Abstract
Build to Order or Make to Order is a common approach for highly configured products such as special vehicles (vehicles that are adapted and altered to suit a specific purpose). Examples of such vehicles are special ambulances as well as vehicles adapted for the support and transport of passengers with less mobility. In this type of business, operations are scheduled in response to a confirmed order received from a final customer. Thus, the variability and the uncertainty characterizing what is project based, generate a complexity that requires specifically tailored managerial approaches to handle all the involved processes - from design and engineering to production and delivery. Hence, in this accentuated complexity, it is extremely important to guarantee that both the material and information flows are efficient and effective. The present study, framed in a program of operational improvement in a manufacturer of special vehicles, aims to address some concrete improvement opportunities related to the significant number of raw materials stockouts and to the high number of changes made by the client after production has started. In fact, during the manufacturing and assembly process, there are constant changes that delay and difficult planning and consequently decreases the overall efficiency and effectiveness. Strategies to address all these matters are to be identified and applied. © IEOM Society International.

Abstract
Supply chains have become one of the most important strategic themes in the aerospace industry in recent years as globalization and deep technological changes have altered the industry at many levels, creating new dynamics and strategies. In this setting, sustainability at the supply chain level is an emerging research topic, whose contributions aim to support businesses into the future. To do so the development of new products and the response to new industry requirements, while incorporating new materials appears as a path to follow, which require more resilient and agile supply chains, while guaranteeing their sustainability. Such supply chains will be better prepared for the future complex challenges and risks faced by the aerospace companies. Such challenges are addressed in this work, where an integrated framework is proposed to contribute to the resilience and sustainability of aerospace supply chains. Using different analysis methods, the framework addresses four important challenges in the context of aerospace supply chain sustainability: evolution and new trends, performance assessment, supplier selection, and supply chain design and planning. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Abstract
This paper introduces a new research focus for the problem of flow control. Most of the research until this point in this topic comes in the form of heuristics and flow control protocols, from which we can highlight Kanban and CONWIP. These protocols have as common ground the fact that both impact flow by limiting the amount of WIP (work in process) that circulates through a production route. These limits are not static in a sense that one limit defined for a given period will not suffice for all possible conditions the future may entail. Therefore, we need strategies to find which values for the WIP caps are best (according to an optimization target), given a production system state and a customer demand level. We propose the use of a Reinforcement learning (RL) agent and introduce the problem within the framework of a reinforcement learning problem, showing that for a simulated system it is possible to reduce WIP levels up to 43% without losses in throughput (TH). As an introduction to the flow control problem comparisons between push and pull systems are made resorting to the use of discrete event simulations. We simulated a CONWIP and a push protocol and comparisons are made in terms of cycle-time, throughput and customer lead-time. The work points-out that within the field of industrial management research terms such as cycle-time, customer lead-time, and lead-time are sometimes used interchangeably, which may lead to unnecessary confusion and hindered understanding of the subject matter. Specifically, we show that cycle-time reduction does not lead directly to customer lead-time reduction in a make to order environment.

Abstract
Today's manufacturing environment is increasingly pressured to higher flexibility induced by uncertain production volumes as well as uncertain product lifetime. A way to improve productivity in a flexible production system is by using a safe and flexible cooperation between robot and operator. Therefore, manufacturing companies are experiencing an increase in human-robot interactions and in the use of collaborative robots (cobots). To make full use of cobots, it is essential to understand the drivers for their adoption as well as how these drivers are aligned with the companies' strategic objectives. By means of in-depth interviews in six companies in Portugal and France, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the drivers that influence the intent to adopt, or the effective adoption, of cobots and the alignment of these drivers with the strategic objectives of the company. Empirical results reveal "operational efficiency" and "ergonomics and human factors" concerns as important drivers in the adoption intent. In terms of strategic objectives, it was found that drivers are aligned with productivity and flexibility improvement as well as quality improvement strategic objectives. Understanding these drivers can help in motivating manufacturing companies to adopt cobots, in facilitating their adoption, and in reaping the benefits of this technology.

Abstract
The concept of industry 4.0 (i4.0) encompasses the integration of different technologies into an autonomous, knowledge- and sensor-based, self-regulating production system. Our objective is to synthesize which are the challenges and opportunities of adopting i4.0 from the perspective of technology provider companies. A single-case research was conducted with ten companies at the Portuguese Production Technologies Cluster. Based on i4.0 technologies – Augmented reality; Additive Manufacturing; Big Data; Cloud Computing; Cyber-Physical Systems; Cybersecurity; Smart Robotics; Simulation; and System Integration – interviewees mentioned that the main adoption challenges are the analysis of data generated, integration of new technologies with available equipment and workforce, and computational limitations. The main opportunities are improvements in: efficiency; flexibility; productivity; cybersecurity; quality of products and services; and decision process due to data analysis. Interviewees have also foreseen changes in company's business model through the integration of internal resources with complementary activities of their partners and other cluster companies. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.

Abstract
The highly disruptive transformation that digital platforms are imposing on entire sectors of the economy, along with the broad digitalization of industrial business processes, is having an impact on supply chains around the world. To take advantage of this new aggregated market paradigm new business models with a heavy focus on servitization are changing the value proposition of businesses. In this paper, we describe a reference architectural framework designed to support a digital platform fostering the optimization of supply chains by the pairing of unused industrial capacity with production demand. This framework aims at harmonizing stakeholder requirements with specifications of different levels in order to set up a coherent reference blueprint that serves as a starting point for development activities. A four-layer approach is used to articulate between technical components, with the data and tools layers, and the ecosystem, with the business and interfaces layers. The overall architecture and component description is presented as extensions of the initial set of affordances.