MMM NEWSLETTER
MMM GRADUATE PRESENTATIONS
On Friday, December 11, 1998, students of the inaugural MMM class held their graduate presentations. The function was attended by their industrial supervisors, program directors and professors, students from the class of ’98, and administrative staff. Each student described his project in detail. Stephen Paré made a presentation on implementing Lean Manufacturing in a low volume, high variety setting at GE Hydro. Lean Manufacturing is devoted to waste elimination; here waste was the result of poorly developed flow and push scheduling. The critical objective was to reduce cycle time by decreasing inventory, increasing capacity, and eliminating non value-added activity from operations. Therefore, the following activities were of paramount significance: flow streamlining, synchronization, downtime reduction, realignment of organizational structure, emphasis on cellular manufacturing and Kaizen. Mikel Iria had worked on putting the heater subassembly process for electric dryers under quality control at Camco. He showed all the components of a heater, discussed the root causes of why dryer heaters break down, and recommended feasible solutions; namely, bringing supplier capabilities to the 6 Sigma level, eradicating sagging in the coil pitch, and improving overall quality control at the plant. During his internship he made great use of the 6 Sigma system. Michael Sudah’s presentation centered on subcontracting fabricated parts at CAE Electronics. Subcontracting took place at several places in the manufacturing planning process. Michael’s task was to evaluate the current subcontracting processs and develop a new structure for it. His recommendation was to restructure the subcontracting process into two sub-phases. Phase 1 would entail automatic subcontracting at production planning and Phase 2 involved subcontracting at contract signing. Once again the emphasis was on cellular manufacturing.
NEW SPONSOR FOR MMM
It is with great pleasure that MMM welcomes JDS FITEL Inc. as corporate sponsor. Founded in 1981, JDS is a Canadian high-technology company that manufactures and distributes a broad range of fibreoptic components, instruments and interconnect products for the growing fibreoptic communications market. JDS Fitel products are used for various optical signal processing applications, such as switching, attenuating, coupling and wavelength multiplexing, as well as testing and measuring in the field and laboratory. Products are sold in over 40 countries. The company is based in Nepean, Ontario, with additional offices in the United States, France and Japan. The contacts will be Cyril McKelvie, VP Operations, and Alan Shayanpour, Director of Manufacturing and Engineering.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Master in Manufacturing Management, McGill University Newsletter December, 1998
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REVIEW OF FALL 1998 SEMINARS AND CASE STUDIES
ADEPSO 2000 Inc. and Bombardier presented a seminar on Engineering Data Management Systems (EDMS) and Configuration Management. A new management software, Altris Wintrack, which uses scanned paper imaging, is capable of integrating hardware, software, telecommunications and service in the field. It was used in the construction of the Eurotunnel and North Sea oil platforms. Configuration Management focuses on work management (creating and maintaining product data) and on document management (making product data available). Allan Rae presented his famous seminar on the Chrysler Operating System for the second year in a row. He described the concept of Kaizen as formulated by Toyota and the fact that 100-350% improvement is possible without capital expenditure. Apparently cellular manufacturing is the way to go now rather than assembly-line as popularized by Henry Ford. Allan also discussed Cascade Teaching at Chrysler, a form of executive education which does not require the use of outside consultants. CAE Electronics, which controls 75% of the world market in flight simulation, gave a seminar on Product/Process Innovation, specifically about the development of a coating product and application process for use on a rear projection screen in a 180° visual system. John Overton described all that was required in detail: technology, innovation, appropriability, core competencies, development process, supplier and technology strategies, and financial analysis. CAE Electronics also provided the MMM students with a case study in October which involved demand forecast and capacity planning. SAP’s world-renowned enterprise resource planning system was the subject of another seminar. SAP is a German company whose initials stand for Systems Applications and Products. SAP developed the R/3 Enterprise Business Software which is designed for all industries and can be customized. It reduces costs and increases efficiency by integrating all corporate functions: financial accounting, controlling, investment management, production planning, materials management, plant maintenance, quality management, sales and distribution, and human resources. Tom Despres, Director of Operations for Astec APS in Monterrey, flew in all the way from Mexico to give the MMM students a seminar on Creative Supply Management. He discussed inventory techniques focused on the concept of demand-pull which has the following objectives: supplier reduction, improved speed of material flow, space and inventory reduction, improved material availability, and cost reduction. He demonstrated how all these were implemented in the Raleigh area of Nortel. For those who missed the first newsletter, Astec APS bought Nortel’s APS division. Professor Jean-Louis Goffin who teaches the course on Data, Models and Decisions, invited Professor Jeremy Shapiro of MIT to present a seminar on Supply Chain Management (SCM), specifically bottom-up versus top-down approaches. He explained that SCM is Integrated Management consisting of both functional and inter-temporal integration. He discussed Transcational IT and Analytical IT as well as descriptive and normative models for Integrated SCM. He also demonstrated a Supply Chain Modeling System Hierarchy composed of six optimization modeling systems. An important component in all this are the supply chain decision databases that are different than, but derived from, transactional databases. Finally, he asked, “Does IT produce sustainable competitive advantage?” The answer: IT is necessary but not sufficient.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Master in Manufacturing Management, McGill University Newsletter December, 1998
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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR WINTER 1999 MMM SEMINARS AND CASE STUDIES
CAMCO Inc. January 29 Prof. V. THOMSON February 5 INCO Ltd. February 18 February 19 Prof. V. VERTER March 12 NORTEL April 9 6 Sigma Quality 9 AM to 12 Noon Macdonald 357
Manufacturing in the Twenty-first Century 9 AM to 11 AM Macdonald 357 Automated Mining Seminar Case Study Location TBA Location TBA
Analytical Approaches for Supply Chain Management 12 Noon to 2 PM Bronfman 326 Supply Chain, E-commerce, Point-of-Usage Replenishment 9 AM to 1 PM Macdonald 357
Awaiting confirmation - Dates, Times and Locations to be announced: Lever Bros. Pratt & Whitney GE Hydro IBM Chrysler Seminar on Developing Industrial Relations Excellence in Manufacturing Case Study Case Study Plant tour of manufacturing facilities in Bramalea, Ontario
INTERNSHIPS
In early November all sponsor companies received copies of CVs of the MMM students who will be requiring internships for September 1999. The following is a brief report of developments to date: Astec APS has offered an internship entitled “Materials Flow Project” which is to take place in Monterrey. Details of the project include: optimizing material flow in the plant; ensuring synchronization between “demand pull” techniques and materials requirements; re-engineering the OEM procurement process. INCO Limited will offer an internship which will involve the Mines Research department and some innovative concepts in automated mining. Chrysler is actively canvassing its five Canadian manufacturing facilities to determine which one will be providing an internship to an MMM student. All other sponsor companies are asked to submit their proposals for work terms as soon as possible to the MMM Program Coordinator. Tel: 514-398-7201. Fax: 514-398-7365. E-mail: mmm@mecheng.mcgill.ca. The process of matching students with internships must be completed by February 1999.
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SEMINARS
The Management Sciences Research Centre (MSRC) of the Faculty of Management at McGill hosts a series of seminars every year. In 1999 the focus is on Supply Chain Management. Speakers include visiting luminaries from MIT, Columbia University and the University of Toronto. MMM students participate in these seminars to get a better perspective on management topics. In conjunction with the MMM Program, MSRC is extending an invitation to all our sponsors to attend these seminars as well. The following is a guide to topics, speakers, dates, times and locations. Reservations are highly recommended; please contact the professor responsible for the particular seminar you wish to attend.
DATE
Date: Dec. 2, 1998 Time: 4:35 -6 pm Place: Samuel Bronfman Bldg.* Room 451 Date: January 15, 1999 Time: 2 - 3:30 pm Place: Samuel Bronfman Bldg.* Room 376 Date: February 12, 1999 Time: 2 - 3:30 pm Place: Samuel Bronfman Bldg.* Room 376 Date: March 12, 1999 Time: 12 - 2 pm Place: Samuel Bronfman Bldg.* Room 326 Date: April 23, 1999 Time: 2 - 3:30 pm Place: Samuel Bronfman Bldg.* Room TBA
SPEAKER
Professor Jeremy F. Shapiro Sloan School of Management MIT Professor Dimitry Krass Faculty of Management University of Toronto Professor Oded Berman Faculty of Management University of Toronto Professor Vedat Verter Faculty of Management McGill University Professor Guillermo Gallego IEOR Department Columbia University
TOPIC
Bottom-up vs. Top-down Approaches to Supply Chain Management and Modeling Generalized Spatial-Interaction Location Modes: The Franchise Problem Delivery of Optimal Product Amounts to Spatially Dispersed Customers Using Stochastic Dynamic Programming Analytical Models for Supply Chain Management The Cost and Benefits of Offering Product Variety under Constrained Production Capacity
CONTACT
Professor J.-L. Goffin
Professor V. Verter
Professor V. Verter
Professor V. Verter
Professor Tamer Boyaci
Addresses and Contacts: *Samuel Bronfman Bldg: **GERAD: Professor J.-L. Goffin: Professor T. Boyaci: Professor V. Verter:
1001 Sherbrooke St. West Pavillon Andre-Aisenstadt, Campus de l’Universite de Montreal, 2920, chemin de la Tour Tel: 398-4003, e-mail: goffin@management.mcgill.ca Tel: 398-4047, e-mail: boyaci@management.mcgill.ca Tel: 398-4661, e-mail: verter@management.mcgill.ca
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Master in Manufacturing Management, McGill University Newsletter December, 1998
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NATIONAL COALITION FOR MFG LEADERSHIP (NCML):
The MMM Program Coordinator attended the NCML Meeting and Recruitment Forum which took place at Penn State University on November 19-20, 1998. This is a coalition of North American universities, McGill being the only one in Canada, which offer manufacturing programs based on both engineering and management. The NCML simultaneously sponsored the Manufacturing Recruitment Forum whereby graduates of these programs are interviewed and recruited by Fortune 500 companies. At the meeting most of the discussions centered around the following points: ◊ Ocean Engineering wants to join in ◊ More research to be conducted on issues concerning 21st century manufacturing ◊ Resolve difference of cultures between business (which needs more technology) and engineering (which needs more management) ◊ Project selections, which are internships for teams of students, should emphasize the long term perspective rather than short term ◊ Continuing education and distance learning should be promoted ◊ NCML will work on arranging joint projects between schools ◊ In the future more emphasis should be placed on electronic communication, videoconferencing and the creation of a Virtual Center for knowledge sharing ◊ More communication with Industry about the type of graduates it is seeking. On behalf of McGill’s MMM Program, it was interesting to learn that most of the universities finance their students’ tuition fees with fellowships; most of the internships are team projects usually held in the summer; there is more activity with respect to field trips, plant tours and case studies; sponsor companies are more involved by contributing millions of dollars to the programs, working closely with the directors, exchanging information on formal and informal levels, and having students work on company projects during the time that they are taking courses.
GREAT NEWS FROM THE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
In recognition of his contribution to the advancement of engineering in Canada, Professor John Dealy, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. As well, Professor Dealy was awarded the Bingham Medal of the Society of Rhealogy for his outstanding contributions to the science of rhealogy. This is only the second time the Medal has been awarded to a Canadian. The first time was to S.G. Mason of McGill’s Department of Chemistry in 1969. The Canadian Rhealogy Group named its own research prize in honour of Professor Mason, and Professor Dealy was the 1997 recipient of the Mason Award.
REMINDER!
The MMM Program will be hosting a series of breakfast meetings of directors and sponsors, as had been discussed at the Annual Meeting in September. The first one will be held in January, 1999 at the Faculty Club, 3450 McTavish Street, from 7:30 to 8:30 AM. Exact date to be advised along with alternate date in case of a snowstorm.
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CAREER OPPORTUNITY
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University is looking for a full-time COURSE LECTURER for the MMM Program. The incumbent will be responsible for teaching two or three of the program’s courses, i.e. “Discrete Manufacturing Systems” and “Manufacturing and the Environment”. The successful applicant will have, as a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least five years of relevant experience in manufacturing in either an industrial or an academic environment. Demonstrated teaching ability is essential. Salary will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate. The position will start in September 1999 with an initial two-year appointment. Applicants are requested to submit a resume, the names of three references as well as a statement of their career objectives. If you know of any suitable candidates, please have them contact Professor Vince Thomson at Telephone: 514-398-2597 Facsimile: 514-398-7365 E-mail: thomson@mecheng.mcgill.ca.
MMM’s NEW WEBSITE - CHECK IT OUT! www.mecheng.mcgill.ca/mmm or www.management.mcgill.ca NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Only Tembec and CAE Electronics have submitted their COMPANY PROFILES! Only Tembec has advised its company’s WEB PAGE ADDRESS! Companies are kindly asked to provide the MMM students with more CASE STUDIES! By January 1999, MMM would really appreciate your cooperation in receiving the above. Just have your PR Department contact the MMM Program Coordinator. THANK YOU!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Master in Manufacturing Management, McGill University Newsletter December, 1998
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