The fog is beginning to clear. High-tech and other types of manufacturers are getting a better idea of what they must do in order to conform to new requirements for disclosing the presence in their products of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring states. Still, a number of questions remain unanswered.
To the surprise of few observers, Apple once again is first in Gartner's Ninth Annual Supply Chain Top 25, a research initiative designed to raise awareness of the supply chain discipline and how it impacts the business. Apple was followed by McDonald's and Amazon, which switched places from last year's ranking.
When the molds used to manufacture aluminum engine blocks are built, visibility into the entire assembly process can help ensure that any defects are caught before the finished block is shipped to a customer. With that in mind, automotive components manufacturer Nemak has automated its work-in-process (WIP) tracking, with a radio frequency identification system supplied by Balluff Inc. that writes sensor data from automation equipment to ensure that any defects in the mold are caught before molten aluminum is poured into it.
The automotive manufacturing industry is becoming more complex than ever before. More models, including hybrids, are being introduced, and there are now more features and options, with technology used to drive end-market price and model differentiation.
The latest spate of auto recalls came last month when auto giants Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Mazda were focused to recall more than 3.4 million vehicles as a result of faulty air bags originating from Takata Corp in Japan. Since the initial announcement, BMW has come forward with a related recall action of more than 200,000 of their cars.
Challenge: A large international apparel/footwear client needed to automate their export management and screening processes, without changing their business processes. The client had a very manual process and too much time was wasted deciphering export regulations and reporting requirements.
The latest supply-chain news, analysis, trends and tools for executives in the automotive industry — which consists of companies that produce automobiles, utility vehicles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and heavy trucks. Learn how automotive companies and their suppliers around the world are managing the flow of products across all channels of the enterprise. Experts sound off on forecasting and demand planning, supply-chain visibility, logistics outsourcing, inventory optimization, transportation management, warehouse management, supply-chain security, corporate social responsibility and more.
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