A great challenge facing industry today is managing variety throughout the entire products life cycle. Drivers of products variety, its benefits, pre-requisites and associated complexity and cost are ...presented. Enhancing consumers’ value through variety and approaches for achieving it efficiently including modularity, commonality and differentiation are discussed. Variant-oriented manufacturing systems paradigms, as enablers of product variety, and the effective co-development of variants and their manufacturing systems to ensure economic sustainability are reviewed. Industrial applications and guidelines to achieve economy of scope with advantages of economy of scale are discussed. Perspectives and insights on future research in this field are offered.
In today's manufacturing environment, change has become a constant. Modern assembly systems must adapt to products, markets, technologies and regulatory requirements. The assembly industry is ...undergoing vast changes with the rapid development of production automation, process control, information technologies and networking. Variant-oriented assembly systems have been developed to achieve more flexibility and adaptability to enable adding product variants and scaling production. Smart assembly systems where intelligence is embedded in the products, work stations and system are emerging to achieve more autonomy in communication between entities in the system and more adaptable control of assembly flow and system performance. This paper highlights some advances in assembly technologies and systems and new trends of modularity and reconfigurable using a modular and reconfigurable assembly system. Future directions and challenges are outlined.
Assembly is the capstone process for product realization where component parts and subassemblies are integrated together to form the final products. As product variety increases due to the shift from ...mass production to mass customization, assembly systems must be designed and operated to handle such high variety. In this paper we first review the state of the art research in the areas of assembly system design, planning and operations in the presence of product variety. Methods for assembly representation, sequence generation and assembly line balancing are reviewed and summarized. Operational complexity and the role of human operators in assembly systems are then discussed in the context of product variety. Challenges in disassembly and remanufacturing in the presence of high variety are presented. We then conjecture a future manufacturing paradigm of personalized products and production and discuss the assembly challenge for such a paradigm. Opportunities for assembly system research are summarized at the end of the paper.
Manufacturing enterprises are changing the way they behave in the market to face the increasing complexity of the economic, socio-political and technological dynamics. Manufacturing products, ...processes and production systems result in being challenged by evolving external drivers, including the introduction of new regulations, new materials, technologies, services and communications, the pressure on costs and sustainability. The co-evolution paradigm synthesises the recent scientific and technical approaches proposed by academic and industrial communities dealing with methodologies and tools to support the coordinated evolution (
co-evolution) of products, processes and production systems. This paper aims at reviewing and systemising the research carried out in the field of manufacturing co-evolution with a particular focus on production systems. An introductory investigation of various industrial perspectives on the problem of co-evolution is presented, followed by the description of the co-evolution model and the methodology adopted for framing the existing scientific contributions in the proposed model. Then, the core part of the work is presented, consisting in a systemised analysis of the current methodologies dealing with co-evolving product, process and system and a description of problems that remain unsolved, thus motivating future research strategies and roadmaps.
This study develops new solution methodologies for the flexible job shop scheduling problem (F-JSSP). As a first step towards dealing with this complex problem, mathematical modellings have been ...used; two novel effective position- and sequence-based mixed integer linear programming (MILP) models have been developed to fully characterise operations of the shop floor. The developed MILP models are capable of solving both partially and totally F-JSSPs. Size complexities, solution effectiveness and computational efficiencies of the developed MILPs are numerically explored and comprehensively compared vis-à-vis the makespan optimisation criterion. The acquired results demonstrate that the proposed MILPs, by virtue of its structural efficiencies, outperform the state-of-the-art MILPs in literature. The F-JSSP is strongly NP-hard; hence, it renders even the developed enhanced MILPs inefficient in generating schedules with the desired quality for industrial scale problems. Thus, a meta-heuristic that is a hybrid of Artificial Immune and Simulated Annealing (AISA) Algorithms has been proposed and developed for larger instances of the F-JSSP. Optimality gap is measured through comparison of AISA's suboptimal solutions with its MILP exact optimal counterparts obtained for small- to medium-size benchmarks of F-JSSP. The AISA's results were examined further by comparing them with seven of the best-performing meta-heuristics applied to the same benchmark. The performed comparative analysis demonstrated the superiority of the developed AISA algorithm. An industrial problem in a mould- and die-making shop was used for verification.
Flexibility and changeability are key enablers for meeting the challenges of a global market. The paper first describes the main change drivers and takes then a deeper look at how changeability in a ...manufacturing en-terprise can be classified and operationalized. The next sections are devoted to changeability in reconfigur-able manufacturing systems, assembly systems and factories including buildings and infrastructure. New challenges, perspectives and approaches for process plan reconfiguration as well as for Production Planning and Control are discussed. Finally, the evaluation and economic justification of changeability are addressed and a control loop of changeability is presented.
The paper covers the main design, management and operational aspects of scalability in manufacturing systems (MS). It promotes scalability as an area of research of MS theory and practice in order to ...enhance techniques and methodologies in existing MS paradigms using advanced and emerging design and management approaches and ICT, and meet challenges of emerging MS paradigms and support their promotion and effective and efficient deployment in practice. The paper presents an introduction to scalability, state-of-the art in manufacturing and computer science, and related applications including manufacturing and education and a roadmap for future research and developments.
Background
Erythrodermic and generalized pustular psoriasis are rare, difficult to treat forms of psoriasis. In previous reports, we documented 24‐ and 52‐week findings of an open‐label, phase 3 ...trial (UNCOVER‐J) of ixekizumab in Japanese patients with erythrodermic or generalized pustular psoriasis; most patients responded to treatment and maintained response through 52 weeks.
Objective
To assess the long‐term (>3 years) efficacy and safety of ixekizumab in Japanese patients with erythrodermic or generalized pustular psoriasis.
Methods
These subgroup analyses were of a partial population of patients from UNCOVER‐J (NCT01624233; Sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company), specifically those with erythrodermic psoriasis (N = 8) or generalized pustular psoriasis (N = 5). These patients received 160 mg ixekizumab at Week 0, ixekizumab 80 mg every 2 weeks through Week 12, and ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks thereafter up to Week 244. This regimen is consistent with the regimen approved in Japan for plaque, erythrodermic, and generalized pustular psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Efficacy assessments included Global Improvement Score (GIS), Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), dermal symptoms (for patients with generalized pustular psoriasis), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Itch Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Safety assessments included treatment‐emergent adverse events and adverse events of special interest.
Results
Most patients had a GIS of resolved or improved from Week 12 onwards, and all patients had early and sustained improvement in PASI and dermal symptom (generalized pustular psoriasis only) scores. Mean improvements in DLQI and Itch NRS at Week 12 were sustained through Week 244. Ixekizumab was well tolerated over 3 years of treatment in patients with erythrodermic psoriasis or generalized pustular psoriasis, and no new safety concerns were identified.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that ixekizumab can be an effective long‐term treatment option for erythrodermic or generalized pustular psoriasis.
Linked article: This article is commented on G. Egawa et al., p. 259 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15416
Summary
Background
Significantly more patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis treated with the interleukin (IL)‐17A inhibitor ixekizumab vs. the IL‐23p19 inhibitor guselkumab in the IXORA‐R ...head‐to‐head trial achieved 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 100) at week 12.
Objectives
To compare skin and nail clearance and patient‐reported outcomes for ixekizumab vs. guselkumab, up to week 24.
Methods
IXORA‐R enrolled adults with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis, defined as static Physician’s Global Assessment ≥ 3, PASI ≥ 12 and involved body surface area ≥ 10%. Statistical comparisons were performed using the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test stratified by pooled site. Time‐to‐first‐event comparisons were performed using Kaplan–Meier analysis, and P‐values were generated using adjusted log‐rank tests stratified by treatment group. Cumulative days at clinical and patient‐reported responses were compared by ancova. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03573323).
Results
Of the 1027 patients randomly assigned, 90% completed the trial (465 of 520 ixekizumab and 459 of 507 guselkumab). As early as week 2 and through week 16, more patients on ixekizumab achieved PASI 100 (P < 0·01). At week 24, ixekizumab was noninferior to guselkumab (50% vs. 52%, difference −2·3%), with no statistically significant difference in PASI 100 (P = 0·41). More patients receiving ixekizumab showed completely clear nails at week 24 (52% vs. 31%, P = 0·007). The median time to first PASI 50/75/90 and PASI 100 were 2 and 7·5 weeks shorter, respectively, for patients on ixekizumab vs. guselkumab (P < 0·001). Patients on ixekizumab also had a greater cumulative benefit, with more days at PASI 90 and 100, with Dermatology Life Quality Index of 0 or 1, and itch free (P < 0·05). The frequency of serious adverse events was 3% for each group, with no new safety signals.
Conclusions
Ixekizumab was noninferior to guselkumab in complete skin clearance and superior in clearing nails at week 24. Ixekizumab cleared skin more rapidly in patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis, with a greater cumulative benefit, than guselkumab. Overall, the safety findings were consistent with the known safety profile for ixekizumab.
What is already known about this topic?
Patients with plaque psoriasis desire both high levels of clearance and rapid onset of treatment effects.
Ixekizumab is a high‐affinity monoclonal antibody that selectively targets interleukin (IL)‐17A.
In the 12‐week report of the IXORA‐R study, ixekizumab demonstrated significantly higher efficacy at early timepoints than the IL‐23p19 inhibitor guselkumab, with more patients achieving 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 100) and improved quality of life as early as week 4.
What does this study add?
Patients on ixekizumab vs. guselkumab achieved similar levels of skin clearance and superior efficacy in the resolution of nail psoriasis at week 24.
Patients on ixekizumab vs. guselkumab had a greater cumulative benefit, with more days at PASI 90 and 100, more days when psoriasis did not impact their quality of life, and more itch‐free days.
The safety profiles of both drugs were consistent with those in previous studies.
Linked Comment: Puig. Br J Dermatol 2021; 184:992–993.
Complexity is generally believed to be one of the main causes of the present difficulties in manufacturing systems. In this article, product assembly complexity is defined as the degree to which the ...individual parts/subassemblies contain physical attributes that cause difficulties during the handling and insertion processes in manual or automatic assembly. A product complexity model has been developed by incorporating the information amount and content, as well as the Design For Assembly (DFA) principles for assembled products into an earlier model that was designed for measuring complexity of machined parts. The new model is used to assess the assembly complexity of individual parts using an index for measuring the complexity. Individual indices for parts are aggregated to obtain an overall measure for total product assembly complexity. The new measure accounts for the different parts' assembly attributes as well as their number and variety. An automotive piston and a family of three-pin electric power plugs were used to demonstrate the proposed approach for automatic and manual assembly, respectively. The impact of assembly attributes on product assembly complexity was also tracked. The proposed metric is a useful decision support tool for designers to reduce potential product assembly complexity and associated cost.
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