Student guide Faculty of Engineering A.Y. 2007/08

Production and Logistic System Design
Lesson timetable, Notice board, Additional material
Aim of the course
The course imparts the fundamental elements of the design of goods manufacturing and distribution networks, along with the instruments and logical methods for the optimisation of managerial decisions. Students will gain an understanding of the managerial levers and critical variables which characterise complex production and distribution systems, modelling problems through the use of advanced instruments such as linear programming, mixed-integral planning and simulation. The course also covers the application of spreadsheets and a simulation language to a number of case studies on Supply Chain Management.


Syllabus
1.. Supply Chain Management
- From traditional logistics to supply chain management
- Principal elements of supply chain management
- Decisions characterising the supply chain management process
- Logistics and strategy

2. Distribution networks
- The commercial channel and modern distribution systems
- The retail sector in Italy and Europe (ECR project)
- Types of distribution networks
- Elements of network design
- Modelling of distribution costs
- Scaling of the distribution network
- Location of logistic centres

3. Methods for the modelling and optimisation of distribution networks
- Capacity allocation (1 and 2 level transportation problem)
- Facility location methods
- Site selection methods
- Simulation (modelling and design of experiments)
- Criteria for building local distribution pathways

4. Reliable design
- Review of the concepts of reliability and availability
- The impact of maintenance policies
- Application of Markov models
- Linked production
- Criteria for selection of operational solutions
Examinations
There will be a written examination.

Reading list
Course notes provided by the lecturers.
Dallari F., Marchet G., Rinnovare la Supply Chain, Il sole 24 ore, 2003