CORDIS Archive

29088 FLUENT

Flow-oriented Logistics Upgade for Enterprise Networks

The project aims to design, implement and experiment a new IT solution for managing complex logistic flows, occuring in a distributed manufacturing network with multiple plants and co-operating firms. Networks of this kind are gaining relevance today as the result of (1) emerging virtual/extended enterprise paradigms; (2) pull-oriented production models, like Just-In-Time, requiring synchronisation of internal and external flows; (3) lean/agile manufacturing models, based on horizontal, goal-oriented process chains; and (4) evolving market conditions, calling for business globalisation and decentralisation of manufacturing facilities.

In response to these changes, FLUENT project will provide manufacturing companies advanced IT tools for logistics decision-making, to enhance their capability to operate in a distributed production environment. In particular, the project will offer the following benefits to end users,

• Improved control of suppliers and sub-contractors, resulting from (1) better synchronisation between supply and production and between the suppliers themselves; (2) increased reactiveness to changes and unexpected events; (3) optimisation of workload distribution, through advanced decision-making techniques;
• Improved relationship with customers, resulting from (1) more accurate estimations; (2) improved offer qualification in terms of functional specifications, capacity and performance; (3) improved customer support, through timely and formal communication throughout the business relationship;
• Increased potential for co-operation, resulting from (1) network-level visibility, including co-operation possibilities and available partners; (2) clear definition of roles and responsibilities between the nodes; (3) support to different forms of co-operation, to comply with each node disposition and needs.
  

To meet these objectives, FLUENT intends to develop an advanced IT infrastructure based on the following,

• A standard Communication and Workflow Infrastructure, that provides basic data interchange and message services and can be easily accessed and configured to realise higher level functionalities;
• A high-level Network Model, constructed on top of this basic layer;
• An Active Flows Control (AFC) component, which monitors interaction with nodes in the Network Model;
• A Performance Measurement System (PMS), acting in parallel with the AFC;
• Two Decision Support Sub-systems (DSS), respectively for input and output flows management;
• An Interface to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems that allows transparent interaction with the node local production management.

Up to now, immature solutions have been developed in this field, still too much dependent on a specific ERP platform, industrial sector or organisation model, and thus failing to achieve above listed requirements. FLUENT by integrating logistics decision-making, ERP and workflow management into a flexible architecture, has a high potential for penetration in the market segment currently occupied by Supply Chain Planning (SCP) software, thanks to its innovative features.

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Contact Point

Paolo Pagnelli, Gruppo Formula, Matteotti, 5 - Villanova di Castenaso, I - 40055 Bologna, Italy
Tel: +39 51 6002 111, fax: +39 51 6002 222, Email: paolo.paganelli@formula.it

Participants

Gruppo Formula (I) - Coordinator
Fordesi (P)
Lisnave (P)
ITCC (GR)
ILME (GR)
Helen's Club (GR)
CARI (HU)
MTS (HU)

Start Date

15 October 1998

Duration

24 months

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The URL of this document is /esprit/src/29088.htm
It was last updated on 9 September 1998 and is maintained by webiim@dg3.cec.be.
It is part of the website of the European Commission's IT R&D Programme Esprit