Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing: A Textile-Apparel Perspective

Explores the effect of EDI systems on business process improvement (BPI) and the moderating effect of information intensity of the industry on the relationship between EDI systems and BPI. The data for the study were gathered through a survey of Fortune 1,000 US firms at branch levels. The results of study support the hypotheses that EDI systems spanning between a firm and its suppliers have a direct and significant relationship with BPI factors. Information intensity of the industry was not found to moderate the relationship between EDI systems and BPI; rather, it was found to have a direct and significant impact on BPI factors.

Adoption of just-in-time and electronic data interchange systems and perceptions of cost management systems effectiveness

: This is an electronic data interchange (EDI) systems design document that describes the standard or convention the Department of Defense (DoD) will use to accept a transaction invoice using the ASC X12.104 Transaction Set 210 Motor Carrier Invoice (003020).

: This is an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems design document that describes the standard or convention the Defense Logistics Agency will use to provide order status data to vendors using the ASC X12 Transaction Set 870 Order Status Report (003020). It contains information for the design of interface computer programs that serve to link systems application computer programs and an EDI translator computer program.

: This is a draft Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems design document that describes the draft standard or 'convention' the Department of Defense (DoD) will accept a Contract Pricing Proposal from the Vendor using the ASC X12 Transaction Set 805 Contract Pricing Proposal (003030).

The complex supply chain relations of the construction industry, coupled with the substantial amount of information to be shared on a regular basis between the parties involved, make the traditional paper‐based data interchange methods inefficient, error prone and expensive. The successful information technology (IT) applications that enable seamless data interchange, such as the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems, have generally failed to be successfully implemented in the construction industry. An alternative emerging technology, Extensible Markup Language (XML), and its applicability to streamline business processes and to improve data interchange methods within the construction industry are analysed, as is the EDI technology to identify the strategic advantages that XML technology provides to overcome the barriers to implementation. In addition, the successful implementation of XML‐based automated data interchange platforms for a large organization, and the proposed benefits thereof, are presented as a case study.

9 - Strategic context of IS investment

Firms are increasingly using collaborative systems to enhance supply-chain visibility. A key emphasis of these interorganizational systems (IOS) is to improve the coordination between buyers and suppliers through electronic integration. While such IOS integration is purportedly good, because it tightens linkages in the supply chain, it is not clear whether it is the best configuration under all conditions. A review of literature on adoption and use of electronic data interchange (EDI) systems (a type of IOS) shows that this issue has been examined from multiple theoretic perspectives. Researchers have examined how contingencies related to technology, organization, and environment shape EDI use. Limited attention has been directed toward understanding how conditions under which transactions are conducted impact the use of IOS. We argue that transactional characteristics are important antecedents to IOS integration and propose that demand uncertainty, complexity, market fragmentation, and market volatility capture key characteristics. These factors coupled with an open information-sharing environment are hypothesized to influence IOS integration. Data collected from the electronics industry is used to examine the research model. Results show that firms tend to deploy integrated IOS when complexity of the component is high, market fragmentation is low, and an open information-sharing environment exists. Thus, from a managerial perspective, IOS integration is the appropriate configuration under conditions of high product complexity and open information-sharing environment, but it precludes the firm from participating in the open market and gaining brokerage benefits.

The use of Internet and Web technologies between organizations has gained much attention in recent years. Termed business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce, the linking and integration of inter-organizational business processes and systems promises cost and time savings, as well as new business opportunities. The many examples of B2B applications cover a broad range of sales and purchasing processes, business models, industries, and products and services. Complexity ranges from simple message switchboards to sophisticated marketplaces handling a multitude of real-time transactions, integrated closely with the backend systems of the participants. Using information technology (IT) to connect organizations is by no means a new phenomenon, but reaches back several decades to include electronic data interchange (EDI) systems and remote terminal applications. Still, systems based on Internet standards seem to be easier to set up technically and cheaper to interconnect. They might thus reach wider adoption and acceptance than many of the earlier initiatives, and as a result give smaller players a realistic opportunity to join in and reap benefits similar to their larger partners.

The re-use of product knowledge is vital to the development of Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) systems and to the deployment of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) strategies. This paper addresses the challenges related to KBE-PLM systems integration in order to unlock engineering knowledge from proprietary representations and to manage the lifecycle of KBE models as well as their usage by different design automation applications. Essential constituents of product knowledge are identified and analyzed and the concepts of design intent and design rationale are re-introduced as key enablers to re-use this product knowledge in the appropriate KBE context. The paper introduces a KBE-PLM integration framework including a platform-independent Open KBE repository structured according to the KBE-PLM integration schema. This schema is a multi-layer neutral product and knowledge data model designed for integrating information from parameterized Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models, rule-based KBE systems and PLM systems.

To solve the problem of advanced digital manufacturing technology in the practical application, a knowledge engineering technology was introduced into the computer numerical control (CNC) programming. The knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation and reasoning used in CNC programming were researched. The CNC programming system functional architecture of impeller parts based on knowledge based engineering (KBE) was constructed. The structural model of the general knowledge-based system (KBS) was also constructed. The KBS of CNC programming system was established through synthesizing database technology and knowledge base theory. And in the context of corporate needs, based on the knowledge-driven manufacturing platform (i.e. UG CAD/CAM), VC++6.0 and UG/Open, the KBS and UG CAD/CAM were integrated seamlessly and the intelligent CNC programming KBE system for the impeller parts was developed by integrating KBE and UG CAD/CAM system. A method to establish standard process templates was proposed, so as to develop the intelligent CNC programming system in which CNC machining process and process parameters were standardized by using this KBE system. For the impeller parts processing, the method applied in the development of the prototype system is proven to be viable, feasible and practical.

The article describes how to use Apache Spark to improve Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transactions. Apache Spark has high potential to address scalability, performance, and integration issues that commonly occur during peak loads in traditional EDI systems, including retail and logistics settings. In this study, it was established that the distributed computing services offered by Spark minimise load, increase processing speed, and minimise resource utilisation. The research compares performance by developing a quantitative assessment of real-world data from EDI systems using Spark and traditional centralised systems. Analysis results indicate that Spark-based systems are quick at handling transaction processing, can be extended, and are cost-effective. The article is about modernising the business EDI infrastructure, and as a result, massive savings have been made. It also implies directions for future research to make the use of distributed systems even lighter in EDI applications, e.g., Apache Spark.

Los sistemas EDI (Electronic Data lnterchange) están concebidos principalmente para ser utilizados dentro del mundo de las transacciones comerciales. Ahora bien, por sus características técnicas y circunstancias estratégicas, provocan también el interés de los profesionales de la Información y Documentación. En este artículo se describen las principales características de los sistemas EDI: sus prestaciones, las infraestructuras tecnológicas que utilizan y también sus condicionantes. Se analiza cuál es la implantación de EDI en el mercado europeo. Se examinan las características de las normas EDIFACT (Electronic Data lnterchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport), ODA/ODIF (Office Document Architecture/Office Document lnterchange Formal) y FORMEX (FORMalized Exchange of electronic publications), así como los problemas que plantean estos formatos en relación con las técnicas de normalización documental. Se pasa revista a algunos de los principales proyectos europeos en curso, dentro del campo bibliotecario y documental, que tienen cierta relación con el Intercambio Electrónico de Datos.

Replacing the traditional paper mode of communication by Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between trading partners opens up a great deal of opportunities. Similar to other information technologies, however, the mere implementation of EDI does not guarantee a windfall. A series of studies over the past six years at Carnegie Mellon University has attempted to identify the necessary conditions for realizing EDI benefits. This report will summarize two major lessons learnt from this research program. The first lesson is that the implementation of EDI does not automatically generate strategic advantage for a supplier. A closer look at the EDI system characteristics is necessary to fully understand the potential for strategic benefits of EDI. The second lesson emphasizes that EDI can lead to operational benefits through changes within the internal processes in an organization. The key to realizing these benefits lies in the specific transaction sets implemented and the level of EDI integration.

For many large retail companies with many suppliers, the utopian vision of total paperless trading offered by traditional electronic data interchange (EDI), with its attendant efficiencies, has not been realized. Many small but operationally important suppliers lack enthusiasm for traditional EDI because it is expensive, complicated and they stand to gain little from it. This non-compliance prevents the large organization from realizing some of the most significant tactical benefits of EDI such as advanced supply chain reforms. This paper presents a case study of a large retail organization which is approaching this problem by integrating Internet-based EDI with its existing traditional EDI systems using an intelligent gateway. The case study is used to generate propositions about the future significance of Internet EDI.