[Iefac.list] DEAD LINE EXTENSION 31 MAY- Special Issue: "Parts-feeding systems for assembly: organisation, logistics and automation" in Assembly Automation Journal

[maurizio.faccio at unipd.it]

Dear Colleagues,
we extended the dead line to 31 may 2014, so we look forward to receiving
your paper!

On Dom, Ottobre 20, 2013 10:20, Yuval Cohen wrote:
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Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit your contribution to the Special
Issue:

“Parts-feeding systems for assembly: organisation, logistics and
automation”, in Assembly Automation Journal.

Assembly Automation is an Emerald journal, indexed and abstracted in
leading service providers, including ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus.

You can find the Call for Papers details at:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/call_for_papers.htm?id=4992

Introduction
Driven by shorter product life cycles and an increasing number of
variants, nowadays products are more and more often manufactured in
flexible assembly systems.
One significant challenge faced by such production systems is
parts-feeding. The high number of parts managed, mixed model production,
variety of parts' shape and size, limited space at assembly stations and
manipulation of a wide variety of parts type during the assembly tasks are
just some of the issues which have to be addressed.
Considering the two main assembly configurations (single station and
assembly line) it is possible to identify two different but interdependent
aspects of the problem: parts-feeding from the warehouse to the productive
units and parts-feeding inside the assembly station, from the stocking
units to the assemblers (human operators and automated manipulators). Each
of these two aspects requires optimal design and management in terms of
organisation, logistics and industrial automation.
The first includes macro logistics factors: supermarket system warehouse
implementation, feeding policy definition (line stocking, kanban,
kitting), milk-run applications in lean plant logistics systems, models
sequencing and parts-feeding scheduling, materials handling and
stock-keeping unit definition, flexible automation in materials
identification, picking and delivery.
The second includes micro logistics factors: assembly station design,
ergonomics, materials positioning, rapid and easy identification of parts
and picking systems, flexible automation for recognition of parts,
separation, singularisation and orientation, quality control.
Reliable and flexible supply of parts is indispensable, because of the
high costs of material shortages. On the other hand, parts-feeding is a
huge time-consuming activity in assembly systems. As a consequence, the
development of innovative approaches, techniques and automated tools which
can increase efficiency has relevant practical implications.

Scope
The variety of industrial contexts and the continuous improvement of
logistics and automation technologies make the state of the art in
assembly systems parts-feeding not exhaustive. This special issue seeks
original manuscripts that investigate both macro and micro logistics
factors of the problem. Novel, high-quality papers investigating
parts-feeding in assembly systems should include but not be limited to
innovative methodologies and tools, new real-world case studies and
innovative automation technologies. Manuscripts with real-world novel
applications are welcomed from practitioners and researchers.

Possible topics for the issue include but are not limited to:
Optimisation of parts-feeding at assembly systems
•	Kanban/kitting/line stocking: feeding policy optimisation
•	Supermarket warehouse systems: innovation in automation for storing,
picking and handling activities
•	Handling/stocking facilities designed to optimise in-plant logistics
for
assembly system parts feeding
•	Automated and flexible system for material feeding from supermarkets to
assembly systems
•	Lean plant logistics systems: innovative applications and case study in
flexible assembly systems
Materials management optimisation at assembly stations
•	Flexible automated systems in assembly: innovative flexible
parts-feeding devices
•	Lean assembly systems and materials management: advanced techniques,
innovation and case studies
•	Task time reduction and materials management optimisation at assembly
stations
•	Advanced automated tools for automated parts
identification/recognition/singularisation
•	Efficient parts quality control systems at assembly stations
•	Integrated approaches for parts-feeding optimisation including both
macro and micro logistics aspects

Time schedule
Full manuscript submission: 28 February 2014 Notification of review
reports: 15 April 2014 Revised final manuscript due date: 15 June 2014
Publication of the Special Issue: 7 July 2014

Manuscript Preparation
Each manuscript will be refereed for publication by at least two
reviewers.
The length of the submitted article should be no more than 4,500 words
including tables, references and appendices.
Authors must conform to the instructions given in the Guide for Authors on
Assembly Automation while preparing their manuscripts and submit their
full papers
electronically:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=aa.

Any questions?
For any further information please contact the Guest Editors:

Maurizio Faccio
maurizio.faccio at unipd.it
Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padova, Stradella
San Nicola, 3 36100 Vicenza, Italy

Yuval Cohen
yuvalco2014 at gmail.com, yuvalco at openu.ac.il Department of Industrial
Engineering, The Open University of Israel, P.O.Box 808, Raanana 43537,
Israel






--
Faccio Maurizio, PhD Eng
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Engineering- University of Padova
Department of Management and Engineering
Stradella San Nicola, 3
36100 Vicenza, Italy

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