Zahra Banakar

Graduation Semester and Year

2018

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering

Department

Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering

First Advisor

Brian Dr Huff

Abstract

In today’s globally competitive environment, production costs estimation is a challenging task. This competitive market has brought specific strategies in the manufacturing sector, such as introducing more new products into the market with lower prices. In order to have the most accurate production costs estimation, accurate production cost information in a useful and relevant form is needed. This study presents a cost estimation framework that integrates both activity and parametric cost estimation methods to increase the ease, accuracy, and speed of producing cost estimates for a family of products or services. There is a need for an integrated production cost estimation model framework with three main characteristics. First, a model combining different costing methods that estimate product costs at the early stage of development in the product family. Secondly, a model with system description methods that can be more flexible and generic. Third, a costing model based on system analysis and computer models which support dynamic cost estimation. A production cost estimation model with these three characteristics can be an integrated, generic, and dynamic model providing cost information in a useful form which could be seen as a more accurate cost estimation method. The study will discuss how process description capture methods can be used to identify the activities that drive cost. Also, a costing model based on the conceptual system description method will provide a more generic costing tool. The process description capture method (IDEF3) is used to support different production scenarios. Also, this study indicates the probability that precise and accurate cost estimation can be done by utilizing simulation before actual manufacturing production. Simulation-based cost estimation provides a powerful management tool for decision-making processes. In addition, simulation models are able to provide more details and also consider the variation of a dynamic manufacturing system. In order to highlight the important potential benefits of the new costing model, different applications of the new model are discussed. Finally, the model was tested based on a real case study of a small us-based manufacturer.

Keywords

Cost estimation and justification, Parametric activity based costing, Product family design, Process modeling, Activity based management, Dynamic simulation modeling

Disciplines

Engineering | Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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