Material Tracking in a Food Factory
Download Full Case Description in PDF format
Date approved for distribution: 1996
| Author: |
James T. Luxhoj, Ph.D. |
|
Department of Industrial Engineering |
|
Rutgers University |
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P.O. Box 909 |
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Piscataway, New Jersey 08855-0909 |
| Keywords: |
Automatic Identification |
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Production/Manufacturing |
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Packaging |
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Product Flow Analysis |
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Information Flow Analysis |
Abstract: This case study involves the development of a real time material tracking system for an automated food packaging facility that produces shelf stable beef stew product. The case emphasizes information systems design and implementation. The case description is based on the 31,000 square foot Combat Ration Advanced Manufacturing Technology Demonstration Facility at Rutgers University. The facility consists of raw material and finished goods storage areas (including frozen storage) that supply the production line with three primary inputs including a sauce product, vegetables, and beef. The sauce product ingredients are premixed and the beef and vegetables are pre-processed on parallel manufacturing lines that feed an automated mixing, cooking, packaging, and drying line. Finished product flows back into the storage area. A facility floor plan and detailed diagrams of processing equipment are provided in the case study. In addition, ten points in the processing sequence are suggested as material tracking points.
Students are asked to: identify the data to be collected at each tracking point, develop material coding schemes for translating the data into bar codes, specify implementation hardware and software appropriate for the work environment including cost estimates and suggested vendors, develop a data communications diagram for the material tracking system, estimate the benefit of automated data collection, and prepare a report summarizing their analysis and recommendations.
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