detail. In this method, product description for networked customization w as abstracted as three component parts of basic description, basic feature and c ustomization feature. These parts had different characteristics. Basic descripti on was applicable to all products types. Basic feature was stable as concerning specific product type. Variants of certain product type all possessed identi cal basic features. Customization features were variable. Different combinations of customization features would give birth to different product variants. Apply ing object-oriented method, three standard product description plug-ins could be got by encapsulating these component parts. As "basic feature" and "customiza tion feature" plug-in had similar structures, they could be further abstracted as "feature" plug-in. When describing a type of product, a "basic description" plug-in would be instantiated firstly. Then according to product’s specific ch aracteristics, necessary number of "basic feature" and "customization feature" p lug-ins would be instantiated and appended, such as "color", "material", etc. E ach "basic feature" plug-in related to an instantiated "feature value" plug-in , while each "customization feature" plug-in related to one or multiple instant iated "feature value" plug-ins. Finally, "associate" and "exclude" relation ship should be specified among associated "customization feature" plug-ins. Thr ough appending and combining various plug-ins, this method was capable of descr ibing any type of product while meeting the four requirements simultaneously. Th is paper also gave an example to clarify the application of plug-in based produ ct description method. This example firstly described a kind of customizable TV provided by certain company. Then it showed how to describe an individual co nfiguration of this customizable TV in XML. Furthermore, suppose a consumer want ed to search for relevant information of a TV with game function, this example explained how to utilize XML query language to benefit consumer’s searching for product information. From analysis, we could draw the conclusion that plug -in based product description method was superior to current description method s and fully adapted to networked customization environment.

Agility Evaluation of Mass Customization Product Manufacturing

Mass Customization (MC) is one of the importance en te rprise produces modes in information age progressively. Mass Customization produ ct manufacturing is aimed at the objection of agile responding to customer deman d, market changing and market opportunities to combine with modern management te chnology and advanced manufacture technology, and to use the development model o f design for product family and technology concurrent. Therefore, in the environ ment of market continuing to change with a high speed, MC enterprise is required to raise its ability of controlling future market by improving its "agility of product manufacturing". So it is necessary to research about the question of agi lity evaluation of MC product manufacturing. Base on the characteristics of the Mass Customization (MC) product manufacturing and the requirement of the agile m anufacturing, this paper establish an MC product manufacturing Agility evaluatio n index system through studying MC enterprise’s organization management agility evaluation and MC products design agility evaluation and MC manufacture agility evaluation. Also, with Xi Dian Casting limited company as an example, the multi -grade fuzzy assessment method is used to evaluate its agility.

Study on customization process and application via Internet

Networked customization is an important way for enterprises to satisfy customers?individual requirements. From this point of view, the study on networked customization process and application is started with analyzing the customization process in detail, in which the customization process is divided into 6 stages including information capture, need submission, need affirmation, need interaction, creating customization orders and customization production. A general customization process chart for common products is presented, which describes the communication between customers and enterprises in the entire customization process. The method of analyzing customization process is presented. The product customization subsystem in the system of ceramic product marketing and customization of Chongqing CHN & CHN Ceramics Co. Ltd. is introduced to explicate the process of customization via Internet.

The Evaluation and Selection of Outsourcing Suppliers in Mass Customization (MC)

Many MC companies find it necessary to cooperate with a large number of outsourcing suppliers to provide MC products according to customers’ diversified orders.To this end,how to select competitve suppliers for the outsourcing manufacturing of non-core processes is the key to establish strong supply chain ally of MC company as well as make the company more efficient in its core manufacturing processes.A procedure of selecting outsourcing suppliers was presented to identify and find competitive suppliers.The continuous improvement of this procedure was proposed to ensure the optimal supply chain of MC company in the long run.Besides,a multi-criteria evaluation model in the procedure was set up according to MC’s characteristic with fuzzy multi-criteria methods combined to solve the fuzzy problems of criteria weight and qualitative attribute value.A case study of MC manufacturing company was provided to show that the procedure,model and methods are effective to select outsourcing suppliers.

Postponement in Mass Customization: A Literature Review

Mass customization (MC) is emerging as a competitive advantage of firms with the intensified competition and economic globalization.As a key feature of MC,postponement strategy postpones activities in the supply chain until customer orders are received.This article provides a review of the literature on postponement from perspectives of research content and methodology.Taking postponement as a supply chain concept,this article specifically reclassifies the postponement applications according to the positioning of the customer order decoupling point (CODP) in the supply chain.Future directions for postponement research are also suggested in this article.