Next Generation Supply Chain Management Practices, Processes and Systems

Variation induced into an MRO system by production activities combined with unsupportive supply chain logistics processes make MRO Operations vulnerable to disruption. Transparency between production and the supply chain are limited. This leads to mismatches between production and supply; waste in material storage or handling; excessive lead times; schedule variation; and obsolescence or changes to stored material. Finally, incentives for learning and improvement are limited. By directly addressing these problems, we create opportunities for improving flow in production, material, and logistics processes for the MRO environment. We propose to start design of the MRO system by beginning with the reality faced daily by production. The primary research will address MRO issues including: integration at the shop floor for inspection, diagnosis, and prescription processes; reducing lead time by physical streamlining, risk pooling, delay differentiation, pull, and vendor alliances; defining activity definition models and matching directives of materials and resources; creating triggers for discovery or action; bringing transparency and accountability; and incorporating decision support tools. Strategic Project Solutions in conjunction with the University of California, Berkeley and U.C. Berkeley’s Project Production Systems Laboratory proposes to create a system for the USAF MRO environment and move from visibility to reliability to readiness.