Complexity Assessment of Assembly Supply Chains from the Sustainability Viewpoint
The main point of the paper is to address supply chain networks in terms of sustainability. How can customization of physical networks help to better manage demand?
Testing and Comparison of ASC Complexity Indicators
This part of the paper is focused on the comparison of two assembly supply chains, ASC1(i,j,k) and ASC2(i,j,k). One of them is more complex according to the defined criteria (C#1–C#5). P represents parts, j is the number of parts, O represents operations, k is the number of operations, M represents machines, and i is the number of machines.
These criteria were tested using the theoretical examples shown in Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6 and Figure 7. In C#1, #2, #4, and #5, the number of machines was equal to the number of operations. In C#3, the number of operations was increasing.
Figure 3. ASC consisting of: (a) three machines, three operations, and four parts; (b) three machines, three operations, and five parts.
![](https://learn.saylor.org/pluginfile.php/5619167/mod_book/chapter/50138/3.jpg)
Figure 4. ASC consisting of: (a) three machine, three operations, and four parts; (b) four machines, four operations, and four parts.
![](https://learn.saylor.org/pluginfile.php/5619167/mod_book/chapter/50138/4.jpeg)
Figure 5. ASC consisting of: (a) three machines, three operations, and four parts; (b) three machines, four operations, and three parts.
![](https://learn.saylor.org/pluginfile.php/5619167/mod_book/chapter/50138/5.jpeg)
Figure 6. ASC consisting of: (a) three machines, three operations, and four parts; (b) three machines, three operations, and four parts.
![](https://learn.saylor.org/pluginfile.php/5619167/mod_book/chapter/50138/sustainability-11-07156-g003.webp)
Figure 7. Manufacturing system consisting of: (a) three machines, three operations, four parts, and two echelons; (b) three machines, three operations, four parts, and three echelons.