An information system for one-of-a-kind production

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need to find ways of maintaining their competitive advantages of high customization, short lead time and high quality and overcoming high production cost because of growing competition from large global mass producers. To maintain and enhance these advantages and in the meantime to keep the production efficiency and reduce production cost requires SMEs to move to mass customization which is supported by various computer aided engineering, manufacture and management technologies or digital manufacturing technologies, such as computer aided design (CAD), process planning (CAPP), and manufacturing (CAM). However, for efficiently producing one-of-a-kind products by using one-piece flow production methods, accurate and timely information is required in large quantities which need to be processed by an information system. This paper presents the development of such an information system, which enables a medium-sized window and door manufacturer in Calgary, Canada to mass produce customised windows and doors using one-piece flow production methods. This industrial application demonstrates that an information system is a key technology for an SME to realize mass customization in one-of-a-kind production.