Annual Journal of IIE (HK)

1996-97
CONTENTS
Message from Dr. Alan H.S. Chan,
President, HE (HK) ..................................................................................................1
Message from Mr. John J. Powers
President, HE ............................................................................................................2
Message from Prof H.K. Chang
President, City University of Hong Kong .................................................................3
Message from Prof Qi Ershi
Executive Director, Industrial Engineering Institution of China ...............................4
Publisher
Directors, Advisors &Corporate Members 1996-97 ..............................................6
Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK) Ltd.
Office Bearers and Executive Committee 1996-97 ..................................................7
Activities and Collaborated Events for 1996-97 ......................................................8
Tenth Scholarship Presentation ................................................................................9
Institute of Industrial Engineers (Hong Kong) .........................................................10
Editors
Membership Application Form ...............................................................................12
Dr. L.K. Chu
Papers
Dr. Alan H.S. Chan
Advanced Design & Manufacturing Technologies
A Virtual Reality-based Training System for CNC Milling Machine Operations
F. H. Lin, C.L. Hon & CJ Su ...................................................................................13
IIE (HK) Ltd. accepts no responsibility to connection
Experimental Study of a Solder Paste Stenciling Process using Factorial
with any liability which might develop as a result of Design
material published; opinions expressed are those of G.K K Poon ..............................................................................................................17
the authors and do not necessarily represent the Application of Structured Analysis in the Product Creation Process
Institute. C K. Kwong & W. C. Wong ....................................................................................20
Global Manufacturing
The Greater China Electronics Industry - an External View
K J Tilley& D. J. Williams .......................................................................................24
The Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK) Manufacturing Systems
Limited by Guarantee Application of Genetic Algorithms in Optimizing Parameters in Decision
G.P.O. Box 6635, Hong Kong Support System for Resource Allocation
K L Choy & V. W. S. Yeung.......................................................................................31
The Design of a Generic Flexible Manufacturing Cell
CKF. Chiu& L.K Chu............................................................................................... 35
Service Industries
Front cover design Service Productivity & Quality Excellence in the Air Express Industry
Mr. Sam Deng YM Wong ..................................................................................................................39
Industrial Engineering Education
Industrial Engineering in Hong Kong
R.C Whirfeld ..............................................................................................................45
Printing Member List .............................................................................................................48
Media Production Unit Companies Employing IIE (HK) Members ............................................................55
City University of Hong Kong

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK)

 It's my great pleasure and honour to serve as the President of the Institute for 1996/97.
This year marks the 18th anniversary of the HE (HK). In the past 17 years, remarkable
changes have taken place in information technology, material technology, and human
mentality and capability that have a great impact on the industrial engineering profession.
However, the mission of HE (HK) remains unchanged.

To the IIE, this year is one of consolidation and growth. In recent times we have seen a
steadily increasing membership, which has grown 20% in the past year, and I believe this
growth will continue in the future. It is hoped that the membership directory at the back of the
Annual Journal provides a vital service to the members.

With the changing nature of industries, being an Industrial Engineer is more challenging today than in the past. These
changes are strongly stimulating the need for competent professionals with IE knowledge and skills, both in Hong Kong and in
China. The HE (HK) recognizes these chan ges and challenges and has decided to institute close partnerships with IEs in China
by increasing the level of interaction and improving the communications between professionals in these two regions. An
Agreement has been reached between us that permits more intense communications through the interflow of publications, and
seminars and conferences, as will be seen in the coming years. In this, we are taking the first step forward by jointly organising
the 5th Industrial Engineering Conference with the Industrial Engineering Institution in China next year.

Certainly, we need to satisfy the needs of local industries which have large manufacturing and operational bases across
the border. In co-operation with the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Institute is now beginning to organise Industrial
Engineering related training activities for engineers in Shenzhen. Accreditation of these courses by the HE Headquarters is
being sought, so they can be used for membership criteria.

1997 is not only meaningful for all Chinese, but is particularly memorable for the IE profession in Hong Kong, as the
third IE undergraduate program is to be launched in the City University of Hong Kong next year. This is in addition to the two
existing courses in the Hong Kong University, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We would like to
see closer collaboration between the Institute and these three Universities to foster the discipline of Industrial Engineering in
the coming years.

One of the objectives of the Institute is to promote the dissemination of knowledge and information by publications
relating to the art and science of Industrial Engineering. This year we are taking the initiative to have our own
refereed international journal "Industrial Engineering Research" which will report basic and applied research in
Industrial Engineering. I am pleased to report that after months of preparation work, we have built a strong editorial
team with distinguished scholars from the UK, China, Australia, Taiwan, the USA and Hong Kong.

Seminars, workshops, membership drives, and technical visits have also been kept going to provide continuous services
and professional development opportunities for our members to meet their professional needs.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Executive Committee this year, who have made tireless efforts to ensure
the success of the Institute. Last but not least, I would like to thank the Institute's Directors, Corporate Members, and
scholarship sponsors for their continuous advice and support, without which our continuous and prosperous growth would not
have occurred.

prosperous growth would not have occurred.

Dr. Alan H.S. Chan

President, IIE(HK),1996-97

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 1

 It is my pleasure to provide this message for the 1996-97 Annual Journal of the
Institute of Industrial Engineers, Hong Kong. Hong Kong has continually expanded its
services and professionalism to serve the Hong Kong area. The enthusiasm, dedication and
high quality of programming demonstrated by the leaders and membership of Hong Kong is
to be commended in addressing:

1. The critical role played by industrial engineers in establishing world-class

organisations, and

2. The paramount importance of the global economy.

As we move toward the 21 st century, all industrial engineers in Hong Kong face
increasing opportunities. The continued development of the Pacific Rim and the ongoing
multi-national economy bring about an unprecedented series of events that demand the
expertise, analytical tools, design methodologies, and management skills that industrial
engineers uniquely possess.

The Institute of Industrial Engineers is proud to give 100% support to the Hong Kong
Chapter of he Institute of Industrial Engineers, and the worldwide profession of industrial
engineering. As industrial engineers in Hong Kong step up to the opportunities before them,
all 26,000 members of the Institute stand with them for continued success.

My best personal wishes for ongoing success.

John J. Powers
President, 1996-97
Institute of Industrial Engineers

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 2

 The recent changes of the Hong Kong economy entails a shift of focus to the
development of wide ranges of sophisticated products and services for manufacturing and
general services sectors. Such a shift implies that: Hong Kong has a sharply increasin g need
for well educated and professional industrial engineers who can design, improve, and install
integrated systems of people, material, equipment, information and energy.

The Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK), with the active participation of its members,
has helped Hong Kong's industries to overcome these challenges in economic transition.
Together, they have made full use of engineering and re-engineering processes and systems to
achieve better quality and higher productivity during product development. The latest changes
also offer good opportunities for application of advanced industrial engineering
methodologies and techniques.

On this 18th Anniversary of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK), I would like to
congratulate the Institute for its remarkable achievement in the past and I wish the Institute
and its members every success in the future.

Professor H.K. Chang

President and University Professor
City University of Hong Kong

1996-97 Annual Journal of HE (HK) 3

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 3

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 4
Honorary Directors
Dr. Lily Chiang
Executive Director Dr. K.L. Mak
Head
Chen Hsong Holdings Ltd.
Dept. of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems
Prof. W.S. Lau
Principal Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Technical College, Chai Wan
Mr. T.L. Ng, JP, MBE
Prof. W.B. Lee
Managing Director
Head
Sonca Products Ltd.
Dept. of Manufacturing Engineering
Prof. K.V. Patri
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Head
Dr. James Liu
Dept. of Manufacturing Engineering
Chief Executive Officer
City University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre
Prof. Mitchell Tseng
Dr. S.W. Lui
Head
Branch Director
Dept. of Industrial Engineering & Engineering
Hong Kong Productivity Council
Management
Mr. W.K. Lo Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
Managing Director Dr. Chris H.C. Wong
Computer Products Asia-Pacific Ltd. Head
Industrial Centre
Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Mr. Anthony W.H. Fung

Director and General Manager
Honorary Legal Advisor Lung Kee Steel Ltd.
Mr. Pui-Lam Chung, OBE, JP
Chung and Kwan Solicitors Mr. S.C. Ho
Director of Industrial Operations
Auditor Dunwell Industrial (Holdings) Ltd.
Chan, Lai, Pang & Co. Mr. Frankie C.M. Yick
Certified Public Accountants Director and General Manager
Wharf Transport Investments Ltd.
The IIE (HK) Office Bearers for 1996-97
Corporate Members
Dr. Alan H.S. Chan
Motorola Semiconductor Hong Kong Ltd. Mr. Peter Mok
Mr. Ken Leung
Harbour Ring International Holdings Ltd.
Mr. Aaron W.K. Tong

Company Directors Executive Director

Mr. Daniel M. Cheng Mr. Paul K.K. Mak
Group Managing Director
Director
Dunwell Industrial (Holdings) Ltd. Wilfred Chan Management Consultants Ltd.

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 5

 Office Bearers
President Dr. Alan H.S. Chan
City University of Hong Kong
meachan@cityu edu hk
Vice President Mr. Peter Mok
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
icpmok@hkpucc polyu.edu.hk
Honorary Secretary Mr. Ken Leung
Philips Hong Kong Ltd.
kleung@hklcdnv0.lcdhk.philips.nl
Honorary Treasurer Mr. Aaron W.K. Tong
TQM Consultants Co. Ltd.
wktong@iie.org. hk

Executive Committee
Engineering Mr. Louis Tam Mr. S.H. Lee
GE - LG Appliances Avery-Dennison
Internet Services Mr. Ricky Yeung Mr. H.F. Wong
City University of Hong Kong Team Concept Ltd.
Membership & Mr. Eric Choi Mr. M.W. Lam
Scholarship Hong Kong Telecom Avery-Dennison
Publications Dr. L.K. Chu Dr. H.W. Law
The University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong
Social Activities Mr. Hudson Cheung Mr. Wallace Lam
Hong Kong Government Hong Kong Technical College (Tsing Yi)
Officers Ms Iris M.Y. Chan Mr. James Leung
Mr. Stefan Chow Ms Kelly S.L. Liu
Mr. Ricky Fung Mr. Devip Yip
Mr. H.M. Leung Mr. Andy Yeung

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 6

1996
JUL Set-up of HE (HK) home page

AUG 1 st Internet Workshop

S EPT Seminar on BS 8800 - Occupational Safety and Health Management

Visit to General Post Office

Newsletter: Number 1

OCT Membership drive for Internet Services

Visit to Lee Kam Kee

Newsletter: Number 2

NOV 2nd Internet Workshop - Internet Phone, Fax, chat and similar Internet services
Symposium on Global Manufacturing

Annual Dinner and the 10th Scholarship Presentation

Newsletter: Number 3
DEC Seminar on Manufacturing Technologies

Visit to Hong Kong Petro-chemical Co. Ltd.

1997
JAN 3rd Internet Workshop - Introduction to HTML and homepage language

Industrial visit

Seminar on Rapid Prototyping

Membership drive at the Hong Kong Technical College (Chaff Wan)

Newsletter: Number 4

FEB Internet - Seminar on the preivew on utilities/tools for HomePage design

Membership drive at the University of Hong Kong

Membership drive at the Hong Kong Technical College (Tsing Yi)

MAR First issue of the Journal of IE Research

Seminar on Business Process Re-engineering

Industrial visit

Membership drive at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Newsletter: Number 5

APR Annual General Meeting

Membership drive at the City University of Hong Kong

MAY 5th Industrial Engineering Conference in Tianjin, China

Membership drive at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Newsletter: Number 6

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 7

Dear Fellow Members,

Since the start of the Scholarship Program, we have unnoticeably been moving into the first decade. In this year, fourteen
outstanding full-time students of Industrial Engineering (or equivalent) curriculum from six local educational institutes are
awarded the 10th IIE (HK) Scholarship after a stringent selection process. On behalf of the HE (HK), may I take this
opportunity to congratulate the awardees and wish them every success in their academic and career path.
Although a lot of companies in Hong Kong are now suffering from the global economic recession and $ome of them have
started the first step of downsizing, our career as an Industrial Engineer is glowing. In fact, it provides us a playground to
demonstrate our intrinsic cap ability of designing and carrying out productivity and quality improvement projects established
during our studies.

Finally, I would like to cordially thank our generous sponsors of the Scholarship Program and all the faculties/
departments ofthe six institutes who furnish us with their nominations and assistance and I am looking forward to a more closer
collaboration with all of them in the future.

S ponsor Scholarship Awardee Educational Institution

Artfield Mfg. Co. Ltd. LEUNG Hon Ming*
SO Wing Yuk, Karen
Chen Hsong Holdings Ltd.
TONG Kin Sing
Computer Products Asia-Pacific Ltd. YIP Wai Man*
DHL International (Hong Kong) Ltd. YAU On Kwok, Benny
City University of HK
City University of HK
City University of HK
HK Polytechnic University
HK Polytechnic University

Dunwell Industrial (Holdings) Ltd. LEUNG Heung Wah HK Polytechnic University

CHAN Lam, Jenny HK Technical College (Chaff
Federal Express
Wan)
Harbour Ring International Holdings Ltd. CHOI Wing Yan HK Technical College (Tsing
Jing Mei Industrial Ltd. CHAN Chung Fu, Leslie* HK University
MAK Wing Wo, Ricgo HK University
Manfield Coatings Co. Ltd.
LAM Wing Yi HK University
Meyer Aluminium Ltd. JIAO Jian Xin* HK University of Science &
Outboard Marine Corp. Ltd. Technology
LEE NgarYee HK University of Science &
Paper Communication Exhibition Services
Technology
Avery-Dennison LEUNG Chi Chiu HK University of Science &
Sonca Products Ltd. Technology
(*) Postgraduate student
The Hong Kong & China Gas Co. Ltd.

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 9

 What is Industrial Engineering?
Industrial Engineering is a professional discipline that is
applicable in many different positions, responsibilities, functions, and
organizations. Its definition, adopted by the Institute of Industrial
Engineers, is as follows:
"Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design,
improvement, and installation of integrated systems of
people, material, information, equipment, and energy.
It draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the
mathematical, physical, and social sciences together
with the principles and methods of engineering analysis
and design to specify, predict, and evaluate the results
to be obtained from such systems. "
What is the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) and the
Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK)?
Founded in 1948, HE is an international professional society
dedicated to serving the professional needs of industrial engineers
and all individuals involved with improving quality and productivity.
In more than 300 local chapters all over the world, there are 25,000
members who keep staying on the cutting edge of their profession
through the educational opportunities, publications, and networking
opportunities we offer. Members also gain valuable leadership
experience and enjoy peer recognition through numerous volunteer
opportunities.
HE (HK) is the one and only one local chapter of HE in Hong
Kong. Joining III,, you will automatically become a member of HE
(HK) and thus enjoy the full range of services and opportunities
provided.
Who benefits from membership?
No matter what your job title, if you are the person called upon
for solutions when something goes wrong, you belong in IIE.
Whether you work in a factory, service organization, or distribution
facility, if you are responsible for the system behind producing a
quality product or service efficiently and economically, you belong in
1IE. Your title may be industrial engineer. Or it could be CEO,
manager, systems integrator, management engineer, project manager,
quality control engineer, senior systems analyst, vice president of
manufacturing, director of staff services, professor of industrial
engineering, plant manager, or director of operations.
What are the benefits of joining IIE?
Career development and solutions! Career development is
measured in job title, promotions, salary, raises, and bonuses. But
career development really means developing yourself. Helping you
become more productive and valuable to your employer is IIE's
mission. To do so, we are in the business of providing solutions.
Solutions to the problems you face every day on the job.
Solutions to give you the skills to turn your company into
a world-class organization.
Solutions to build a career that is both satisfying and
rewarding.
Solutions to help you get ahead in a highly competitive
market.
Education
The International Industrial Engineering Conference -Thi*b
annual conference is the largest networking and benchmarking
event for those utilizing industrial engineering skills. Professionals
from all over the world gather to present papers, participate in
education sessions and receive recognition for their contributions to
the profession.
Topical Conferences & In-Depth Seminars - designed to keep our
members up to speed on industrial engineering processes and to
educate and inform them about the latest innovations within their
profession.
On-Site Seminars - Customized educational opportunities where
you and your coworkers learn from the best consultants and
academics in the world.
Local Seminars & Technical Visits - Ideal educational and
networking opportunities arranged by IIE (HK).
Networking
At HE events, you will have the opportunities to network with
other professionals and explore industrial engineering solutions used
by other companies. On a local level, IIE members network
regularly in more than 300 chapters. There is no extra charge.
Membership in a local chapter is included in your membership dues.
Each chapter provides a learning and networking environment, but
sets its own schedule for meetings, newsletters, and special projects.
By maintaining a close association with industrial engineering
professionals, you build friendships that will benefit you throughout
your career. And by participating in chapter activities, you can
practice your management and leadership skills.
Leadership Opportunities
HE is always seeking members to be involved with our
committees and boards. Positions with such groups as the board of
trustees, technical operations, chapter operations, and professional
enhancement boards, and scholarship and awards committees
provide positions where members can expand upon their current
skills as leaders. You can work on public speaking, consensus
building, organization, and writing skills - all in a supportive
environment where your time and support make a difference and
are truly appreciated.
Specialty Groups
If you would like to learn more about your profession, or
explore the many fields to which your training is transferable, just
join one or more of IIE's industry- or discipline- specific societies,
divisions, or interest groups. Each group brings you together with
others doing work similar to your own, and from whom you can
pick up new ideas, new applications, and new
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 10
solutions. The dues for each group vary depending on services
provided - but all are very inexpensive. Most publish interesting and
informative newsletters. Some publish formal journals and hold
conferences.
Publications
IIE's monthly magazine, HE Solutions, keeps members up-to-date
on issues, cutting edge technology, IIE current events, and industry
newsmakers.
Other periodicals include : Industrial Management, Engineering
Economist, HE Transactions, Society for Health Systems Journal,
and Student IE.
HE's in-house book publishing division, Engineering and
Management Press, provides members with access to hundreds of
both the latest and classic book titles in areas including project
management, healthcare, production and inventory control, and
professional development. Of course, members
receives a discount on all orders.
IIE (HK) publications include : IE Research - a semi-annual journal,
and -11E (HK) Newsletter - a bimonthly circulation.
Additional Benefits
Recognition through IIE's honours and award program.
Promotion of the industrial engineering profession through
extensive public relations and imaging campaigns.
Member and Customer Service Centre providing instant access
to all IIE services.
IIE's Internet homepage (http://www.iienet.org)
IIE (HK)'s Internet homepage (http://www.hk.super.net /~iie)
Group insurance providing comprehensive life, disability,
hospitalization, and excess major medical coverage at
considerable savings over the same protection purchased
individually.

Membership Qualifications

• Graduate of Industrial Engineering (or equivalent) curriculum or option, accredited by the accrediting agency
recognized by the HE : 5 years IE experience for senior member (Note a).

• Graduate of other engineering curriculum accredited by the accredit ing agency recognized by the IIE, graduate
of a masters or doctoral degree program administered by a department offering an IE curriculum accredited by
the accrediting agency recognized by the HE or graduate of an IE curriculum not accredited at time of
graduation but which becomes accredited or reaccredited within two years following date of graduation : 2 years
IE experience for member and 7 years for senior member (Note a).

• Graduate of nonaccredited IE curriculum, graduate of 4-year IE Technology curriculum accredited by the

accrediting agency recognized by the IIE, or graduate of 4-year (or more) engineering curriculum from
institutions outside the jurisdiction of the accrediting agencies recognized by the IIE : 4 years IE experience for
member and 9 years for senior member (Note a).

• Graduate of engineering curriculum (other than IE) in the jurisdiction of the accrediting agencies recognized by
the HE or other baccalaureate degrees, including technology degrees other than accredited IE Technology: 5
years IE experience for member (Note b).

• Any applicant having less than a 4-year baccalaureate degree (Note c) : 8 years of IE experience for member
(Note b).

Note a
Two years of credit will be allowed for being a Registered Professional Engineer.

Note b
Eligible if applicant qualifies for Member grade and is either a Registered Professional Engineer or with adequate justification in writing from the chapter (or
individual if member-at-large) upon recommendation by the Regional Vice President and approved by the Institute Board of Review.

Note c
Appropriate credit will be allowed, up to a maximum of two years, for college level engineering or engineering courses satisfactorily completed.

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 11

 What is Industrial Engineering?
Industrial Engineering is a professional discipline that is
applicable in many different positions, responsibilities, functions, and
organizations. Its definition, adopted by the Institute of Industrial
Engineers, is as follows:
"Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design,
improvement, and installation of integrated systems of
people, material, information, equipment, and energy.
It draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the
mathematical, physical, and social sciences together
with the principles and methods of engineering analysis
and design to specify, predict, and evaluate the results
to be obtained from such systems. "
What is the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) and the
Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK)?
Founded in 1948, HE is an international professional society
dedicated to serving the professional needs of industrial engineers
and all individuals involved with improving quality and productivity.
In more than 300 local chapters all over the world, there are 25,000
members who keep staying on the cutting edge of their profession
through the educational opportunities, publications, and networking
opportunities we offer. Members also gain valuable leadership
experience and enjoy peer recognition through numerous volunteer
opportunities.
HE (HK) is the one and only one local chapter of HE in Hong
Kong. Joining III,, you will automatically become a member of HE
(HK) and thus enjoy the full range of services and opportunities
provided.
Who benefits from membership?
No matter what your job title, if you are the person called upon
for solutions when something goes wrong, you belong in IIE.
Whether you work in a factory, service organization, or distribution
facility, if you are responsible for the system behind producing a
quality product or service efficiently and economically, you belong in
1IE. Your title may be industrial engineer. Or it could be CEO,
manager, systems integrator, management engineer, project manager,
quality control engineer, senior systems analyst, vice president of
manufacturing, director of staff services, professor of industrial
engineering, plant manager, or director of operations.
What are the benefits of joining IIE?
Career development and solutions! Career development si
measured in job title, promotions, salary, raises, and bonuses. But
career development really means developing yourself. Helping you
become more productive and valuable to your employer is IIE's
mission. To do so, we are in the business of providing solutions.
Solutions to the problems you face every day on the job.
Solutions to give you the skills to turn your company into
a world-class organization.
Solutions to build a career that is both satisfying and
rewarding.
Solutions to help you get ahead in a highly competitive
market.
Education
The International Industrial Engineering Conference -Thi*b
annual conference is the largest networking and benchmarking
event for those utilizing industrial engineering skills. Professionals
from all over the world gather to present papers, participate in
education sessions and receive recognition for their contributions to
the profession.
Topical Conferences & In-Depth Seminars - designed to keep our
members up to speed on industrial engineering processes and to
educate and inform them about the latest innovations within their
profession.
On-Site Seminars - Customized educational opportunities where
you and your coworkers learn from the best consultants and
academics in the world.
Local Seminars & Technical Visits - Ideal educational and
networking opportunities arranged by IIE (HK).
Networking
At HE events, you will have the opportunities to network with
other professionals and explore industrial engineering solutions used
by other companies. On a local level, IIE members network
regularly in more than 300 chapters. There is no extra charge.
Membership in a local chapter is included in your membership dues.
Each chapter provides a learning and networking environment, but
sets its own schedule for meetings, newsletters, and special projects.
By maintaining a close association with industrial engineering
professionals, you build friendships that will benefit you throughout
your career. And by participating in chapter activities, you can
practice your management and leadership skills.
Leadership Opportunities
HE is always seeking members to be involved with our
committees and boards. Positions with such groups as the board of
trustees, technical operations, chapter operations, and professional
enhancement boards, and scholarship and awards committees
provide positions where members can expand upon their current
skills as leaders. You can work on public speaking, consensus
building, organization, and writing skills - all in a supportive
environment where your time and support make a difference and
are truly appreciated.
Specialty Groups
If you would like to learn more about your profession, or
explore the many fields to which your training is transferable, just
join one or more of IIE's industry- or discipline- specific societies,
divisions, or interest groups. Each group brings you together with
others doing work similar to your own, and from whom you can
pick up new ideas, new applications, and new
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 10
 A Virtual Reality-based Training System for CNC Milling Machine Operations
Fuhua LIN, Cheuk Lun HON & Chuan-Jun SU
Department of Industrial Engineering & Engineering Management
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Abstract
Many simulators employ computer-generated images as part of
the training process, and the concept of a virtual environment is
nothing new to the industry. However, immersive and interactive
Virtual Reality (VR) systems will provide new training paradigms for
existing and new training applications to modern industry. CNC
milling machine is one of the main machining equipment in
manufacturing factory. Presently, trainees acquire their operating
skills by observing, referring the operation manual and then operating
under the gui dance of an experienced operator. To make training
safer, more economical and more effective, there is an increasing
desire to complete initial training away from the operating
environment. In this paper, we describe a VR -based Training System
(VRTS) for CNC milling machine operations in which trainee can
acquire the set of skills necessary to perform basic milling operations.
Based on the analysis of possible scenarios which may occur during
the operations, two patterns of virtual training: 1) guided training and
2) self-learning training were designed & developed for two different
training stages. Specially, for enabling interaction between the human
and virtual objects, an efficient and precise collision detection
algorithm developed in the VR Applications Laboratory at the Hong
Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is adopted.
Experimental results demonstrated that VR- based training is an
efficient and cost-effective alternative to standard factory training.
1 Introduction
Virtual reality (VR) can be described as the science of
integrating man with information. It consists of three dimensional,
interactive, computer- generated environments. Its central objective
is to place the participant in an environment that is not normally or
easily experienced. Unlike animation, which only allows the user to
replay set sequences, VR allows complete freedom of movement and
the ability to interact with objects in the virtual world. This offers
the potential to develop highly interactive 3D user interfaces for a
variety of engineering applications such as virtual training,
teleoperation, data visualization, virtual manufacturing, and
assembly modeling [ 1 ] [2]. This has changed the way in which
industry views VR. Previously, only a few companies were
assessing virtual environments either as "internal marketing
exercises" or through demonstration worlds built for them by outside
consultants or universities; most other industrialists may have seen
VR as only having entertainment applications. Now there is some
evidence that parts of industry see VR as an increasingly affordable
technology with potentially wide -ranging applications, especially,
two particular applications Training for Maintenance and Rapid
Prototyping for Product Design manufacturing industry [3].
In the aspect of virtual training in engineering, Motorola has
explored the possibilities of developing a VR system to train
Motorola workers to run the pager assembly line [4]. Motorola
stipulated that the system should include a methodology for
assessing the value of training in a VR model
of the factory environment compared with traditional classroom or
on-the-job (OJT) factory training.
It is well-known that CNC milling machine is one of the main
machining equipment in manufacturing and is very expensive and
complex. At present, if a casual user of CNC machine wants to learn
how to drill a hole or cut a workpiece with the machine, he or she
must have some knowledge of hardware components and task
procedures. His or her natural instinct is finding some rel ative
operational manual to read and then following the instruction to
practice. It is not only time consuming but is also not absorbing. The
user may also ask some experienced workers for help; However,
lengthy explanation to the trainees is usually time consuming and
ineffective. In addition, the user may also ask some experienced
workers for help. But lengthy explanation to the trainees is usually
easy to forget and a lot of time has to be spent by the helper. In
addition, the new user may make many mistakes of operation when
he or she operates the real machine in the initial stage. For example,
initially, the user may get stuck with the incorrect operation
procedure or holes may be drilled in the wrong place or, more
seriously, he or she may destroy expensive machine or even harm
himself or herself by mistakes. In addition, limited availability of
training facilities and personnel can make it difficult to train large
numbers of trainees for any given machine. To overcome these
problems and difficulties, we proposed a VR -based training
environment for CNC milling machine operations. The main idea of
our VR based training system for CNC milling machine operations is
to allow users to acquire the same experiences of basic knowledge of
how to operate a CNC milling machine through practice in a virtual
CNC milling machine as in the real machine. More importantly, it
will be safer and more economical to practise on a virtual CNC
milling machine than is on the real machine.
2 3D Computer Graphic CNC Milling Machine
Model
As one part of virtual manufacturing system [5], the Virtual
Training Environment (VTE) contains one three-axis CNC milling
machine and a control panel (see Figure 1). Machine tools, spindle,
and tool holder are dynamic virtual objects while the machine base is
a stationary object. The XY-table is made up from two solid models:
one for the y movement (front/back), the value of y being related to
the base; and one for the x movement (left/right), the value of x being
related to the y-bed. The chuck of the machine which holds the
cutting tool can move in the z direction (up/down), and z is again
related to the base. The component parts of a machine tool can move,
but none ever changes its shape. Workpieces are also represented by
solid models; however, as they are machined, their shapes will be
changed. There are three components in the developed Virtual
Reality based Training System (VRTS): CNC machine, control panel
and workpiece. In the VRTS, the CNC milling machine model
consists of seven objects: machine base, X -axis chuck, Y-axis chuck,
mill, clamp, power-on button, spindle pause button. Control panel
model is divided into twenty-six objects (a panel and 25 control
menu button). The specifications of the major activate objects of the
developed system are:
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 13
X-axis chuck: X-axis movement Y -axis chuck: Y-axis movement
Mill & Clamp: Z-axis movement and rotation Power-on & Spindle
pause button: change color when mouse flip it
X-axis will move to left side when mouse flip
X-axis will move to right side when mouse flip
it
Y-axis will move backward when mouse flip
Z-axis will move upward when mouse
flip it
system prompt "Manual operation "when mouse flip it
system prompt "Manual operation "when mouse flip it
system will clear the previous enter or escape the next
These number keys are the numerical key and
the user can key in the mini or decimal number
when the key is flipped.
Fig 1 The three-axis CNC milling machine model, workpiece and a
control panel
3 Scenarios Analysis
Our goal is to teach the trainee how to operate the machine in
manual mode so that after the virtual training the user can machine a
simple part in the real machine. First we surveyed all the possible
scenarios in the fifteen basic tasks in milling machine operation and
the related buttons necessary in manual operation. Then we defined a
training process by ignoring unnecessary buttons on the control panel
and procedures not
relating to manual operation. The fifteen procedures of basic
operation are as follows:
` 1' Setup the machine home position
`2' Choose the manual mode operation
`3' Choose the tool calibration
`4' Choose the measurement
`5' Adjust X-axis of machine setup point
`6' Adjust Y-axis of machine setup point
`7' Adjust Z-axis of machine setup point
`8' Set the depth (Z-axis) of concave will be cut
`9' Set the length of (X-axis) of concave will be milled
`A' Set the position of 1 st hole will be drilled at (X=1.25,
Y= -0.75, Z=0.0)
`B' Set the depth (Z-axis) of 1 st hole will be drilled
`C' Separate the mill and workpiece after 1 st hole have been
drilled
`D' Set the position of 2nd hole will be drilled at (X=1.75,
Y=-0.75, Z=0.0)
`E' Set the depth (Z-axis) of 2nd hole will be drilled
`F' Drill the 2nd hole and finish all the training procedures
Under this process the user can remember the routine operation
procedures easily and avoid making the mistakes to a lower extent.
Roughly, there are four operating stages: initializing the machine,
setting- up working zero point, milling, and shutting- down the
machine. After training for setting up, the user will know the basic
skills of CNC milling operations: (1) how to initialize the CNC
machine; (2) how to set the mill to working zero posit ion. For
milling operations, the main issue to be studied is to determine the
possible scenarios which may occur during the real operation. After
this, we can design the guiding strategies and evaluating plans for
two training modes in our system including 1) Guide-learning Mode
and 2) Self learning Mode. In the first mode, the user is restricted to
follow the system instruction to perform task given. Figure 2
illustrates the procedure of this mode. In the second mode, the user
operates the machine by using the knowledge and experience learnt
in the Guide-learning mode. The system would not prompt what he
or she should do next during the training period, but would record
the mistakes of operation made by the user. After finishing all
training procedures, the CRTS system will generate an evaluation
report that contains the information such as the number of mistake
made, the operations which the users need to practice further, and so
on. Figure 3 illustrates the procedure of this mode.
4 Collision Detection
As a foundation of interaction, collision detection between the
milling machine and other objects such as electronic probe and
virtual hand is necessary in the training system. To enable and
trigger the response, such as the motion constraints of objects, when
objects in the VRTS are colliding with each other,
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 14
 bounding objects which could be employed: box, sphere, cone and so
on. For an accurate localization of the potential collision region, the
bounding object has to be as small as possible. On the other hand, for
a fast localization bounding objects collision test has to be as easy as
possible. So the most suitable bounding object for a particular case is
adaptively selected from the list according to the optimization
criterion. After the localization of the collision region, intersection
tests between the geometrical components of those regions belonging
to the two objects potentially involved in collision are performed (by
measuring the smallest distance between the corresponding geometric
primitives).

Furthermore, to reduce the unnecessary detection of object pairs,

a collision classification method is used by differentiating the
stationary objects, for example base, from movable objects, such as
workpiece, the electronic probe and so on.

5 Experiments
We used SenseB's WorldToolKit 2.1 for PC and UNIX as main
developing tools. All the objects were built by using 3D Studio 4.0 in
PC. These objects models were then converted to WorldToolKit for
SGI Onyx format. The system runs on 100MHz PCs with Pentium
processors and 16Mb RAM or SGI ONYX. Polhumus Fastrak,
CrystalEyes glasses and Emitter were used to get stereoscopic effect.
The device controllers for Cyberglove and mouse were also
developed for the user- system interaction in our VRTS. The key
components of the system include: a 3D geometrical model of the
CNC machine, a guide training module, a self-learning module, an
infra-communication control modules, an interactive menu modules,
a collision detector, and a performance evaluator.

Fig 3 The procedure of self-learning mode

we developed an efficient and precise collision detection module

proposed by the authors for CSG represented objects in a virtual
environment [6] instead of quick but rough bounding box- based
approach or precise but time-consuming polygon pair
intersection-based approach [7].
In the pre-processing stage, the CSG tree representation of the
objects and WorldToolKit's Neutral File Format (NFF) of objects
were constructed and integrated into the hybrid CSG/ Brep object
models by building up the links between primitives in the CSG
structure and the corresponding faces in NFF structure. The
advantage of the defined hybrid model is that the strengths of both
representations can be taken in the collision detection procedure. In
addition, bounding volume candidates lists are generated and
attached to the non-leaf nodes of CSG trees. In the training
simulation stage, at each simulation loop, first, the 3D bounding
objects testing is performed in order to detect the potential regions of
collision of each object and afterwards a finer search for true
collision is performed within that region by using
"divide-and- conquer" paradigm of CSG model. The type of bounding
object used for tests is selected adaptively from a list which contains
all the possible types of

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 15

 System Performance evaluation. The experiment is designed to
evaluate the efficiency of VRTS as a training tool for learning the
basic CNC machine operation. A four hours lecture of CNC milling
machine basic was given to fifteen junior students who do not have
any machine operation experience. The lecture materials include
CNC machine structure and components, CNC procedure, and CNC
words. One manual operation was included in the lecture as an
example. The students were then divided into three groups randomly.
One group of students learnt the CNC milling operations by using
mouse and CrystalEyes shutter glasses in the VRTS. Another group
was instructed to learn the operations by reading manual. The third
group practiced the operations under an instructor's guidance. After
eight hours training and learning, all of group members operated on
the real machines. The average numbers of mistakes made by each
group according to four major training stages is shown in Figure 5.
From the results, it indicates that VR- based training is an efficient
and cost-effective alternative to standard factory training.
3. J. R. Wilson et al, "Manufacturing Operations in Virtual
Environments (MOVE)", Presence, Vol., No. 3, 1995, pp306317.
4. G. Wittenberg, "Training with Virtual Reality", Assembly
Automation, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp 12-157
5. G.M.Bayliss. A. Bowyer, R.I.Taylor & P.J.Willis, "Virtual
Manufacturing", Proc. of the CSG 94 Conf: CSG94: set
theoretic solid modeling techniques and applications. pp353
364.
6. C.J. Su, F.H. Lin& B.P.Yen, "An Adaptive Bounding Object
Based Algorithm for Efficient and Precise Collision Detection of
CSG Represented Virtual Objects", Proc. of the Symp. on Virtual
Reality in Manufacturing Research and Education, 1996.
7. Sense8 Corp., WorldToolKit2.1 REFERENCE MANUAL,
1995.

Fig 5 The results about the average numbers of mistake according to

each training stage

6 Conclusion
In this paper, a virtual reality-based training system (VRT S) for
CNC milling machine operations is described. The developed virtual
environment has the following advantages over the traditional train
methods: (1) the system provides safe and economical training
environment; (2) the training system provides two different training
patterns for different purposes; (3) on- line interactive instructions
ensures that the correct tasks are effectively carried out by "virtually"
operating; (4) the system provides the flexibility to structure training
programs and even monitors and measures the progress of a training
session. (5) it is possible that the users can be trained in the remote
site through Internet by using this computer software.

References
1. K. Warwick, J. Gray & D. Roberts, VIRTUAL REALITY
ENGINEERING, IEE computing series, 1993.

2. J. Vince, VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEMS, ACMPress, 1995.

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 16

 Experimental Study of a Solder Paste Stenciling Process Using Factorial Design
Gary K.K. POON
Department of Manufacturing Engineering
City University of Hong Kong

Abstract the printing defects.

A solder paste stenciling process is investigated with fractional
factorial experiments. The squeegee cleaning frequency and the paste 2 Process Parameters and Quality Characteristics
temperature are found to be significantly affecting the printed solder The effects of several major process factors affecting printing
paste quality, as measured by the percentage volume matching (PVM) quality is investigated, which include
and the non-conformities per unit (NPU). Empirical relationships • squeegee angle - the inclination angle between the squeegee and
between these two quality characteristics and the important process the stencil, degree
factors are formulated with regression analysis. A low cleaning • squeegee pressure - the pressure of the squeegee' applied onto the
interval and temperature is found to give minimum NPU while stencil, MPa
maintaining an almost unity PVM. Moreover, the strong dispersion • printing speed -the travelling speed of the squeegee across the
effect of the solder paste viscosity on the PVM is found to be stencil, mmls
minimized when a low cleaning interval and squeegee pressure is • separation speed - the speed of separation of the substrate (PCB
employed. with solder paste printed) from the stencil, mmls
• cleaning interval - the number of printing cycle or stroke before a
1 Introduction stencil cleaning is performed, stroke
Solder paste printing is one of the critical steps in surface mount • viscosity of solder paste - a measure of the solder paste's resistance
manufacturing affecting directly the yield and quality of assembly, to flow or shape change upon pressure, Cps
especially in this era of fine pitch technology. Most of the soldering • temperature of solder paste - temperature of the chamber in which
defects encountered after the reflow process such as open/short and the printing is performed, °C, and
bridging problems can have their origins traced back to the defects • humidity of solder paste - relative humidity of the chamber in
arose from the solder paste disposition process. Correct amount of which the printing is performed, % .
solder paste disposed on correct location of the substrate are two The first five factors are also the control factors of the process as
essential features of a good printing process. Printing is usually done they can be freely specified by proper machine settings. The last
by pressing a rubber or metal squeegee against pre-applied solder three are considered noise factor as they are hardly controllable
paste on a screen or stencil with openings corresponding to the land during subsequent waiting and handling, although they can be
pattern on the printed wire board (PVWB). Detailed explanations of controlled for the purpose of experimenting inside the printing
various printing techniques can be found in Hwang [ 1 ]. chamber. Two quality characteristics are measured as the responses
Important material (solder paste) and machine parameters of the during the experimental runs as they have direct and significant
printing process have been identified and discussed in Buttars [2] influence on the reflow soldering quality.
and Hwang [3]. Ekere et al [4] used multi-layer process maps to a) Percentage volume matching (PVM) - the ratio of actual printed
model the whole printing process and provided excellent and solder paste volume to the designed volume (i.e. stencil opening
structured descriptions of all the sub-processes and parameters area x stencil thickness) for a solder pad, determined by a 3D
involved. On the experimental side, Morris and Wojcik [5] laser scanner. Ideally, PVM should equal one, smaller ratio may
examined the individual effects of solder paste characteristic, stencil cause insufficient solder or nonwetting problem during reflow
configuration, printed wiring board layout and printing parameters while larger ratio may create solder short or ball defects. The
on various performance characteristics such as minimum pad width average ratio of ten specific pads, with 0.016" pitch, is taken as
attainable and slumping. Ismail et al [6] investigated the effects of the response.
using metal squeegee on the paste height and number of print b) Non-conformities per unit (NPU) - the number of solder paste
defects while Ekere et al [7] studied the effects of stencil- substrate printing defects determined by visual inspection (20X
separation speed. They represent in -depth studies of the effects of a magnification) according to published workmanship standard
particular material or process factor alone. In our study, we (Martin Marietta [8]). Common defects include bridging,
determined simultaneously the effects of eight parameters on the scooping and smudging of printed paste.
as-printed solder paste quality using fractional factorial experiments. The main and interaction effects of these process parameters on
The process under investigation is an on-contact type printing the quality characteristics are studied with matrix experiments as
with zero snap-off, which is commonly employed for fine-pitched described below.
SM boards. Stainless steel stencil and metal squeegee are used and
the whole printing cycle is performed inside an enclosed chamber 3 Experimental Design and Analysis
where the humidity and temperature of the solder paste can be A single replicate of a 2IV$ -' fractional factorial is employed
precisely controlled. This paper describes how fractional factorial to study simultaneously the effects, and possible interactions of the
experiments are used to identify the important process parameters eight parameters on the PVM and NPU, making the
affecting the printed solder paste quality and their optimum settings
so as to minimize

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 17

reasonable assumption that certain high-order (e.g. three factors) paste viscosity is small. As the residuals represent the unexplained
interactions are negligible. Each of the factors is set at two levels : variability among the response data, it is anticipated that viscosity
low (-) and high (+) in such a way that they cover the usual operating may have strong dispersion effects on PVM. Using the test statistics
ranges of normal productions, as summarized as Table 1. proposed by Montgomery [ 10], the F+E, is calculated as 1.16, which
has a significant level of 12.3% only. However, detail analysis of
Factors Levels . .
_ the EA and EF interactions shows that its dispersion effect is
Low (- High (+)
0.1 0.3 significant at 3% (F+A+ = 1.93) and 5% (F +F + = 1.65) when factor A
A. Squeegee pressure, MPa
24 32 (squeegee pressure) and F (cleaning interval) is at high level.
B. Printing Speed, mmls
45 65
Examination of their respective interaction plot revealed that the
C. Squeegee Angle, deg
20 28
noise effect of the paste viscosity is smaller when a low squeegee
D. Temperature, C
1100-1150 1250-1300
pressure and cleaning interval is used.
E. Viscosity, Cps
F. Cleaning Interval, stroke 8 15

G. Separation Speed, mmls 0.4 0.8

H. Relative Humidity, % 30 70

Table 1 Factors Levels of the Matrix Experiment

The experimental matrix is constructed using a 25 full factorial

for the first five columns and the defining relation
I=ABCF=ABDG=BCDEH for the last three columns. This is a resolution
IV design in which no main effect is aliased with any other main
effect or with any two-factors interaction. Detailed alias structures
can be found in Montgomery [9]. The run orders are randomized and Fig 1 Residuals Vs Paste Viscosity Plot
all the experiments are conducted in a local electronic manufacturer
using a harddisc controller card with 0.016" fine pitch as test pieces. 4 Model Verification
A high precision printing machine with environmentally controlled Based on the results of the matrix experiments conducted above,
chamber and digital print head is employed for the stenciling, a linear prediction equation is established to model the effect of D
afterwhich the PVM and NPU are measured. Table 2 summarizes the (paste temperature) and F (cleaning interval) on PVM and NPU,
detail settings of the thirty two runs and the responses. within the experimental region, as:

PVM=0.6518+0.0136 * D+0.0082 * F (1)

and NPU=-17.4107+ 1.125 * D+0.6607 * F (2)
To verify these prediction equations, twelve additional
experiments are conducted using the combinations of four different
paste temperatures and three cleaning intervals within the
experimental region. The actual PVM and NPU are measured and
plotted against their corresponding predicted values, determined by
(1) and (2), as shown in Fig. 2a and 2b. It can be concluded that i)
the prediction model of (1) and (2) is highly accurate as a close
match is found between the actual and predicted PVM and NPU
values, and ii) within the experimental region, the NPU can be
minimized using a low paste temperature of 20 °C and a low
squeegee cleaning interval of 8 strokes.

A widely adopted analysis software "Design Ease" is used for all

the effects calculations. Normal probability plot of the factors' effects
on PVM and NPU looks very similar. Both plots indicate that factors
D (temperature) and F (cleaning interval) are the obvious outliners
and therefore the important factors affecting the two quality
characteristics. Subsequent analysis of variance (ANO VA)
confirmed that they are significant at the 0.1% level. Positive slope
of their corresponding effect plots reflected that both temperature
and cleaning interval has significant negative effect on PVM and
NPU, i.e. a low level of both of them gives better printing quality.
Normal probability plot of the residuals reflected no abnormality of
concern. However, a funnel -shaped pattern is observed in the plotting
of the residuals against the factor E (viscosity) for PVM, as shown in
Fig. 1. There was much less scatter in the residuals when the

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 18

 8. Martin Marietta Corporation, WORKMAN STANDARDS,
SURFACE MOUNT. 1988.
9. D.C. Montgomery, "Some Other Topics Regarding Factorial and
Fractional Factorial Designs", DESIGN & ANALYSIS OF
EXPERIMENTS, 3rd ed NY Wiley, 1991.
10. D.C. Montgomery, "Analyzing Location and Dispersion Effects
from Designed Experiments: Some Examples", STATISTICAL
PROCESS CONTROL IN MANUFACTURING, NYMarcel
Dekker 1991.

Fig. 2b Model Verification: NPU

Compared with the current setting of 23 °C paste temperature and 10

strokes/cleaning, the NPU is reduced from 13 to 11 in the
recommended setting and an actual PVM of 1.00 is obtained.
Optimization of the printing proc ess is therefore achieved, in a sense
that the NPU is minimized within the allowable process window.

5 Conclusion
The effects of several parameters of a solder paste stenciling
process on the printing quality is studied effectively using factorial
experim ents. The temperature of the solder paste and cleaning
interval of the metal squeegee are found to have significant negative
effect on the PVM and NPU of the printed boards, and hence a low
level of both factors is recommended. Moreover, the noise effect of
the paste viscosity on the PVM is also found to be minimized when a
low squeegee pressure and cleaning interval is used. A linear
prediction model is established and verified to be highly accurate
within the experimental region.

References
1. J.S. Hwang, SOLDERPASTE IN ELECTRONIC PACKAGING,
NY Van Nostrand Reinhold 89.
2. S.K. Buttars, "Parameters of Solder Paste Printing for Fine Pitch
Components", Proc. NEPCON-WEST `93, pp 12541265.
3. J.S. Hwang, "Solder/Screen Printing", Surface Mount
Technology, March 94, pp44-50.
4. N.N. Ekere, E.K. Lo & S.H. Mannan, "Process Modeling Maps
for Solder Paste Printing", Soldering & Surface Mount
Technology, No. 17, May 94, pp4-11.
5. J.R. Morris & T. Wojcik, "Stencil Printing of Solder Paste for
Fine-pitch Surface Mount Assembly", Soldering & Surface
Mount Technology. No. 5, 1990, pp10-14.
6. I. Ismail, S.H. Mannan, N.N. Ekere & E.K. Lo, "Experimental
Study of the Printing of Solder Paste using the Metal Blade
Squeegee System", Proc. of the 30th Int. MATADOR Conference,
UMIST 1990, pp263-266.
7. NN. Ekere, E.K. Lo & I. Ismail, "Experimental Study of Stencil
Substrate Separation Speed in Solder Paste Printing for ReAow
Soldering", Journal of Electronics Manufacturing, Vol. 3, No. 1,
April 93, pp25-29.

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 19

 Application of Structural Analysis in the Product Creation Process
C.K. KWONG & W.C. WONG
Department of Manufacturing Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Abstract
Shortening the product design and prototype development cycle is
a key issue for most of the companies to improve the "time to market"
value. Computers are often brought into companies to improve
efficiency. Unfortunately, the use of computer systems in different
functions of most of the companies are not harmonized. These
systems only enhance the performance of various functions but do not
contribute to the integration of the entire system. This leads to
frequent human errors in data interpretation and missing information
in data type conversion within the product development cycle. To
harmonize the data and information flow, it is necessary to have
structural methods to analyze the existing information systems for
product design and development in order to facilitate the
improvement of it. This paper describes how to improve the
effectiveness of the information systems for product design and
development by using IDEFO activity modelling and data entity
matrix. IDEFo models are used to locate various bottlenecks in the
product development cycle and indicate the inconsistent use of design
tools. The data entity matrix was adopted as an extension of the
activity modelling to identify the area of human involvement, area of
ambiguous and nonvalue added activities.
1 Introduction
In order to attain performance leadership in the consumer
electronic market, OEM manufacturers must increase the `Time-
to-market' value so as to improve customer satisfaction through better
products and services. The increasing use of computers in product
design and prototype development is the positive strategy to respond
to the challenges. Unfortunately, for most of the companies, the use
of computer systems between the design and the development units is
not harmonized. Very often, these computer systems only strengthen
the performance at various functions without contributing to the
overall integration of the entire system. To relieve this problem,
structural methods have to be adopted to analyze the existing
information systems; firstly to identify the limitations of the systems
and secondly to facilitate the formulation of ways for improvements.
In this paper, a systematic tool developed for a multi-national
company in Hong Kong to manage the new product development
process will be introduced. The application of IDEFO [1, 2] and Data
Entry Matrix [3, 4] in analyzing the of product design and
development process will also be discussed.
2 Company Background
The company is a leading manufacturer in electronic and
electrical products. Its products coverage includes a wide range of
consumer electronics as well as industrial equipment. With central
management and strategic planning in Europe, strategic business
units and production centers are located worldwide.
Audio equipment is one of the major product groups in the
Consumer Electronics Business Group of the company. Its product
lines range from top class compact disc players and
digital compact cassette products, to low-end audio products like
hand-held radios. The Audio Business Group oversees four
strategic business units in four different cities. Each unit is
responsible for product development and manufacturing locally.
3 The Problems
The company's product design and development cycle involves a
number of computer automated systems, such as 2D CAD and 3D
CAD packages, Graphics Design software, Electronic Circuits
Design and NC part programming systems. It is found that
• People from different function units have different interests
pertaining to their departmental objectives. Hence,
communication gaps caused inefficient use of information,
misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
• Information generated by manual systems is not fully
compatible with the applied automated tools. Hence, human
involvement is required to transform the information before it
can be input into the computer automated system.
• Since both departmental objectives and the level of automation
in various design units are different, tools and methods applied
are not synchronized which leads to inefficiency within the
whole organisation.
4 The Product Creation Process
To facilitate the management of new product development
process, the company introduced an internal project management
system - Product Creation Process (PCP), for various product team
worldwide. A Product Creation Process consists of sets of
standardized project management procedures, that cover activities
from long term products planning to preparation for mass production.
The aim of Product Creation Process is to enhance the customer
satisfaction and the design quality in all aspects, through
implementation of a structured milestone planning process, which
determines the activities, the organisational structure and procedures,
for all product development projects.
The PCP as shown in Figure 1 is divided into five phases
consisting of Programming, Pre-concept, Concept, Creation, and
Realisation. Each phase is characterized by inputs and the process to
obtain the pre- determined outputs. The complexity of products and
technological level of the production centre will affect the lead-time
of the Product Creation Process. Hence, new products are classified
into different categories and different lead-time assigned.
5 Task Analysis Of The Current Systems By Using
IDEFO
In order to examine the product design and development process
in greater details, IDEFo, is applied to identify bottleneck processes
and examine the use of the design tools.
Figure 2 demonstrates how the Product Creation Process can be
represented by an IDEFO activity model, where inputs,
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 20

processes and outputs are re-constructed in a systematic format. The
Product Creation Process is a structured and systematic project
management system. It governs the orders of functions as well as
controlling the input and output specifications. The system could be
further decomposed into a functional hierarchy of activities as shown
in Figure 3. Each functional hierarchy can be further broken into
more detailed activity models by using IDEFo. Figure 4 shows the
IDEFo activity model of Function A4 (Product Design Details).
With the use of the IDEFo models, five different functions in
the Product Creation Process have
been identified as the bottlenecks.
They are
• Create Design Idea (A31),
• Prepare Model Drawing
(A41),
• Prepare Mechanical Parts
Tools (A62), ,
• Prepare Mechanical Parts
Drawings (A52), and
• Construct 2D & 3D
Geometry Data
These five bottle-neck functions
are distributed in various function
groups. They have different
characteristics and hence affect other
functions in different ways. Some of
them may affect the quality of work;
some of them may affect the quality
of information generated and others
may extent the product development
leadtime.
Apart from identifying the bottlenecks, the IDEFQ models can
also help to identify the problems in employing different design tools
for dissimilar design applications within the Product Creation Process.
With reference to Table 1, it is found that different functions are
adopting different design tools for their jobs.
The use of different design tools between similar applications
does not cause too much troubles. Simple transformation on data
type and/or media types may help to bridge the gap. For example,
switching from AutoCAD to ClarisCAD for 2D CAD applications
are relatively simple, since the data structures of both applications
are similar, even though it requests addition efforts and it may
reduce the reliability of the data obtained.
Work transfer between dissimilar applications always create
problems. For example, porting data between 2D CAD and 3D CAD
applications, or even transferring data between different 3D CAD
applications may lead to unpredictable data errors.
6 Analyzing The Information Flow By Using Data
Entity Matrix
The Product Creation Process involves the use of manual
systems as well as computer-aided systems. Information
transformations are not only limited to electronic data transfer, they
also include paper documents and hand sketches. As a high degree
of human judgment is involved throughout the Product Creation
Process, the flow of information is complicated. If it is not well
structured, the efficiency of the entire system will be reduced.
In order to identify areas of ambiguous, information
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 21
 the media that carries the
information.
The essential information for
specifying a product are
classified into five different
categories. Each category
contains sets of information
being used in different functions.
The first three categories are
design related whereas the
remaining two are engineering
related. The five categories are:

• Form and Geometry Details

• Material and Surface Properties
• Colour and Graphic
Presentation
• Mechanical Structure and
Detailing, and
• Electronic Functioning and
Specifications
Taking the Function A4
(Produce Product Details) in the
Data Entity Matrix (Figure 5) as
an example. The shaded boxes in
the matrix mean that the
transformation of data is heavily
relied on human skill and
interpretation. This function can
be decomposed into four
sub-functions (as stated in Figure
3).
Function A41 is an industrial
designer's function.

The designer sketches the new product concept onto a 2D media. 3D

product concept will be presented by orthographic projection views
and sections. Material and surface specifications will also be attached.
Quality and accuracy of the information presented are crucial to the
effectiveness and efficiency of the successive functions.

Function A42 is a model making phase. Model making is

Functions Tools Design

Prepre Model Drawing (A41) Manual / AutoCAD / ClarisCAD

Build up Styling Model (A42) Manual/ MasterCAM

Evaluate Technical Feasibility (A44) AutoCAD

Complete Final Feasibility Study (A51) AutoCAD

Prepare Mechanical parts Drawing (A52) AutoCAD, CARDS, Pro/Engineer

redundancies and any non-value added functions in the information Make Working Prototype (A54) Manual/ MasterCAM
transformation process, a simple Data Entity Matrix is employed. The Construct 2D & 3D Geometry Data (A621) Manual / CADDS / Sicignaph,
m atrix is constructed as an extension of the IDEFo activity model. It
UGH
focuses on the transformation of information between 2D and 3D
data, and the effects caused by Table 1 Design Tools Employed in Various Functions

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 22


highly skill dependent. It starts with function A421, which is a
reading and an interpreting process based on 2D information on
model drawings. Then, the model maker bases on his perceived 3D
image to construct the model. The designer's concept and the model
maker's perceived 3D image may deviate from each other due to the
following possible reasons:
• the quality of information on the model drawings,
• the experience level on constructing 3D objects,
• the background and the interest of the designer, as well as
that of the model maker, and
• human intuition and knowledge.
Since the interpretation process is not a formal procedure and
may not be well documented, problems and errors may not be
identified easily in the first place. Such hidden errors may cause
confusion in successive functions.
Actually, the process of data transformation can be described as
a mechanism to change the state of data, from its input state to its
output state. The process can be a straightforward machine function,
or it can be a complex human interpretation that heavily influences
the efficiency of exchange, as well as the quality of output. Once the
area and context of human involvement are identified, the reliability
and significance of data exchange could be verified. Hence
streamlining the data exchange between 2D state and 3D state
becomes possible.
In order to improve the quality of the design data and shorten the
product development cycle, the manual- driven design system has to
be modified to fit with the different automated design tools used.
Common input and output data formats have to be adopted. This
ensures design information generated by the preceding process is in
the same format as the information used by the succeeding process.
Design data can then be used
without unnecessary data
transformation. Checklists should also
be designed to verify the information
on the circulating design document.
Areas of ambiguity, open- ended
information and missing information
can then be identified, corrected before
releasing.
7 Conclusion ,
Shortening the product design and
prototype development cycle is essential
for improving the `time-to-market' value.
With the use of computers, it is hoped
that the quality of work of the product
designers can be improved and so the
lead-time for product development can
be shortened. Unfortunately, as human
judgment is heavily involved in the
product development process, frequent
human errors in data interpretation
and mismatching in data type conversion occur. To harmonize the
data and information flow, structural methods (IDEFo and Data
Entity Matrix) are adopted to analyse the existing information system
throughout the design process.
With the use of the IDEFo model, the bottlenecks in the Product
Creation Process can be identified. Resources can then be
re-deployed to eliminate the bottlenecks and hence the product
development cycle time reduced.
The Data Entity Matrix is then adopted as an extension of the
IDEFo activity model to identify the degree of human involvement,
areas of data ambiguous and any non-value added activities within
the Product Creation Process. Based on the findings from the IDEFO
Activity Model and the Data Entity Matrix, problems in the existing
system can be identified and directions for improvement can be
proposed.
References
1. D.A. Marca, IDEF / SADT BUSINESS PROCESS AND
ENTERPRISE MODELLING, Eclectic Solutions Corp., 1993.
2. B.T. Brooksby, "Design Process Improvement", IEE
Colloquium, n 223, 1994, p.2/1-5.
3. J.R. Moyne, L.C. McAfee & T.J. Teorey, "Application of Entity
Relationship Data Modelling Techniques to the Automated
Manufacturing Process", Proc. of 2nd Int'1 Conf on Data and
knowledge Systems for Manufacturing and Engineering, 1989,
pp206-215.
4. R.G. Ross, ENTITY MODELLING: TECHNIQUES AND
APPLICATION, Database Research Group, 1988.
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 23
 The Greater China Electronics Industry - an External View
Kevin J. TILLEY and David J. WILLIAMS
Department of Manufacturing Engineering
Loughborough University, UK
1 Introduction
The electronics industry in China is currently going from strength
to strength. The growth rate of the industry is around 20% per year
and the total output is already well over US$20 billion per year.
Nearly all of the major electronics companies in the world have
production facilities in China itself, and all of the major companies
view China as the main growth market in the world for the forseeable
future. This position has been reached despite the poor state of the
domestic industry when China began its economic reforms and `Open
Door' policy in 1978. What has been achieved is a testament to the
resoucefulness and resilience of the mainland Chinese people, but
much credit must also go to the finance and technology that has been
provided by the businessmen of Chinese origin living in Hong Kong,
Taiwan and Singapore. The investments of the Overseas Chinese
have demonstrated to the rest of the world community that China can
be a profitable place to do business, whether for export or for sale to
the mainland China market.
This paper provides a Western and academic view of the
mainland China electronics industry and its links with Hong Kong,
Taiwan and Singapore. The analysis is clearly not exhaustive, but we
hope that it is reasonably informed as it draws on information and
insights gained from travelling and visiting companies in the
Asia-Pacific region over a period of five years'. During this time the
links between Hong Kong and mainland China have become
inextricably bound as reunification in 1997 approaches. Political
relations between mainland China and Taiwan have waxed and
waned over these five years, but common business interests are
making the partners ever more reliant on each other. Similarly,
Singapore has widened its relations with mainland China and is
increasing its own investments there, as well as playing an
intermediary role as a partner to bridge the cultural gap between the
Chinese people and non-Chinese foreign investors.
The paper begins with an overview of the manufacturing
capability of the domestic Chinese industry in the 1970's and early
1980's and then considers the major investments in improved
manufacturing technology that have been made since then. These
investments have come from foreign as well as domestic sources,
and the role ofthe Overseas Chinese in leading these investments will
be reviewed. The current capability of the industry in China will then
be illustrated with a discussion of the capability of integrated circuit
(IC) and personal computer (PC) companies in mainland China. It
will be shown that the cost advantages of manufacturing PC's in
mainland China can be considerable compared to manufacturing in
the United Kingdom, although some other considerations may
dictate against production in China for export to the United Kingdom.
Finally, there will be a summary of our observations.
2 Some Historical Perspective
The Chinese electronics industry began its current period
' The authors would welcome any comments on the arguments put forward in this paper.
The authors can be contacted at the Department of Manufacturing Engineering,
Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leics, LEI I 3TU, United Kingdom.
of interaction with foreign countries disadvantaged when compared
to the major industrialised countries in terms of the scale of the
Chinese industry and its level of technology. In 1965, for example,
China made only 4,400 television sets and 810,000 radios. By 1978
the figures were still modest at 517,000 television sets and 11.6
million radios for a population of over one billion people. B y 1980,
only two years after the reforms period began the production of
televisions had increased fivefold over the 1978 figures and radio
production had increased three-fold [1]. The current level of
television production is around 30 million sets per year.
The small scale of the industry in 1978 arose because the main
goal of the electronics industry during the period from 1956 to 1978
was to satisfy the needs of the defence sector [2]. The emphasis on
defence meant, furthermore, that there was relatively little influence
exerted by foreign companies on the development of the industry
when compared to other countries in the region such as Taiwan and
Singapore [3]. At the start of the 1956-78 period China was already
well behind the leading industrialised nations in terms of the
introduction of new electronic innovations. The large gap between
China and the West has narrowed significantly in some areas, such
as the production of personal computers, due to increased access to
world markets for advanced components. In other areas, such as the
production of integrated circuits, a significant technology gap
remains. There are signs, however, that this gap may be closed by
the year 2000.
The first Chinese computer, made with electron tubes, was
developed with help from the Soviet Union in 1958. Developments
were first made wit hin both the Institute of Computing Technology
(ICT) in Beijing and the East China Institute in Shanghai [7,8], and
took place more than ten years after the pioneering developments in
the USA and Europe. The first transistor made by China was
fabricated in 1960, again with Soviet help, and the first Chinese
computer based on transistors was made around 1964 at the ICT [4].
Chinese development of transistors first took place within the No. 13
Institute in Shijiazhuang under the Ministry of Electronics Industry
and the Institute of Semiconductors in Beijing under the Chinese
Academy of Science [10]. Once more the Chinese diffusion of these
innovations came more than ten years after the first development of
the transistor in the USA.
The development of integrat ed circuits (IC's) in China began in
the early 1960's and the first Chinese IC was fabricated around 1965
at the No. 13 Institute [1]. The No. 13 Institute after a number of
moves of location became the No.24 Institute attached to the
Huajing Group at Wuxi. Huajing is now China's leading domestic
semiconductor group. Table 1 shows how these
Innovation First Introduced Introduced in China
Computer 1943 (Colossus, UK) 1958
Transistor 1947 1960
Integrated circuit 1958 1965
Table 1 Chinese Innovations Compared to World Levels
Table l Chinese Innovations Compared to World Levels
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 24
achievements compare to the first announcement of these technical
achievements in the industrialised countries.
Political changes in the 1960's and 1970's disrupted much
scientific activity [ 1,9], and China followed a path of self-reliance in
technological development. The combination of these two factors
resulted in a persistence, and perhaps even a widening, of the
technology gap. China did not build up any significant capability in
the mass production of integrated circuits during this time, and this
affected its ability to make high performance computers and
advanced consumer goods. In 1978 China was only able to fabricate
some simple logic circuits, 4- bit peripheral chips and operational
amplifiers in small volumes at around the 5-10 pm level [10].
Computers designed by the ICT in the 1970's, for example, were
based on 8- gate IC's at a time when Intel was mass producing the
8086 chip with 29,000 transistors and 3 Vim process technology [5].
With the opening up policy Chinese institutes began to base IC
designs on a number of foreign IC's including the Intel 8080 and
Motorola 6800 [6,10]. The first serious attempt at mass production,
however, came in 1983 when the Jiangnan Radio Factory at Wuxi
obtained a 5 pm bipolar production line for 3 inch wafers from
Toshiba for television IC's. By 1985 the first sample VLSI chip in
China was made using 2.5 pm technology to fabricate a 64k NMOS
RAM at the No.24 Institute at Wuxi.
The Chinese computer industry in the early and mid 1980's was
restrained by the lack of advanced or quality IC's, as can be
illustrated by the high performance computer project conducted by
the ICT between 1984 and 1989. This project designed a computer
(the KJ8920) based on the architecture of the Cray-1, but it was
unable to use domestic bipolar IC's as the local industry was unable
to make them. The bipolar IC's eventually used were considerably
less powerful than those used in the Cray-1 as the CoCom
technology embargo operated by NATO prohibited the sale of the
Cray-1 IC's to China. As a result the KJ8920 finally operated at
around a quarter of the application processing speed of the Cray-1,
well over a decade after the Cray-1 was introduced [8].
3 Investments in Electronics Production
Technology
By 1978 therefore, there was considerable scope for
improvement in the Chinese industry. The Chinese authorities have
addressed the requirements of the industry by obtaining technology
for state companies from overseas, and by encouraging foreign
investment in the industry. The most important sector for investment
for the domestic market in the 1980's was that for colour television
(CTV) production. As mentioned above, a production line for
television IC's was obtained from Toshiba and installed at Wuxi. A
production line for picture tubes was bought from Hitachi for the
4400 factory at Xianyang in Shaanxi province. This was followed in
the late 1980's by the negotiation of foreign joint ventures for colour
picture tubes (CPT) using technology from Matsushita, Toshiba and
Philips. These joint ventures were located at Beijing, Shanghai and
Nanjing respectively. The 4400 factory also obtained another picture
tube line from Toshiba.
The production of advanced IC's and CPT's requires a
significant investment, however, whereas the assembly of televisions
needs a much more modest outlay. As a result every province in
China had acquired a CTV assembly line by 1986, by which time
there were more than one hundred production lines in the country.
The annual capacity for colour TV assembly rose to over 13 million
sets by 1986, although the actual output was limited by government
restrictions on the imports of colour picture tubes. These restrictions
consisted of import quotas for picture tubes in addition to high import
tariffs [ 11 ].
In recent years some consolidation of the CTV assembly industry
has taken place. The domestic electronics industry has moved
towards the formation of large groups of enterprises. As a result
several CTV assembly enterprises each have been assigned to the
larger groups. The Shanghai Video and Audio Group, for example,
contains six TV factories. It is not clear at this stage, however, how
the group structure can resolve the basic problem of having too many
production lines in the country.
As well as the television sector, considerable manufacturing
investments have been made in the telecommunications and personal
computer sectors. Investments in the telecommunications sectors
have been led mainly by joint ventures with foreign companies, while
the PC sector has also seen some domestic companies buying
advanced surface mount technology (SMT) assembly capability. The
telecommunications investment was pioneered by ITT (now Alcatel),
based in Belgium, and now all of the world's leading companies have
production ventures in China. ITT agreed to transfer the production
of digital public switching equipment in 1982 and also to transfer the
fabrication of IC's for their switching products. Production of the IC's
began in Shanghai in 1989. Recent foreign investments in the
telecommunications sector have involved the importation of
state-of-the-art SMT lines, including nitrogen reflow and nitrogen
wave soldering machines as well as fine pitch placement machines.
The ITT investment proved something of a model for later
foreign investments in the telecommunications sector. When a
foreign telecommunications company produces its own IC's it has
been encouraged to manufacture these in China as part of a
technology transfer agreement in return for access to the Chinese
market. As a result there are now IC production lines in China that
have been supplied or part financed by NEC, Nortel, Siemens and
AT&T as well as the Alcatel line. Motorola have also announced
plans to introduce an IC fabrication line at Tianjin, as discussed
below. In a separate development, China is also being increasingly
targeted as a production base for the assembly and test of integrated
circuits. Assembly and test is more labour intensive and less
dependent on highly trained specialists than IC fabrication, and was
the first contact point of a number of Asia-Pacific countries with IC
technology, including Singapore and South Korea. Intel, Samsung,
AMD, Harris, Hitachi and SGS-Thomson all currently have
packaging facilities in China, or are building such facilities.
The leading supplier s of personal computers to the Chinese
market are IBM, Compaq and AST Research and all three of these
companies have production facilities in China. The largest Japanese
PC manufacturer, NEC, also has a production plant at
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 25
Shanghai. The production facilities of IBM and Compaq are based in
Shenzhen. These companies are now taking advantage of the
infrastructure and the supply base that has been built up in
Guangdong province as a result of investment in this region by the
Overseas Chinese, led by Hong Kong.
4 Investments in Guangdong Province
When China first began its Open Door policy in 1978 it only
allowed foreign investment to take place in four small, experimental
special economic zones. It was no coincidence that these were
located close to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Companies from Hong
Kong took the lead in investing in manufacturing in the SEZ's in
Guangdong province. The first foreign joint venture in electronics in
China for example, Konka, was negotiated by a Hong Kongcompany
in Shenzhen. For many Hong Kong companies, however, the joint
venture form of investment has not been their prefered method of
entering mainland China. They have used processing agreements
with local Chinese partners instead, where the Hong Kong company
supplies the product and production expertise and the mainland China
partner supplies buildings and labour. Processing agreements allow
Hong Kong companies to reduce their labour and facility costs
without giving away part of their profits to an equity partner.
The result of processing arrangements and joint ventures by Hong
Kong companies in Guangdong province has been a dramatic
reduction of the size of the electronics industry in Hong Kong itself.
The vast majority of Hong Kong electronics companies now have
part, and in many cases all, of their production facilities in
Guangdong. Between 1987 and 1994 the number of people employed
in the electronics industry in Hong Kong fell every year from 91,355
in 1987 to 38,422 in 1994 [12]. Between 1987 and 1991 the gross
output fell by 8% per year in real terms. Over the same period the
gross output of electronics products in Guangdong province grew at
an annual real rate of around 30%. The net result was that the size of
the combined industry in Hong Kong and Guangdong province
remained relatively stable over the years 1987-1991 in terms of gross
output, and grew modestly in terms of exports to the rest of the world
[ 13].
Large foreign electronics companies in Hong Kong have also
followed the trend and moved labour-intensive production to
Guangdong whilst also having some remaining higher-end processes
and support facilities in Hong Kong. Philips from Holland and
Computer Products from the USA are prominent examples of foreign
companies that have factories both in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
One of the largest foreign electronics companies in Hong Kong is
Motorola, and it is unusual for a company with a Hong Kong
production site that Motorola does not have any investments in
Guangdong. Instead, Motorola has conc entrated its investments in
mainland China at Tianjin.
The investment by Taiwanese companies in Guangdong
province are more difficult to assess. The Taiwanese have invested
in Fujian province as well as in Guangdong province, and their
investments in both provinces have often been through
intermediaries in Hong Kong. As a result it can be difficult to tell
apart investments from Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In recent years, however, as relations between the mainland and
Taiwan have improved, some of Taiwan's flagship computer
companies have openly invested in the mainland. Mitac and First
International Computer both have production facilities in
Guangdong, for example, while Acer Peripherals is building a
factory at Suzhou. Although mainland China is high on the li st of
production sites for Taiwanese companies it is by no means an
automatic choice. Lite-on Technology has concentrated much of its
overseas production in Malaysia, for example, and Acer has
established its new motherboard factory at Subic Bay in the
Philippines.
The leading Taiwanese computer companies are moving only
their low end production to China. Products that have significant
labour content such as 14 inch monitors are a prime candidate for
this move, but standard motherboard production is also be ing
transfered as margins are squeezed in the industry. Higher end
products such as laptop computers and large screen, high frequency
monitors are still made in Taiwan, which is still responsible for all
office functions such as design and purchasing.
Many companies that are located in Guangdong export 100% of
their production, and this is often true even when they subsequently
sell some of these exports back into China. It is almost automatic for
companies that export to Europe from Guangdong to have achieved,
or be in the process of achieving, accreditation to the IS09000
standard for quality assurance. Not all of the foreign companies
located in Guangdong are there for export markets, however. IBM
uses its factory in Shenzhen primarily to serve its growin g sales in
mainland China, Konka is one of the largest sellers of colour
televisions to the domestic market, SEG-Hitachi sells most of its
output of colour picture tubes to domestic television assemblers and
Nortel is one of the leading PABX suppliers in China.
5 Singapore and Industrial Development in China
Singapore has been one of the most successful countries in
attracting investments by foreign electronics companies over the past
twenty years. It dominates world production of hard disc drives and
has considerable strengths in the production of computers,
components and consumer electronics goods. The population of
Singapore is small, however, at around 3 million and there is no
unemployment. As the Singaporean economy has grown and costs
have risen there has been continuous pressure to increase the value
added per person to compensate for increased costs. Singapore has
tackled this problem in three main ways. First it has placed great
emphasis on increasing productivity using its existing resources.
Secondly it has tried to move low value added processes to the
neighbouring parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. This is known as the
`Growth Triangle' approach in Singapore [ 14]. This is very similar
to the way that Hong Kong companies use Guangdong as a
production base. Finally, it has sought to encourage foreign
companies and local companies to move continuously into the
manufacture of products that require high skill levels to make, and
has supported the supply of the necessary skills.
In recent years Singapore has extended the Growth Triangle
approach to mainland China by means of its involvement in the
development of industrial zones at Wuxi and Suzhou. Foreign
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 26
 Company Product Country of Origin
Murata Ceramic capacitors Japan
Alps Electric Switches & components Japan
Sumitomo Electric Magnetic components Japan
Seagate Technology Disc drives USA
Nemic Lambda Power supplies Japan
Table 2 Foreign Investments at the Wuxi-Singapore Industrial Park
companies that have production sites in Singapore and would like to
begin production in China are encouraged to locate this production at
an industrial location in China that is managed by Singapore in
partnership with the local Chinese authorities. The approach is very
pragmatic: Singapore cannot stop these multinationals from moving
production to China, indeed it encourages the relocation of low
paying jobs, but it will still try to draw some benefit from the move.
Table 2 shows some of the companies that have already located at
the Wuxi-Singapore Industrial Park.
6 An Assessment of Current Capability in the
Chinese Industry
As has been described above, mainland China has made
significant advances in the scale and capability of its electronics
industry. The current status of the industry can perhaps be best
illustrated by considering two product sectors. The first is the
integrated circuit sector, which is often used as a benchmark for the
technological capability of a national industry. Indeed governments
all over the world spend a great deal of tax-payers' money to attract
leading- edge investments by important IC companies such as
Siemens, AMD and Intel. The United Kingdom has been
particularly successful in recent years in encouraging such advanced
inward investment with new IC fabrication plants being established
by Fujitsu, Siemens, Samsung, LG and Hyundai. It will be shown
below that China still lags a little behind world trends in attracting
leading- edge investments, but that Greater China together with
Singapore is one of the most important regions world- wide for this
type of investment.
The second sector which is considered here in more depth is the
personal computer sector. A detailed look at this sector reveals a
much more optimistic picture for the mainland China industry.
Production of personal computers is a fiercely competitive business
with small gross profit margins. The low labour and land costs in
China can help companies that manufacture in China to improve
these margins. The main considerations for foreign companies with
reputable brand names are whether they can maintain their high
quality standards when using China as a production base, and
whether they can manage the logistics of importing components in to
China and then moving finished products from China to the major
world markets. These two issues will be considered below.
Integrated Circuit Production
Although China has around 400 enterprises involved in the
semiconductor sector, there are only twenty companies that are
considered to be main producers of integrated circuits. The
semiconductor sector output in 1994 was around US$700 million,
consisting of 200 million integrated circuits and 10 billion discrete
devices. The local production met less than half of the local
market demands. By 1993 the Chinese market was the tenth largest
in the world and it is expected to be the sixth largest by 1998 after the
USA, Japan, Taiwan, the UK and Germany [15].
The major local producers of integrated circuits are the Huajing
Group at Wuxi, and Huayue Microelectronics at Shaoxing in
Zhejiang province. Both of these companies concentrate their efforts
on consumer IC's for items such as televisions and calculators. Many
of the other local companies that were prominent in the 1980's,
however, are not faring so well as they are exposed to increased
competition from imports. The leading companies in terms of process
technology are all foreign joint ventures and the technology used at
the foreign companies is compared with that at the domestic
companies in Table 3.
Company Location Product Sector Feature Size
Philips/Nortel Shanghai Merchant Foundry 311 bipolar
1.0u CMOs
Alcatel Shanghai Telecomms 311 BiCMOS
1.211 CMOs
NEC Beijing 4 Mbit DRAM 0.8g CMOs
Huajing Wuxi Consumer 211 CMOs
Huayue Shaoxing Consumer 3~L bipolar
Table 3 Leading Integrated Circuit Companies in Mainland China
Some companies do have plans that will improve the level of
process capability in China. The Huajing Group is currently
transfering technology from AT&T that will provide them with
CMOS capability at around the 0.8p level. Motorola has also
announced that its fabrication facility at Tianjin will eventually be
capable of making chips at the 0.5Et level, although Motorola are not
currently allowed to transfer such advanced technology under
restrictions imposed by the United States government. These
restrictions limit the technology transfer to above one micron.
The most important steps that China will take in the production of
IC's in the next few years will be coordinated under the `909 Project'.
The aim of this project is to build an indigenous sub-micron
capability based in the Pudong area of Shanghai. The project is being
led by the former General Manager of the Alcatel joint venture,
which has been very successful. It is not clear yet, however, how this
project will be structured in terms of the financing and the method of
technology transfer. It is believed that the Chinese authorities are
prepared to spend around US$1 billion on the project, and are relying
on this project to provide a base for a high technology domestic IC
industry. It should be noted that one billion dollars currently buys
only one state-of-the-art fabrication facility.
An indigenous sub-micron capability in mainland China would
add to the considerable domestic sub-micron capability in Taiwan.
The Taiwanese industry has moved much faster
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 26
than the mainland China industry over the last twenty years. The first
IC project in Taiwan was the transfer of 7Et CMOS technology from
RCA in 1976, which placed Taiwan and mainland China at around
the same level at that time. By 1991,
Company Location Technology Wafer Size
Mosel-Vitelic Hsinchu 0.35w CMOs 8 inch
T I-Acer Hsinchu 0.5w CMOs 8 inch
T SMC Hsinchu 0.45w CMOs 8 inch
Winbond Hsinchu 0.45w CMOs 6 inch
UMC Hsinchu 0.35w CMOs 8 inch
Table 4 Leading Integrated Circuit Companies in Taiwan
however, Taiwan had developed 0.71.t devices and had produced a
fully functional 8 inch wafer by 1992 [16]. Table 4 shows the current
process capability of Taiwan's leading IC manufacturers.
All of the Taiwan fabrication facilities are located at the Hsinchu
Science- based Industrial Park, where the Taiwan government offers
significant tax breaks and other financial incentives for high
technology companies. There is also a government-funded
sub-micron R&D facility at Hsinchu that has the specific task of
developing processes and transfering them to the local industry [16].
It is to be hoped that the 909 Project can begin to attract the same
clustering of IC expertise in Shanghai as is found at Hsinchu. The
fact that Philips and Alcatel are already operating successfully in
Shanghai provides a good seeding of professional competence in the
city.
When considering the impact of Greater China on the world of
IC production, it is also necessary to consider Hong Kong.
Unfortunately Hong Kong has fallen behind world trends in IC
process technology in recent years. The three fabrication facilities in
the territory are Hua Ko, RCL and Mosel- Vitelic. These companies
have specialised mainly in IC's for consumer products, operating
with fabrication processes at around the 1.2Et level on 4 inch wafers
at best. Part of the reason that Hong Kong has fallen behind is
undoubtedly the fact that the Hong Kong government has been
non-interventionist in the sector. The type of financial incentives
available at Hsinchu are not found in Hong Kong, and the Hong
Kong government has not proved willing to offer the type of
subsidies to foreign multinationals that are available to establish a
world-class fabrication facility in the UK and other countries. One
glimmer of hope for the Hong Kong industry, however, was the
announcement in June this year that Motorola and Mosel-V itelic of
Taiwan were to form a joint venture for a sub-micron facility in the
territory [17]. If this move signals the start of the first wave of
serious investment by Taiwan IC companies in the mainland China
industry then it can only improve the current capability of the
mainland industry.
Finally, it is useful to consider how Singapore fits into the
overall Chinese picture for IC production. Singapore has very
ambitious plans for its IC industry, and hopes to attract 25 new wafer
fabs to the country in the next five years [17]. In contrast to Hong
Kong, Singapore is very interventionist in its approach to industrial
development. In the IC sector, for example, the Economic
Development Board (EDB) of Singapore has taken a quarter of the
equity of a 16 Mbit DRAM fabrication facility in a joint venture with
Texas Instruments, Canon and HP. The EDB has also recently taken
a 30% stake in a US$1 billion fabrication project with Hitachi and
Nippon Steel. SGS-Thomson already has one five inch wafer
fabrication factory in Singapore and is setting up a CMOS plant
capable of operating down to 0.25p technology. Other foreign
companies that are building fabrication plants in the country include
Fujitsu and Samsung [18].
As well as attracting foreign IC companies Singapore has
developed its own flagship company in the sector, Chartered
Semiconductor. This company currently has three fabrication
facilities and is planning three more by the end of the decade. The
facilities under construction or being planned are state-ofthe-art sites
costing in excess of US$1 billion each. In a similar fashion to
Hsinchu, Singapore has established an R&D institute to support the
IC industry and has staffed this institute initially with foreign experts.
This Institute of Microelectronics will work closely with local
fabrication companies to develop local expertise in silicon
processing technologies and failure analysis.
Singapore has been one of the leading centres for IC packaging
in the world over the last decade and has packaging sites of many of
the best known IC companies such as AMD, NEC and Texas
Instruments. As Singapore moves into the higher value - added and
capital intensive IC fabrication area it is likely to be willing to lose
much of this packaging industry to cheaper neighbouring countries.
Many of the packaging companies in Singapore are already
establishing packaging sites in China. It is likely to be the aim of
Singapore that these sites in China are located at one of the industrial
zones that Singapore is developing, as described above. There are
already signs that this strategy may be working. AMD and Harris
have already indicated that they will set up packaging sites at Suzhou.
The packaging plant at Suzhou that will be built by Hitachi even has
a 30% equity stake from the EDB [19]. These plants could be readily
supported by the experienced staff at Singapore in their start-up
phases, as could the SGS-Thomson factory in Shenzhen. The NEC
and Motorola packaging lines in China have similarly been
supported by personnel from Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
It can be seen therefore that the IC industry in Greater China is
already quite significant in terms of technology and scale. The role
of Singapore in developing Wuxi and Suzhou is likely to boost
further the mainland China industry, particularly in the area of
packaging and test. The main cloud on the horizon for China is the
change that it made in April this year to its import tax structure.
Prior to April process equipment for foreign investments was not
subject to import taxes, but this exemption was removed from April.
At a time when other governments compete to subsidise foreign IC
fabrication plants it is unlikely that China will be chosen as a
fabrication site while it penalises local production in this way.
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 27
Personal Computer Production been built up over the years as a result of operations by foreign and
The personal computer market in China is now worth around two Overseas Chinese companies.
million units per year, and makes up around half of the information The importance of Guangdong can perhaps be best illustrated by.
technology market in China. The leading PC companies in China in noting that IBM has a purchasing office in Shenzhen, and that there
1995 are shown in Figure 1. are over twenty companies located in Guangdong that have supplied
IBM with components or peripherals. IBM already buys over
US$200 million of parts and products from within China for its
world-wide operations and for its joint venture factory in Shenzhen
[20].
In order to assess the cost and quality of products that can be
expected from factories in Guangdong we have visited a number of
suppliers of printed circuit boards, power supplies and motherboards
there. Here we present some data from a motherboard factory run by
an Overseas Chinese company in order to illustrate some of our
findings. This factory was making Pentium motherboards, and so
required SMT equipment that is close to state-of-the-art. When
compared to a factory in the UK making a similar Pentium
motherboard product the factory in Guangdong was very cost
competitive as shown in Figure 2. The Guangdong factory has a cost
advantage of around US$16 per board over the UK factory, which is
itself cost competitive within the UK. Much of the cost advantage of
Fig 1 Personal Computer Sales in China in 1995 the Guangdong factory can be attributed to much lower hourly labour
Since these statistics were gathered IBM has boosted its presence costs, which are around 5% of those in the UK.
considerably in the Chinese market as it has built up its production in
Shenzhen at its joint venture factory with Great Wall, and is now
vying for first place in terms of sales. The leading indigenous PC
company is currently Legend, though Great Wall may benefit in the
future from its association with IBM. Legend has very strong links
with Hong Kong through Legend Holdings in Hong Kong, which
owns a factory in Huiyang in Guangdong province that supplies
motherboards to Legend in Beijing. The main domestic PC
companies that we have visited have all been reliant in some way on
support from outside of mainland China. Mainland China PC
companies typically obtain their motherboard designs from Hong
Kong, Taiwan or the USA. Some companies also have their
motherboards made overseas too, and concentrate on producing
other parts of the PC themselves, such as power supplies, keyboards
and casings.
Fig 2 Pentium Motherboard Production Cost Comparison in 1996
It is becoming clear that Guangdong is regarded as the best place
The cost of air-freighting a motherboard to the UK is perhaps
in mainland China for motherboard production and for the
US$1 when delivering in bulk, so that there is an absolute cost
manufacture of other PC components and peripherals, for several
advantage of operating out of Guangdong for this product. As
reasons. It is very easy to move supplies of components into
customs delays at the border of mainland China and Hong Kong are
Guangdong via Hong Kong, and it is also easy to export completed
minimal, and freighting between Hong Kong and the UK is well
products via Hong Kong. Within Guangdong there are many
developed, there should be no reason why a company cannot have a
companies that make components that can be used in larger
short pipeline of finished motherboards between a factory in
assemblies, or in the PC itself. For example, there are a large number
Guangdong and a final assembly factory in the UK. There is
of companies that make printed circuit boards, magnetic parts, power
sometimes a perception in the UK, however, that products made in
supplies, plastic components, connectors, speakers, keyboards and
mainland China are not made to the same quality as those made in
simple active components such as diodes and transistors. There are
locations such as Japan or Taiwan. These perceptions can lead to
therefore local suppliers of many of the components needed for
companies in the UK buying products at greater initial cost than they
further assembly, although in practice many of these parts are sent
could obtain them from China. In this case these perceptions were,
first to Hong Kong and then re- exported to customers in Guangdong.
unfortunately, partially vindicated. The comparison of quality from
Finally, there is a good supply of engineers in Guangdong that have
the two companies is shown in Table 5.
experience of volume electronics manufacturing, and especially of
The factory in Guangdong had both poorer first time process
volume production with surface mount technology (SMT). This pool
yields and higher customer returns than the factory in the UK.
of local talent has

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 28

 Company Range of Customer Returns
First Time Process Yield (ppm) and sponsored by Scottish Enterprise, and price Waterhouse. They
would aslo like to thank Dr.L.K.Chu of Hong Kong University for
Overseas Chinese in 0.64- 0.84 20,000 his help in organising visits in Guangdong province.
Guangdong
UK Subcontractor 0.85 - 0.91 7,000
References
1. Information CHINA, Pergamon Press, 1989.
Table 5 Production Quality Comparison for Pentium Motherboards
2. D.F. Simon & D. Rehn, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
First time process yield is defined here as the pass rate at incircuit
IN CHINA: THE CASE OF THE SHANGHAI
test multiplied by the pass rate at functional test. The UK factory also
SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY, Ballinger, 1988.
had better productivity than the Guangdong factory, with boards
3. K.J. Tilley, D.J. Williams, "Off-shore Development of
made per person per day running about 35% higher in the UK factory.
Electronics Products", Engineering Management Journal, Vol. 4
Much of the difference in productivity arose from the number of
No. 4, August 1994, p185-192.
extra production workers used by the Guangdong factory to check
4. Brochures by Institute of Computing Technology, Being,
and touch- up the motherboards. The UK factory had developed much
1996.
more of a `right first time' philiosophy, and reworked boards much
5. Information from Intel Internet site, September 1996.
less. In fact it is likely that the Guangdong factory would have even
6. O.D. Trapp, "China Semiconductor Industry", IEEE
poorer levels of first time process yield if they did not perform so
Transactions on Reliability, Vol. R-31, No.2, June 1982.
much rework.
7. Interviews in Shanghai, 1996
This Overseas Chinese factory suffered from two problems that
8. Interviews in Beijing, 1996.
we have encountered at other factories in Guangdong. The first is that 9. R. Conroy, Technological Change in China, OECD, 1992.
engineers from the home base of the company did not really enjoy 10. Interviews in Wuxi, 1996
working at the site and so were loathe to support it full time. Staff 11. A. Hussain, J.O. Lanjouw, L. Li, "The Chinese Television
recruited locally were less experienced and could not troubleshoot Industry: The Interaction Between Government Policy and
problems as effectively, resulting in poorer quality levels when Market Forces", London School of Economics STICERD Report
operating independently. The second problem was that operator CP No. 9, December 1990.
turnover was very high, particularly at Chinese New Year. When new 12. 1995 Hong K ong's Manufacturing Industries, Hong Kong
operators were gaining experience there was an inevitable drop in the Government Industry Department, December 1995.
quality of production. 13. Report on Techno-economic and Market Research Study on
Hong Kong's Electronics Industry 1993-94, Hong Kong
7 Summary of Observations
Goverment Industry Department.
The discussion above has illustrated that there is considerable
14. T.Y. Lee (Editor), Growth Triangle: The Johor- SingaporeRiau
strength in the electronics industry in Greater China, and that this is
Experience, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1991.
reinforced further by the presence of Singapore with its large
15. Proceedings of China Electronics Industry & Trade Forum,
Chinese population. Mainland China is lagging some way behind
Shenzhen, April 1995.
Taiwan and Singapore in the integrated circuit sector, but has made
16. Brochure from the Electronics Research & Service y
great progress over the last twenty years. Mainland China has
Organisation, Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park,
become a focus not just for low technology production, but also for
Taiwan, 1993.
advanced products such as Pentium motherboards and digital 17. South China Morning Post, June 19, 1996, Business page
telecommunications products. For low margin products such as 1.
motherboards the cost advantages of production in China can be
18. Singapore Bulletin, December 1995 and July 1996.
significant. Some attention must be paid to the introduction of `right
first time' philosophies, however, before complete acceptance in the 19. Hong Kong Standard, 25th March 1996.
West of high technology products made in China. It is to be hoped 20. Asia Group of IBM Global Procurement Support, Report
that the widespread introduction of IS09000 techniques will create entitled "Guangdong Province, China's Manufacturing Hub",
the environment for improved quality standards at factories in China. September 1996.
Many companies already operate with very high quality standards,
but there is room for improvement at others.

Acknowledgements
Thic x~ vas teed bythe EPSRC under grant GR/K 49768

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 29

 Application of Genetic Algorithms in Optimizing Parameters in a Decision Support
System for Resource Allocation
K. L. CHOY & Vincent W.S. YEUNG
Department of Manufacturing Engineering
Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Abstract genes. Stoppage of iteration would occur if the difference of the top
Genetic algorithms (GA), since first introduced by Holland [1] in results in the last successive K operation are within 5% of the total
early 1970s, was applied on optimization problems and showed variation range. K can be changed to suit the number of operation
significant performance. However, it was seldom mentioned in cycle. By using the above technique, optimal parameters for a
manufacturing literature, especially in optimizing resources production system can be determined which could be used for
allocation problems and line balancin g problems. This paper is problems such as in line balancing and resources allocation.
concerned with applying the GA technique, interfacing with the
simulation software, WITNESS, to perform experiments in order to 2 Basics of Genetic Algorithms
obtain a set of parameters for determining the resource level in GA's involve an imitation of nature, which include goals to
setting up a production plant. By using this technique, optimal survive, population to live, mating, reproduction and mutation [3].
parameters for a production system can be determined which will Usually, the crowd of specifications will be represented by a definite
increase the effectiveness of resources utilization. The method is to amount of configurations, where each of them acts as one living thing
corporate GA's for optimizing parameters using C++ programming in nature, called Structure (chromosomes or species in nature). They
techniques, and then applying simulation as the optimizing join together to imitate a world called population. However, the
parameters evaluation tools. By using this techniques, optimal population usually contains a large number of structures or even in
parameters for a production system can be determined and beneficial expanding size in order to maintain randomization.
to resource allocation and eventually order taking of the organization. These structures consist of fundamental units called bit, position,
or token (genes in nature) which makes them different from each
1 Introduction other. A unit is one coding showing the state of a parameter.
Genetic algorithms involve converting experiment parameters Therefore, one parameter of the problem may be represented by one
into genes, which can be systematically recognized by computer. or more units.
For some simple parameters, say only yes or no, can be simply Crossover
represented by genes of 0 and 1. Some more complicated In the crossover process, two species are selected. Points on
parameters can be alphabets other than binary, or may have a rather chromosomes are then selected to break and exchange. After that two
different method in conversion. These genes of one combination of new offspring will be produced. Theses process repeats until all
parameters form a set called chromosome or string. Other different species, required to be cross overed, are cross overed. The proportion
parameters will form other different chromosomes, and all of the cross overing species to population size is the crossover rate.
chromosomes represent a population. The quality of the results will Hence, in one crossover iteration, { [crossover rate] x [population
be the guideline of determining capability of the chromosomes, and size] } structures are cross overed.
is so called fitness. The point to terminate GA's iteration is different Mutation
for different characteristic of usage. However, with small crossover Mutation is another development of chromosomes. Unlike
rate and mutation probability, the trends of most optimum output of crossover, it does not rely on mating, but happen on individual gene.
fittest chromosome in each GA operation are similar [2]. Mutation is a sudden change of gene, leading to change of
The method used here is to corporate GA's for optimizing chromosome. Occurrence of mutation is random. In GA's, we can
parameters using C++ programming technique, and them applying select randomly which gene to change to a random value.
simulation using WITNESS as the result parameters evaluation Mutation rate is the probability that an individual fundamental
tools. A random number generator for experimental parameters unit would perform mutation. Hence, in one iteration, {[m utation rate]
would also be constructed and utilized for construction of initial x [structure length] x [population size]} tokens are mutated.
population. When the first program is finished, it would be required From the above philosophy, it can be seen that GA's would
to validate the method of GA's on manufacturing optimization. Here, provide better and better results. After all, there will be saturation, or
the parameters are the inputs to simulation model, and each optimum approach.
changeable parameter behaves as a piece of gene.
The optimization process using GA operators would choose 3 Application of Genetic Algorithms to
80% of the population, in the order of the best first, and randomly Manufacturing
select pair to crossover. The remaining would be mutated in the GA's, since first introduced by Holland in early 1970s, was
probability of 0.5%, changing the value of the genes randomly applied on optimization problems and showed significant
within the constraint. The new genes would be input to WITNESS performance. Nowadays, there is annual official conferences to
for analyzing the performance. The process will continue with the study this algorithms mainly in the application of GA's and
new set of genes being created using the genetic algorithms, fed to
the simulator for performance and then send the result to analyze
using GA's to create other set of

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 31

 enhancing GA's to iterate efficiently.
By applying GA's on engineering problems, the only thing to
know is how the fitness can be revealed from the structures [4]. In
mathematical problem, if we only want to find maximum or
minimum or a function, no matter how complex the calculation is, it
is still straight forward calculations. This should not be a problem in
mathematical applications. Physical or engineering problems are
much frustrating if the problems are very complex. In such cases we
can build up simulation models which only involve first principle or
at most a little bit higher level. Nevertheless, we need not derive the
exact relations between all constraints. The problems would not cause
many problems or error to human brains.
In manufacturing, any resources including time, labours,
investments and materials cost money. It is worthy if we can find not
only local optima of the production line problem but the absolute
optimum. GA's are seldom mentioned in manufacturing literature,
however, it is worthwhile applying to manufacturing field and study
its significance in production line optimization.

Interfacing with General Purpose Simulation Packages

Since simulation cooperated with GA's are mostly dedicatedly
programmed, it is necessary to interface the algorithms with
simulation packages in order to increase the popularity of applying
GA's on simulation packages. The approach in this paper is to
perform experiments on the effect of genetic algorithms on general
simulation package. WITNESS is the first trial. If GA's can work on
this approach, a new concept of application to manufacturing systems
such as resource allocation, line balancing and production scheduling
would be possible.

Application of GA's on Random Events

Production line simulation involves a lot of random variables, so
do general purpose simulation applications. In the past, GA's was
applied mainly on mathematical function optimization, scientific
modeling and scheduling. The effect of GA's on random events is Fig 2 Data flow of the G.A. program for optimising simulation result
still unknown. Here, GA's were applied on WITNESS with the parameter. From the fundamental design, a population must be
model involving random events. generated randomly, hence a lot of structures are generated. These
are then fed into WITNESS one by one to work out the results of
4 Methodology each structure (combination). Analysis is performed every time
Relations between GA's and WITNESS results are output from WITNESS. If all structures do not reach
I To implement GA's with WITNESS, decisions have to be made optimum, all of them will be fed into the GA's mechanism, where
on what information would be transferred between the two programs. crossover and mutation take place. This generation of structures
Figure 1. shows the idea of the system. reproduce new generation of population. The system feeds all new
The role of WITNESS in this system is to assess the fitness of structures to WITNESS and perform simulations. The above cycle
structures generated by the GA's shell, where each structure is a set repeats until optimum is reached. Figure 3. illustrates the system at a
of simulation parameter for a model. The results simulated by deeper level, showing the logic of interfacing GA's with WITNESS.
WITNESS can be exported in CSV format with tidy text, and the
model alternation imported to WITNESS can be in WCL format, 5 Detail data information and categories
which is also ASCII text format. In Simulation
Parameters can be in discrete integers, continuous real numbers
Date Flow and Boolean operators. As only the trends of parameters and results
The data flow of the program is shown in Figure 2. A structure is are focused in the experiments, the Boolean variables in simulation
defined as a set of simulation parameter combinations, and a token is packages are not considered. Discrete and continuous variables
defined simply as a simulation should be limited in reasonable ranges. For instance, it is impossible
to invest nine thousands injection moulding machines in a factory,
we may

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 32


Fig 3 Logic of interfacing G.A. Shell with WITNESS
limit the amount from two to five
machines.
The variables may also be local variables and lg obal
variables. Local variables affect only the elements which the
variables be defined and detailed in. Global variables affect
all elements, and are detailed in the environment rather than
in the elements. They are detailed in OPTION of MODEL in
pull down menu of WITNESS. Since the variables
(parameters) are the tokens in genetic structures, the variable
type must also be defined throughout the whole system.
With the exception of these individual variables, some
parameters of elements may depend on one another. For
example, the number of machines of current station must be
the same as number of machines of next station. The number
of machines in both station is dependent. Another examples
is that the length of conveyor may depends on number of
machines output to it. In these cases, new variable set called
association was defined in the system. These variables handle
the dependent parameters, while only one of the dependent
parameters occupies one token in structures. Other variables
depending on this one will change according to the
dependence and be exported to WCL file to alter the
simulation model.
In Genetic Algorithms Shell
Some essential parameters have to be defined. They are
the population size, crossover rate and mutation rate. In our
decision support system, the selection of break points inside a
structure is related by crossover break point rate [5]. The
length of structure depends on the user configuration.
The population in this system is arranged in matrix form.
Population size N and maximum structural length M would
form a matrix of N rows (storing structures) and (M+1)
columns, where the (M+1)th column stores results of
corresponding structures.
Overall System
In the whole system, a goal must be defined. To simplify
the experiments and programming, a single goal is temporally
used and is retrieved directly from the simulation report files
(CSV files). However, the aim of optimization may be to
maximize, minimize or approach a preset value.
Another set of population of space, the controls is reserved
in this system. This space can be varied in the source code of
program. This space are slots for structures which are the
fittest in recent iterations. If the best fit structure obtains better
fitness than the worst fit one in the control population during
each experiment, the former will take the later place. While
the iterations show declining trend in fitness, all the control
structures will be copied to replace the weakest in the
processing population. The purpose of the process is to retain
the best structures comparative to the history, and to ensure
the inclining results. The reason for not copying all the better
structures to the control population is to avoid rapid
convergence of results, which may lead to termination of
program before optimum may occur.
Termination of iterations depends on the range of controls
and total range of results in history. Two variables, mainly
result min and result _max are defined such that they store the
minimum and maximum value that the structures ever had
since
the first iteration. During the iteration, if new maximum or
new
minimum occurs, the range between result-min and result-max
will be pushed apart.
In order to detect the state for termination, one more
variable, the settling boundary is defined [6]. Settling
boundary is a percentage such that the termination criteria is
By combining the above developments and information,
the optimization process can be established.
6 Result
In order to calculate the resource level required for the
production line setup to obtain maximize output, the
GA-Aided Simulation Shell was utilized. The experimental
environment of an injection moulding shop producing casings
for audio products in order to determine resources required is
shown in Appendix 1. Totally 115 iterations equivalent to
6900 simulation cycles were performed to determine the
resource level. At the 102th iteration, optimum values have
not been obtained as there
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 33
 were still fluctuation in results. However, at 115th iteration, the result
became stable and the parameters being obtained can be used for resource
planning and for line balancing.
7 Limitation of the Genetic Algorithms Shell
Based System
In the present stage, this GA's shell only processes single _goal, for
instance, maximize machine utilization or maximize output quantity. However,
multiple goals co-exist with multiple constraints are concerned. Although this
may limits the power of the system, it is still capable of observing the effect of
Genetic Algorithms on random events simulation. In addition, in using this
GA's shell, several qualification of users is required. Users must be familiar
with their own model and WITNESS modelling structure. One of the
qualification of the user is the ability to handle modeling in simulation
software, and in this case, WITNESS.
8 Conclusion
This paper illustrates a new concept of using GA's shell interfacing with
the simulation software to solve optimization problem which is beneficial to
line balancing and resource allocation problem. As GA's are applied on
random events, the suggestion from this GA -based decision support system is
logically an optimium solution of line balancing and resource allocation.
References
1. J.H. Holland, ADAPTION IN NATURAL AND
ARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS, U. of Michigan Press, 1975.
2. S.A. Kennedy, "Five Ways to a Smarter Genetic Algorithm",
A1 EXPERT,1993
3. L. Davis, HANDBOOK OF GENETIC ALGORITHMS, NY
Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991.
4. L. Davis, "Genetic Algorithm Profiles in Advanced Technology for
Developers. Sewickley", Pa: High-Tech Communications, 1992.
5. L.D. Whitley, FOUNDATIONS OF GENETIC
ALGORITHMS, Wash. Axcelis Press, 1993.
6. J.J. Grefenstette, "Optimization of Control Parameters for Genetic
Algorithms", IEEE Trans. on Sys. Man & Cyb., 1986.
Appendix 1- Experimental Environment

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 34

 The Design of a Generic Flexible Manufacturing Cell
Calvin K. F. CHIU and L. K. CHU
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
Abstract
Flexible manufacturing system (FMS) design and implementation
are lengthy and costly process. The lack of suitable reference models
and connections between various development support tools further
make the situation difficult. This paper addresses these problems by
devising a generic flexible manufacturing cell (FMC) control
software architecture, and an integrated development environment
for FMC's. The control software architecture consists of a three-layer
hierarchy including the operation, networking and operating- system
layer. This arrangement succeeds in separating the hardware and
communication issues from the main FMC control applications. On
the other hand, the proposed development environment integrates
several development tools to support system development from
design, evaluation, implementation, testing to deployment. Such a
development environment streamlines FMS development process
and saves both time and achieves better FMS design.
1 Introduction
The development of FMS is usually treated as an one-off
process. Such a system needs to be tailor-made to satisfy various
objectives according to specific corporate, market and
environmental requirements. The lack of suitable reference models
and development tools forces development work to start from
scratch. Moreover, the multi-objective nature of the problem
encumbers tremendous design work. Added to this, the
implementation of hardware and software components is both
tedious and error prone. As a result, the development of FMS's is
usually lengthy and costly.
On the other hand, many installed systems have not quite
achieved the goals set out by the FMS community. The usual
problems of those systems include low production rate and inability
to respond to product and volume changes. In other cases it is found
that such systems are difficult to maintain and to modify or upgrade.
The behaviour and structure of FMS's epitomise a complex system
that their design and implementation call for expert design
knowledge and techniques, and development tools especially for
control software development. A plethora of these techniques and
tools have been available. Unfortunately no effort has been made to
select the appropriate tools and to integrate them into an FMS
development environment to boost the development productivity
and quality of the FMS.
This paper addresses the issues of using a generic FMC control
architecture as a reference model for software development.
Additionally, a set of tools are provided under an integrated
development environment (IDE) to facilitate the design and
implementation of FMC's. The control software has a generic
structure which can be adopted to suit a wide range of system
requirements. The control functions provided are comprehensive
and the control software can be easily maintained and modified. On
the other hand, the 1DE can significantly facilitate the design
process, avoid design errors, reduce the need of expertise and
shorten the development horizon.
2 Review
There are several significant issues which are critical to
successful FMS development. These include the availability of
suitable system architecture; reusable software; and the use of
appropriate system design tools.
Open system architecture
Open FMS development can be facilitated based on an open
system reference model. An open system may be defined as
exhibiting the characteristics of high connectivity between
subsystems, availability to a broad set of users, expandability of both
hardware and software, and portability of software from one
subsystem to another. Wright [ 1 ] adopts an anthropomorphic
paradigm to derive the skeleton of the whole CIM operation
architecture. He suggests the use of de facto standards for languages,
operating systems, and computer hardware to serve as a basis for
open system development, which results in higher feasibility of use
and in turn acceptability. Levin et al [2] suggests a centralised control
software structure with emphasis on software modularity, and
accounting of real-time requirements in programming. The National
Bureau of Standards (NBS) proposed the concept of virtual
manufacturing cells and automated manufacturing research facility
[3]. The system is optimised dynamically by integrating planning and
scheduling functions together.
Software reuse methodologies
Nof [4] identifies the advantages and limitations of using
object -oriented methodology in manufacturing. He notices that the
natural and intuitive correspondence, inherent structure, modularity,
discipline, adaptability and flexibility are beneficial to manufacturing
applications. However the complexity in handling distributed
communications and operations, the difficulties in co-ordinating
remote activities, the potential high run-time cost, and a lack of
functional support and standard libraries limit its use. The reusable
software concept is also studied by Smith [5]. Important reusable
softwa re concept including the use of scaleable architecture,
automatic generation of control code and object -oriented design are
identified. They are achieved through the use of hierarchical control
skeleton, context free grammar modelling approach and
object -oriented modelling of physical entities, respectively.
System design methodologies
Talavage [6] identifies variables which affect system
performance. These variables include process plans, materials,
configuration and operation control logic. By using simulation,
knowledge-based system technique and problem decomposition
method, an optimal solution as a combination of the aforesaid
variables is found automatically. The problem decomposition method
relates practical problems to such variables. The application of
simulation depicts system performance with respect to change of
variables. Chaar [7] reviewed different approaches and tools to
developing manufacturing and realtime software. All these
approaches stress the importance of formal models and specification
languages in capturing functional and timing requirements of
real-time embedded
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 35
systems; and the role of prototyping in refining these requirements.
However these approaches usually result in a static representation.
Flexible process planning and scheduling methodologies are
difficult to model using such formal approaches.
3 A Ge neric FMC Controller Architecture
Control hierarchy
In this discussion, a two-level cell- station control structure is
adopted. A station here is defined as processing, storage, transferring,
transporting or a combination of these capabilities. It employs a
centralised control hierarchy where a cell supervisor is used to
co-ordinate the tasks of all components in the cell. The major
scheduling decisions concerning resource allocation, logistics and
contingency planning are generated by the FMC supervisor. Stations
in the cell, however, have a high degree of local intelligence
especially in monitoring their own operations. In the proposed
system, centralised control is preferred to decentralised control
architecture. The former has a number of advantages inc luding the
correspondence to corporate control hierarchy, simpler cell
components co-ordination activities, lower communication
requirement, easy adoption of different planning and scheduling
methods, and more capable of generating optimal plans and
schedules in real time.
FMC control software architecture
Essentially, the control software structure for FMC's should
achieve hardware independence in order to improve its portability.
Moreover, it is desired that such a structure will be highly modular
to allow the software modules and various communication
mechanisms for these modules to be developed in a separate manner.
To achieve these goals, a three-layer modular architecture,
composed of an operation layer, a networking layer and an
operating system layer is designed (Figure 1).
The lowest level, the operating system level, consists of the
drivers for various computing and communication hardware,
operating systems and communication protocols. The operating
system must be multi-tasking so as to enable the synchronisation
of events as well as process co-ordination in real time. With respect
to the operating system and communication protocols chosen, a
fundamental set of I/O interfaces and communication functions are
provided as a basis for the generation of control software.
The networking level acts as a linkage between the operation
and operating system levels. It provides communication facilities for
software entities at these two layers. The networking level is further
decomposed into two sub- levels: the (FMC) process and task level.
The task level is designed to interface to particular operating system
and communication protocols chosen. It provides a comprehensive
set of communication functions which are useful for general
networking software development. By providing standard routines,
communication between local or remote software modules can be
treated in the same manner. Organising the networking level
modules in this way achieves a clean logical structure of the
software/hardware entities. Thus a conceptually homogeneous
environment is provided for software development, where
information concerning the location of each software module,
communication mechanism used between different computing
devices and for different types of information can be mask ed. On the
other hand, the process level provides functionality which supports
FMC applications. Dedicated functions are built up on functionality
provided in the task level so
that the advantages of
having a homogeneous
platform are still retained.
These functions include
equipment status and fault
reporting, command and
database related functions.
Software reusability in
FMC development is
therefore encouraged.
Moreover, meaningful and
direct expression of
functions allow easy
modification.
The highest level,
operation level, serves as
a platform where all control software application modules reside.
Modules embracing real-time and off-line processes, as well as cell
and equipment control stay together. By functional decomposition,
each module is embeddedwith distinct functional scope (Figure 2).
The three-layer hierarchy simplifies software development work
by separating complicated networking and computing hardware
issues from cell control functions. Through the use of device drivers
to interface equipment, hardware independence is achieved. On the
other hand, the establishment of networking level also improves
software reusability and modifiability. Developers can adopt either
the whole networking level functionality or one sub-level according
to the system requirements. Such flexibility further encourages
software reuse.
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 36

Further, modularity and exact definition of interrelationships
between software modules subsequently enhance software
reuse. Lastly, the separation of process planning, scheduling
and control functions retains maximum flexibility in adapting
different control strategies.
4 Integrated Development Environment
The development of FMS's and/or FMC's consists of various
stages including analysis, design, evaluation, implementation,
deployment and evolution. In designing an FMS, both hardware and
software issues should be considered concurrently in order to
achieve a satisfactory solution. The provision oftools for the
development of FMC's aims to improve the development process as
well as to prepare for system evolution. Automating stages of
development process is useful
for improving development process. Other tools
like specification languages and formal models
aim to avoid ambiguities in design. Evaluation
and optimisation tools can also be extensively
applied to identify inherent design faults,
evaluate system performance and search for an
optimum combination of software and hardware
components.
An integrated development environment for
FMC is a collection of development tools
implemented to partially or fully automate FMC
development process. The provision of
development tools under the same environment
has several advantages. Firstly, the situation of
having a divergent set of databases can be
avoided. Simple information management and
maintenance cab therefore be achieved. On the
other hand, the integration of the development
tools also represents compatibility of data
format among these tools, where information
generated by a tool in one stage can be used by
another tool in the next stage directly or through
simple
automatic data conversion process, thus reducing duplicating effort
and unnecessary errors.
The integrated development environment for FMC's (FMCIDE)
proposed here supports a majority of development stages from design,
evaluation, implementation, testing to deployment. The FMC-IDE
essentially consists of a system specification facility, source code
generator and compiler, simulator and emulator (Figure 3). The
design of the FMC-IDE is based on the generic controller software
architecture proposed. Default methods for process planning,
schedulin g and control are provided in the FMC-IDE. Software and
hardware design details are entered to FMC-IDE through system
specification facility. They can then be converted to program source
code, and in turn to executable program for evaluation, testing and
final installation purposes respectively.
Planning, scheduling and control strategies in
FMC-IDE
As mentioned in the above section, default
process planning, scheduling and control
strategies for control software developed are
provided by the FMC-IDE. It is noted that
developers can incorporate their own process
planning, scheduling or control functions if
they consider appropriate. However there is
not any support for source code generation
other than default those procedures.
Process Planning. There is not any default
dynamic process planning functions provided.
Under this arrangement, process planning
work is carried out off-line. The procedure
begins with transferring the process plans and
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 37
 machining files to the part oriented database (refer to Figure 2) from
other sources (e.g. CAPP). System related information such as job
assignment to station is then added to the plans through an off-line
interface system. It is worth mentioning that the generic control
software architecture still allows planning to be performed in
real-time to enhance the integration of computer based process
planning, and in turn CIM development.
Scheduling. The default scheduling method is a two- stage
heuristics based improvement procedure. An initial schedule is
generated first by applying heuristics using several criteria with a
consideration of both system efficiency and priorities of individual
stations and jobs. An improvement procedure using pairwise
interchange is then carried out. As the solution space is enormous, the
search procedure is performed according to the time limit and
computing capability. It is also noted that the generic control software
architecture provides capability to use cyclic schedule developed
off-line. The advantages of cyclic schedule include: better schedule
and less utilisation of computing resources in real time.
Control. The control strategy concerns mainly congestion problem
in the cell and fault detection. Congestion is avoided by limiting the
total number of parts in the system, and is relieved by using reserve
buffer space. On the other hand, a fault is identified by comparing
estimated processing times with real time performance. The type of
fault and the related information on the station, auxiliary resources
and parts are reported to the real-time diagnosis system for the
investigation of the origin of the fault. At the same time, real-time
process planning and other related system will be triggered to cope
with necessary changes.
Source Code Generator
Source code generator translates details from specification facility
to source code in C++ programming language. Three versions of
source code can be generated for the purpose of system evaluation,
control software testing and fin al control software generation. C++ is
adopted for its popularity and object oriented nature. The generation
of source code has the advantage of allowing further modification and
insertion of alternative software modules to replace existing ones. To
support the generation of source code, a library of data
structures, classes and functions are prepared in advance.
Object-oriented modelling (O-OM) approach is extensively applied
to prepare the library of software components. Physical as well as
information objects are modelled using O -OM to take advantages of
modularity, flexibility, adaptability and disciplined methods. With
the provision of software components, developers can alternatively
generate their own program modules (Figure 4).
5 Conclusion
The idea of separating complicated networking and database
related issues from control software design inevitably promotes
software development process. Modular architecture with separated
planning, scheduling and control functional structure allows
application of different strategies. Also, the integration of
development tools in FMC-IDE avoids duplication of effort and
manual conversion of data. The close linking of development tools
naturally provides guidance to system development. The automatic
generation of simulation model and control software speeds up the
development process where effect is especially apparent in repetitive
design-evaluation and testing-implementation cycles. Further, the use
of O-OM and provision of software libraries enhance software
reusability.
Reference
1 P.K. Wright, "Principles of Open-Architecture Manufacturing", J.
ofManufacturingSystems, Vol. 14, No. 3, 1995, pp.187-202.
2 L. Levin, E. Fielding & K. Ackhurst,. "Developing a Computer
Control System for a Flexible Manufacturing Cell", Int'l J. of
Flexible Manufacturing Systems, No. 5, 1993, pp.143-159.
3 M. Dolinska, C.B. Besant, "Dynamic Control of Flexible
Manufacturing Systems", Int'1 J. of Advanced Manufacturing
Technology, No. 10, 1995, pp.131-138.
4 S.Y. Nof, "Critiquing the Potential of Object Orientation in
Manufacturing", Int'l J. of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 7,
No. 7,1994, pp. 3-16.
5 J.S. Smith & S.B. Joshi, "Reusable Software Concepts Applied to
the Development of FMS Control Software", Int'1 J. of Computer
Integrated
Manufacturing, Vol.5, No.3, 1992, pp.182-196.
6 J.J. Talavage & R. Shodhan, "Automated
Development of Design and Control
Strategy for FMS", Int'1 J. of Computer
Integrated Manufacturing, Vol.5, No.6, 1992,
pp. 335-348.
7 J.K. Chaar, D. Teichroew & R.A. Volz,
"Real-Time Software Methodologies: Are
They Suitable for Developing
Manufacturing Control Software?", Int'l J.
of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, No.5,
1993, pp. 95-128.
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 38
 Service Productivity & Quality Excellence in the Air Express Industry
Yiu-Man WONG
Director, Service Operations
DHL International (Hong Kong) Ltd
Abstract
Hong Kong has gone through a transition from manufacturing
dominance to service dominance over the last 15 years. Traditionally
productivity is well defined and managed under the manufacturing
scenario. As the service industry continues to grow, there is a
genuine need to study productivity in the service environment.
In this paper, the providers of productivity awareness, the types
of productivity measures, the basic factors underlying productivity,
and productivity improvement techniques are discussed first. There is
an analysis on the benefits of productivity improvement and ideas on
how to treat employees fairly as a result of productivity gain. Then
the consideration of quality together with service productivity and
how it leads to Quality Excellence are discussed. Concepts of
`negative productivity' and `quality level' discount factors are
introduced. Finally the approach of a leading air express company in
service productivity and quality excellence is discussed.
1 Introduction
Hong Kong has already become a city led by service industries.
According to Government statistics, the importance of the service
sector in Hong Kong is very significant, both in terms of
contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the impact
on employment. The rapid transition of the Hong Kong economy
from manufacturing to service dominance over the last 15 years is
phenomenal. The opening up of China since 1980 to foreign
investment was the main catalyst of these changes. This has allowed
the Hong Kong manufacturers, who have been increasingly
squeezed by the huge rising costs of land and labour, to relocate
their production facilities across the border into the Pearl River
Delta region of China. In the mean time, Hong Kong has gradually
built a good infrastructure such as telecommunication networks,
banking systems, airport and sea container port facilities. These
factors, together with other favourable conditions e.g. the
availability of high calibre people, free movement of money and
goods in and out of the territory, have formed a strong base to
support the continued growth of service industries in Hong Kong in
the future.
There are three main core groups of services that have led the
growth of the Hong Kong economy, namely, transportation,
financial service, and communications [ 1 ]. Air express is one of
the key sectors under the transportation field. It is forecast to grow
even faster in the years to come because courier delivery service
can help customers squeeze time out of their supply chain cycle. As
a result, companies can respond to the customers' needs faster and
push products out to the market earlier. Hence they become more
competitive than their rivals. At the same time, DHL and the other
major players all wish to capture a bigger market share of the air
express business. Obviously, productivity improvement is an area to
look into first.
`Service Productivit y' is a less familiar term than its counterpart
of manufacturing productivity. According to KPMG Management
Consultants' report in December 1995 [ 1 ],
the real output per worker in the Hong Kong service sectors between
1986 and 1993 increased at an average rate of only 2.3% per annum
compared to 8% for manufacturing. This clearly indicates an area
where industrial engineers can contribute a quantum improvement
via innovative and viable ideas.
This paper describes a detailed study of the various aspects of
productivity including the service providers, types of productivity
measures, basic factors underlying productivity, and productivity
improvement techniques. The quality factor is also considered in a
practical sense. Finally it shows how a good system aim ing at
improving service productivity can lead towards Quality Excellence
that provides a strong platform to make customers totally satisfied.
Some real examples are quoted with reference to the DHL Hong
Kong operations.
2 Providers of Productivity Awareness in Hong
Kong
Due to the need to survive through fierce market competition,
every business organisation would strive to improve their own
productivity, particularly for those international companies. Usually
they set up operations improvement teams, promote cost reduction or
business re-engineering programs to make these happen.
In addition to these people, there are also some outside parties
who are destined in promoting productivity of the Hong Kong
industries.
The first one to be mentioned is the Hong Kong Productivity
Council (HKPC). HKPC is a government subvented independent
body aiming at helping the industries in raising productivity and
using more efficient methods. Their mission is to promote
productivity excellence through professional services. HKPC
provides a wide range of services such as consulting service, product
development, training and technology transfer to clients across the
industrial sectors in Hong Kong. In a briefing workshop held in early
1996, HKPC announced that they would focus at offerring support to
Hong Kong trading firms and service organisations for productivity
improvement [2].
There is a regional organisation by the name of Asian
Productivity Organisation (APO). Their role is to promote the
productivity of the industries in the various Asia Pacific countries.
They hold conferences around the region to exchange concepts,
methodologies and technological applications among fellow member
countries on a regular basis.
Another organisation is the Hong Kong Institution of Engineer s
(HKIE). Under HKIE, the Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering
Division (MIE) is heavily devoted to the upgrading of engineering
professionalism that covers productivity, quality, methods, process
re-engineering, and manufacturing technology. A recent development
is that this MIE division is extending the engineers' formal training to
include service industry in addition to the manufacturing ones before.
This can attract more engineering graduates to join the service
industry and help enhancing the competitiveness via
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 39
 higher productivity in the long run. It is the ratio of total output to the sum of all input factors. Thus,
Most universities in Hong Kong offer industrial engineering, a total productivity measure reflects the joint impact of all the
manufacturing engineering or engineering management degree inputs in producing the output. Unfortunatebly, there are not any
courses. There are a large number of academics and professionals measures of the total productivity at DHL. The closest index is
available for disseminating the concept of service productivity the net profit margin of our business.
through formal educational channels. Some of these experts also Partial productivity is easy to understand and to obtain data. It is
undertake industrial research and consultancy. useful for simple measurement of resource utilisation and is adopted
There are also professional engineering groups such as The by many people. However if it is used alone, it may be misleading
Institute of Industrial Engineers (Hong Kong) and The Society for since the measurement can be affected by the investment in other
Manufacturing Engineers (Hong Kong Chapter). Their publications inputs. So when the productivity figure is examined, all the related
feature a lot of important updates on productivity issues. Every year factors must be considered to avoid biased conclusions.
they hold conferences, talks, and continuing education seminars Total factor productivity is a fairer way to combine the various
related to productivity measurement. partial productivity measures together. Moreover it focuses on value
added instead of the total output. This can eliminate the distortion due
to different degrees of intermediate goods or services purchased. On
the other hand, it is slightly more difficult to measure. This measure is
useful to the designer or controller of the whole system who has a
Finally, there are many international and local management
broader scope of involvement.
consultant firms offering a comprehensive range of services to
clients to help them solve their productivity and quality problems. A
lot of contemporary techniques and success experience of other
advanced
Service Provider Characteristics Short Term Long Term Finally, the total
Effectiveness Effectiveness productivity is an
countries are shared 1 Business prime motive to struggle for very high very high
Organisation survival overall measurement
with their clients. 2 HKPC born to help raising productivity in high high of the performance of
Table 1 shows a Hong Kong
3 APO regional alliance in upkeeping low medium the business. It is
comparison of the
productivity in industry particularly suitable
characteristics and 4 HKIE (MIE Div.) the only recognised engineering medium high
professional body in Hong Kong to top management or
the short and long
5 Universities involved in education low high corporate investors.
term effectiveness for 6 IIE, SME learned society involvement medium medium However, since it
the various service 7 Consultant Firms business consultation high low
Table 1 Comparison of various service providers involves a number
provides mentioned
above.

of input factors at one time, the contribution by each individual one to

3 Types of Productivity Measures
Productivity is concerned with the effect ive utilisation of
resources (i.e. inputs) in producing goods or services (i.e. output). I t
is a strong indicator of the ability of an organisation to compete with
others. Basically, there are three main types of productivity measures
[3]:
a) Partial Productivity
It is the ratio of output to one class of input; for example, labour
productivity, capital productivity. DHL uses, among others, the
shipments and weight handled per courier per day and revenue
per employee per day as measures under this category.
b) Total-Factor Productivity
It is the ratio of net output to the sum of labour and capital input.
The net output is the total output minus the materials and
services purchased. DHL uses a measure of the net output, and
term it as value added. However the denominator is still the
labour factor. Hence it is not yet a genuine total-factor
productivity measure.
c) Total Productivity
the total system is not easily known.
Different types of productivity measures are suitable for different
organisations and purposes. It is up to the management to pick the
important and relevant ones to use. However the above measures are
based on output in real or physical terms, or are reduced to constant
dollars. The quality of service and the degree of customer satisfaction
have not been mentioned. This will be a big handicap if such factors
are not included in the service scenario. Hence when productivity in
the service industry is considered, more attributes should be examined.
This will be explored in more details in Section 7.
4 Basic Factors Underlying Productivity
To understand productivity it is necessary to understand the
impact of all the basic underlying factors, and examine their
inter-relationship. They need to be managed effectively. These
factors can be classified under external and internal. A schematic
diagram showing all these factors is shown in Figure 1.
External Factors
T he external factors of the above model include (i) Government,
(ii) Industry, (iii) Market Competition, and (iv) Innovations.

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 40

 to work in the same direction towards the same goal and to possess
the same beliefs and values.
The contemporary global trend is in adopting participative
approaches to management and workforce cooperation. Thus, there
should be more positive signs of productivity improvement all
around the World. If the employee is not recognised as the greatest
asset, no amount of sophistication and technological breakthroughs
will be sufficient to bring about overall satisfaction and happiness in
the workplace. As well as employee attitudes, the workers' skills are
also important to the productivity attainment.
Investment in capital assets (e.g. mechanisation, computerisation)
is a major factor in deciding the productivity level. This is moi•e
apparent to those firms having high market share, low product
introduction rate and high capacity utilisation.
The government influences the individual service organisations The plant and process technology includes the level of
by imposing different sets of regulations such as aviation security technology applied, degree of automation, number of internally
ordinance, customs clearing processes, and import/export procedures. developed innovations, and information systems support. All these
Other semi-governmental bodies as well as the concerned franchised become mandatory tools in competing against competitors.
monopolies, such as Occupational Health and Safety Council, Some managers or engineers may think only of lowering labour
Airport Authorities, Air Cargo Terminal, Environmental Protection costs to increase productivity. However, this does not always work
Agency, also affect the industry in general and companies in unless all the basic factors underlying productivity change are
particular via their policy and operating guidelines. examined. In particular, the internal factors that are under the control
Industry regulations are usually derived from association of management should receive the most attention.
standards and established professional practices. The associations 5 Productivity Improvement Techniques
concerned with the air express industry include Hong Kong There are various techniques for productivity improvement.
International Courier Association (HICA), Hong Kong Association Usually they are based on established techniques under operational
of Freight Forwarding Agents (HAFFA), International Air research, industrial engineering, management concept, and
Transport Associations (IATA), International Federation of Freight behavioral science. They can be broadly classified into 5 categories.
Forwarding Associations (FIATA) and Federation of Asia Pacific A. Technology-based techniques - CAD; CAM; robotics;
Aircargo Associations (FAPAA). computer-aided data processing; integrated information
In the long run, market competition will drive all technology system; electronic data interchange (EDI); computer
lowproductivity rivals out of business. In DHL's case, all the graphics; bar code, portable data file (PDF) and smart card
competitors are huge international firms like UPS, Federal Express, technologies.
TNT Skypak and Speedpost. As one may expect, there are a lot of B. People- based techniques- individual & group incentives; job
experts employed by these organisations to boost productiv ity and enrichment, enlargement and rotation; worker participation and
strive to improve performance. empowerment; customer-focused culture; learning curve &
Finally, innovations refer to the application of technical skills training; education & career development; Management
advances and new processes developed outside that particular by Objectives (MBO); Quality Circles; and Zero Defects.
service industry. Technologies on bar code scanning & printing, C. Product (&Service)- based techniques- value engineering;
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) information processing, product standardisation & simplication; rapid product
mobile data capturing, interactive voice response, etc are good protoryping; concurrent engineering; service standards setting;
examples of the innovations that have been applied in the air product/service quality & reliability; customer satisfaction
express industry. evaluation; Activity Based Costing (ABC).
Internal Factors D. Process (& Task)-based techniques - methods engineering;
Internal influences include (i) Management, (ii) Workforce and work measurement; job design; human factors engineering;
Staff, (iii) Investment, and (iv) Plant & Process Technology. While computer simulation; operations scheduling; quality assurance
influence of trade unions is often huge in Western countries, it is & control; Total Quality Management (TQM); time
quite insignificant in the Hong Kong environment. compression; value chain analysis; planned preventive
The role of management in the productivity performance is a maintenance; Business Process Re-engineering (BPR).
major one. Management's role in positively motivating employees,
earning their respect and loyalty (instead of opposition and ill-will),
and developing fair reward systems for performances are important.
Also, the management needs to create a suitable environment and
culture to induce all colleagues

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 41

E Material (& Resource)-based techniques - inventory control,
supply chain cycle; Just -In-Time (JIT); Materials Requirement
Planning (MRP), Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRPII),
materials handling system; material reuse & recycling.
Some of the above techniques are more popular at a given time.
For instance, BPR, MRPII and the TQM are currently quite hot topics.
This does not mean that the others are not important. Rather, it is
matter of the timing and the prevailing needs of the organisation.
Management often approves the installation of a technique
primarily based on a technical or economic feasibility study.
However, the impact of this approved technique on the total
productivity of the organisation is rarely studied. This is why so
many improvement projects fail in the real world situation. Hence, it
is advisable to make sure the chosen technique is truly cost effective
to the entire system.
6 Productivity Benefit Consideration
Traditionally, employees (and unions) have been suspicious of
management's intention to improve productivity because of the
consequences often associated with such improvement. In some
Western companies, labour productivity improvements sometimes
resulted in layoffs, which were unwelcome by the employees. On the
other hand, many other companies reaped the benefits of labour
productivity gains by not hiring new employees when workload
increased, or by letting attrition take care of the excess labour force.
The management, hence, needs to understand this implication and to
deci de how they would allow their employees to share part of the
benefits derived from the productivity improvement. Benefits sharing
is definitely welcome by most employees. However in the long run,
the company should invest more to develop them and improve their
ability for higher level jobs in the future. Management's policy on
employee training and stable job security ought to be well known and
understood within the entire organisation.
While in many cases labour productivity improvement is the
focus of the management and industrial engineers, there may have
been many opportunities to improve material, capital, and other
productivities that were ignored. Even though labour productivity
improvement may occur in an organisation, if the total unit cost of
the product or service is not reduced or if the quality is not improved,
it still cannot be recognised as a true productivity improvement.
Since Unit Price = Unit Cost + Unit Profit , if the total
productivity is improved which leads to a reduced unit cost, then
there will evolve two favourable management strategies.
The first one is to reduce the selling price without sacrificing the
present profit margin. This will benefit the customers and the
organisation because of lower price and ultimately larger market
share. By having a higher volume, more advantages will be
generated via economies of scale. This forms a beneficial circle and
makes the company even more competitive in future. Finally, the
employees of the organisation would also benefit through increases
in real wages or salaries if the company sincerely shares the
productivity gains with the employees.
The second strategy is to obtain an increased profit margin
without reducing the selling price. The shareholders or owners of the
company will benefit through larger dividends on their shares. Also
the company will have a better chance of reinvesting the profits in
new products, services, processes, and joint ventures. In reality, there
can be a mixture of the above two strategies.
As a summary, total productivity improvement in an organisation
can benefit everyone there, and ultimately can extend to the society
and the nation as a whole. Nevertheless the treatment to the
employees after realising the benefits should be carefully considered
to avoid any possible negative impacts.
So far, the basic productivity concept has been studied. In the
following sections, its relationship with Quality and Quality
Excellence will be examined.
7 Quality Consideration in Service Productivity
In simple terms, productivity is the ratio of output to input.
Unfortunately, such a simplistic definition does not tell how to
evaluate different mixes of inputs or outputs unless expressed in
dollars. For example, what ifprice declines due to a competitive
situation so that even an increase in units of output still brings in less
total revenue? Suppose two couriers delivering documents to clients.
Can their productivity be truly compared if the service area coverage
are different? How about two data entry clerks who type roughly the
same number of Air waybills, but have different number of
typographical mistakes?
While it is sometimes difficult to define what to measure, one
suggested approach is to define indices that measure some aspects
of productivity and then to measure the change in those indices over
time.
People should be very conscious of what they are measuring.
Higher output measurement may not be the goal by itself. For
instance, more sales calls or visits may not necessarily result in more
happy customers. Also there should be measures on those customers
who have turned to the competitors due to poor service or other
reasons. These are negative productivities that are usually
overlooked.
Since service quality is experienced after the service process has
already begun, it is usually too late not to buy. Customers may be
disappointed while the service (even a highly productive one) is still
in process. However, it is usually too late to quit. Many customers
thus would tolerate this time, but go somewhere else next time.
Hence quality of service is very important, and deserves higher
priority of the management's attention.
Rather than a simple ratio of output to input, perhaps a discount
factor is needed. This would be multiplied to the original
productivity figure and called `quality level'. The net effect is to
scale down the final productivity figure if the quality level is not
absolutely perfect. This quality level can attain a maximum of 1.
Producing services at a quality level of, say 0.75, means a rejection
of the service by customers a quarter of the times. Alternatively, it
can also mean there is 0.25 chance of losing the business due to poor
quality. Regardless of how the
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 42
figure is interpreted, the end result is to attain a lower productivity
score figure. This method of penalising low quality service is to
draw the attention of management to consider quality together with
the service productivity measures.
Theoretically the lower limit of this quality level can be negative
infinity because of the concept of negative productivities. Actually,
poor service is essentially no service and another unit of service
must be provided again, properly done, and not charged to the
customer. Low quality, because it often leads to repeating the work
of the service, lowers productivity. The customer may also go to the
competitors in the future as a result of disappointment. `Doing it
right first time', even if it sometimes takes a little longer, means not
only higher service productivity but also greater strength in the
market.
8 Quality Excellence and Service Excellence
In this competitive world, service excellence means the ability
to achieve total customer satisfaction. Customers will always come
back to buy the service again and again because it surpasses that of
one's competitiors. Anew term called `Quality Excellence' is
introduced here. It means achieving service excellence via (i)
perfect quality performance, and (ii) sound quality philosophy and
environment.
Achieving quality excellence can be treated as entering the door
to service excellence. There needs to have a quality environment
where all people have a culture of always striving to do things
better; and the ever-rising qualit y level must be on- going for an
indefinite time. There should be an established quality management
system to run the operations of the organisation. Quality is already
built into the product/service and in the processes so that mistakes
or defects are prevented instead of repaired. People concerned will
know and perform exactly what they are expected to do; and
quality is everybody's responsibility.
If excellence in service and quality is achieved without
considering how to effectively and efficiently employ the resources
to make these happen, then it will lead to a disadvantageous
position of losing strength to compete. Hence service productivity
management comes into the picture, which ensures the company is
lean and fit for the fight. Similarly, at DHL it is believed that
excellence of quality and service must have quality at the top of its
list, but it also should include productivity down the lines.
9 Quality Excellence Approach in DHL
In the air express industry, customers are paying a premium to
exchange for faster and more reliable delivery. There are other
cheaper means of transportation or mailing service. In order to
`lock-in' the customers, it has to be better in providing added value
to them. DHL has the biggest global network, all directly-managed
station employees, multiple flights daily, electronic tracing of
shipment status, convenient & flexible shipment pick- up modes,
among other stengths. These are the values customer can get in
addition to the basic fast delivery service.
To achieve higher values, DHL is willing to accept
relatively
low productivity. A compromise is reached between service
productivity and service quality. There are a couple of real cases
demonstrate this compromise, for instance: Morning Dragon
Programme and Retail Express Centres.
Within the DHL's Service Operations Division, the minimum
service quality levels such as punctuality of customer order pick up
and delivery, transit time delay, lost or damaged shipmentare defined.
The various operations managers would lead their respective staff
force to work on the daily routines as well as projects to beat these
quality requirements. At the same time, they need to manage the
productivity improvement (of say, 6% per year for labour-related
ones) by better organising, better planning and applying higher level
of technology.
DHL always wants to assess whether the customers feel that they
are getting the value they want. To achieve this, DHL employs third
party consultants to conduct customer satisfaction surveys on a
regular basis. The aim is to identify the gap between customers'
perception of DHL's service performance and their expectation. Also
they are asked how important they feel about some specific service
attributes. Top priorities are given to those service attributes with
high importance and big gaps. A recent survey indicated that
Personalised Service, Ease of being Contacted, Reliability of Pick Up,
and Accuracy of Information Provided are attributes that needed to be
attended to [4].
Quality programs are then developed based on reducing the gaps.
After these quality plans are laid down, then there are further tasks
required to improve the service productivity. Besides operations
management, there is also a special team of industrial engineers to
help them overcome any technical problems.
10 Measuring and Improving Service Productivity in
DHL
It was mentioned in Section 3 that DHL currently only has very
primitive partial productivity measures like no. of outbound (and
inbound) shipment per courier per day, number of visit points per
courier per day, Total Revenue per Full-TimeEquivalent (=FTE) per
day, Total Moves (Moves = sum of inbound and outbound shipments)
per FTE per day, Total Moves per front line FTE per day and Total
Moves per backoffice FTE per day, and Value Adde d per Employee.
The measures of shipments, visit points, valued added are appropriate
choices since all these relate directly to the revenue and contact with
the customers. While the `quality level' concept suggested in Section
7 has not yet been employed to adjust the existing productivity
measures, DHL is always alert on the movement of quality and
service productivity simultaneously.
Productivity improvement is included as part of the Divisional
objectives, and the operations managers all have the respon sibility to
achieve the targeted levels. A number of techniques mentioned in
Section 5 are being used to help them out. The movement trend of
some selected productivity measures are shown in Figure 2.
There are also other means to help pushing the productivity
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 43
 how a leadership position in the air express industry can be
maintained through service productivity and quality excellence
emphasis.

References
[l] KPMG Management Consultants Ltd., report paper on
"Moving Forward by Adding Value : A study of Productivity
in Hong Kong's Trading Sectors", 1995.

[2] S.K. Chan, "Service Sector Strategies of HKPC", a keynote

speech at the Briefing Meeting on Service Productivity on
January 11, 1996, Hong Kong.
Fig 2 Movement Trend of Selected Service Productivity Measures
[3] D. J. Sumanth, PRODUCTIVITY ENGINEERING AND
up, like the employees suggestion scheme, leadership and skills
MANAGEMENT, McGraw Hill, 1992, pp7.
development programmes, owner couriers' management system and
[4] Strategy Research and Reengineering Group, Inc., "1994
heavyweight incentives programmes.
DHL Customer Satisfaction Survey - Summary of
11 Conclusion Findings", 1994.
In the sections above, the various aspects of productivity have
been discussed. The importance of productivity to the service sector
in Hong Kong is increasing, and there is need to call for more
attention to help it grows faster. There are some service providers in
Hong Kong to enhance productivity awareness, and their
effectiveness are discussed and compared. It is concluded that the
individual organisation's push for productivity improvement is linked
to their struggle against competition. The others are more on a
helpers' role, either to individual service companies or to the Hong
Kong society as a whole.
Some basic concepts like types of productivity, external and
internal factors underlying productivity accomplishment, and
productivity improvement techniques can help readers appreciate the
various aspects of productivity. It has been pointed out that the
choice of improvement techniques ought to be based on the
assessment of impact to the whole system, not only on a partial basis.
With the productivity benefit consi deration, it is demonstrated
how productivity improvement can bring in benefits via different
routes. There is, however, a caution to the management of how to
treat the employees in a'fair' manner.
Quality is important to a service system, and should be
considered together with the productivity. Conceptually, quality
should even deserve a higher priority. A quality level discount factbr
is invented to draw people's attention to quality service. Even there
can be negative productivities. If it has gone wrong first time, it
needs a second (or even third) time service to recover the service
failure.
To view the service system macroscopically, a new term
`Quality Excellence' is introduced which includes quality
performance as well as quality culture. There shoul d be a
compromise between quality and productivity in the system.
Achieving excellent quality will ultimately lead to Service
Excellence.
Finally there are some illustrations on how DHL deploys the
Quality Excellence philosophy and how Service Productivity is
measured and improved. This can help readers appreciate

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 44

 Industrial Engineering Education In Hong Kong
Richard C. WHITFIELD
Department of Manufacturing Engineering
City University of Hong Kong
Abstract
This paper looks at the recent development of a BSc (Hons) in
Industrial Engineering & Engineering Management degree course in
Hong Kong. The need for the course and its design are both
considered.
1 The Need for the Degree
We are all familiar with the changes occurring in the Hong Kong
economy, which are largely due to China's Open Door Policy, but
we sometimes forget the scale and nature of these changes and their
implications on future industrial demand for well qualified technical
professionals. Because these professionals are our `products',
universities must bear these changes in mind and react to them
positiv ely by changing their course offerings.
Some Changes in the Hong Kong Economy
Historically, Hong Kong has been a successful entrepreneur for
trade with China that has allowed free and unfettered transfer of
goods, capital and people. In Hong Kong, manufacturing was
founded in the early 1950s on a large influx of capital and skilled
labour from China. Over the next thirty years, very strong growth in
manufacturing was sustained by the free flow of capital and goods
through the Territory, comparative political stability, a good port
and other infrastructure, strong financial services and
English-speaking skills, and a steady stream of cheap labour from
China. With the opening up of China since the late 1970s, Hong
Kong's entrepreneur role has re-established itself. It is now a very
important conduit for materials and goods flowing in and out of
China, and for capital investment going into China and profits being
repatriated from China. This time, though, many of the factories that
have sprung up are owned and operated by Hong Kong companies.
Many of us have friends or relatives who owned small
companies in Hong Kong in the 1970s that employed 10-20 people,
and that now employ 100-200 people in factories located in
Southern China. Some of us also know entreprene urs that started
business with a degree, some overseas contacts and some ideas in
the early 1980s and who now have flourishing businesses with
factories in China that export products to the world through Hong
Kong. This anecdotal evidence is well supported by the statistics,
but we sometimes forget the scale of the changes. At its peak in
1985, the manufacturing sector in Hong Kong employed around
900,000 people, but it is estimated that Hong Kong manufacturers
now employ nearly 5,000,000 people in Hong Kong, China and
elsewhere. This is a dramatic increase, but the people employed by
these organizations within Hong Kong are now mostly
professionals of various kinds, and not factory workers, and
demand for these professionals is rising. We should also remember
that Hong Kong based investment in Guangdong Province had risen
from US$12.5 billion in 1990 to US$87 billion in 1994 (which is
over 70% of all foreign investment in the region), and that the value
of goods re-exported through Hong Kong had grown from HK$30
billion in 1980 to HK$948 billion in 1994.
Alongside the decline in direct manufacturing during the 1980s
and into the 1990s there has been strong growth in the services
sectors of Hong Kong's economy. For instance, the proportion of the
workforce involved in the service sector went up from 41% in 1971,
to 47% in 1981, and 63% in 1991, and within the service sector the
strongest labour growth has been among clerical and related workers,
professionals, technical and related workers and administrative and
managerial workers. These others sectors of Hong Kong's economy
are also getting more technically sophisticated. For example, all of us
are aware of the changes to our daily life brought about by the likes
of personal computers, telephone banking, EFTPOS terminals, and
the MTR, but we forget the number of technical professionals needed
to support these facilities. Looking at the goods imported for local
consumption, the growth areas in recent years have been consumer
and capital goods, and this inflow of capital goods is very important
because it reflects the increasingly capital- intensive nature of work in
both the manufacturing and services sectors of Hong Kong's
economy.
Finally, as well as becoming more technologically sophisticated
in terms of both their products and services and the ways they
operate their businesses, Hong Kong companies are also becoming
much more quality conscious. It is becoming generally accepted
locally that quality is a key issue to compete internationally,
especially in European and local markets. Quality concerns are
having a major impact, and this general quality trend is well
illustrated by the fact that more than 488 Hong Kong companies had
been certified to ISO 9000 by the end of 1994 by the four major
third-party registration bodies. These changes are altering the skills
and attitudes demanded of the workforce by employers, and is
stimulating the demand for employees that are quality conscious and
proactive in seeking improvements, and that have good problem
solving skills.
The Kind of Graduate Required
The changing Hong Kong situation is increasing the local
demand for engineers that understand and can plan, design and
operate technologically oriented service systems for all sectors of the
economy. Within this context a broad understanding of operational
and strategic issues and their interrelationships is critically important.
Similarly, recognizing and managing the effects of technological
change over the life cycle of service systems is crucial.
To compete effectively an d efficiently on a global basis, Hong
Kong companies must integrate their service systems with strategic
corporate goals. The products and services they offer by must match
market needs and evolve with changing requirements. Similarly, the
ways in which these products and services are made and delivered
must be efficient and capitalize on available and emerging
technologies. They must also use human, capital and other resources
productively. Graduates should have a basic understanding of these
key issues and concerns.
To produce the products and services that world markets demand,
companies must know how to assess customer requirements,
translate them into effective product and service
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 45
designs, and implement efficient systems to deliver them to
customers. It is important that graduates should understand the value
of process planning, effective use of new technologies, design and
manufacturing interrelationships, financial appraisals and human
factors in the design of products and services. They should also
understand and know how to implement efficient new product
development processes, such as Concurrent Engineering and Quality
Function Deployment. All this naturally involves teamwork within
the organization, and also with suppliers and customers. It also
involves addressing major societal issues, including health, safety
and environmental impact.
Graduates must be able to effectively contribute to the shop floor
and work room control systems. This means ensuring that
performance goals and measures are established and aligned with
corporate strategies. They must have a fundamental understanding of
the issues in running the technically oriented aspects of a business
from the day-to-day operational to the strategic levels. Graduates
must be able to deal with the detailed industrial engineering concerns
and general management issues within this technical context. This
means that they should be able to conceptualize, analyse and
synthesize industrial systems and implement them efficiently.
This emphasis on systems, and the integration of people and
technology and the alignment of work with business goals is
characteristic of the disciplines of Industrial Engineering and
Engineering Management.
2 Design of the Course
At the heart of any vocational degree course design is a
judgement of the kind of careers students are being prepared for, and
the principles followed to guide how students acquire the knowledge,
skills and behaviours they must have to be successful in their
subsequent careers.
Graduate Career Destinations
It is expected that graduates will find careers in a broad range of
industries, from manufacturing through consulting, construction and
the wholesale/retail trade to government and financial institutions,
where the work of people needs to be efficiently organized and
managed, particularly when the workforce needs to closely deal with
hardware and software technologies. Examples include facilities
layout and production planning in a manufacturing company,
coordinating and organizing maintenance activities and
implementing new automation on the workroom floor in the postal
service, design of information displays and associated load
management procedures for systems that are controlled real-time for
a power utility, setting manpower requirements and schedules in a
hospital, capacity utilization and scheduling of different aircraft over
all routes in the airline industry, voice and data communications
network planning for financial inst itutions, and consulting to
organizations to help them strategically plan the development of
their distribution network and warehouse locations and shipping
plans.
Design Principles
For success in their future careers graduates need
development of their abilities to design and operate engineering and
industrial systems. They also need strengthening of their knowledge
of various services at both the grassroots and strategic levels.
Nonetheless, it must be recognized that the course is a first degree
aimed for younger people just beginning their work careers so that
they may not have the working background to fully appreciate
strategic corporate concerns and will initially be working at more
operational levels within organizations.
Thus the knowledge and skills imparted in the course are very
much intended to be broadly based and generically applicable, and it
is hoped that graduates will have great flexibility in their future
career choices. The course content must bear this in mind and
prepare graduates for careers in the technology related areas of a
wide spectrum of industries, including manufacturing, engineering
and other services.
Fig 1 Main Function Blocks in the BSc (lions) IE&EM
Another critical issue related to the varied potential career
destinations of the graduate is that by the time they graduate they
must be independent and self-motivated learners. While it is
impossible to cover all eventualities, the course content must permit
students to stream their own learning to suit their unique interests
and career aspirations. It must also especially emphasize independent
and self-motivated work and career planning. This is best achieved
through the flexible and adequate provision of electives.
In many ways, and in many respects, both Industrial Engineering
and Engineering Management are very pragmatic and task focused.
This means that graduate must have developed an aptitude for action
and this is best developed through a balance between theoretical
studies and practical skills development, with a main focus on
integrated understanding and application of the taught material.
The more concrete aspects of Industrial Engineering that focus
on the operational levels of organizations will be the most familiar
and easily understood by students when they first enter the course
and so the beginning years should be biased toward Industrial
Engineering and later years should be biased toward Engineering
Management, as the students mature in their understanding of the
discipline. Also, there is essential
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 46
foundation material that must be covered at the very beginning of
the course. Then, an understanding of relevant technological
principles must build on this foundation material and in turn provide
a basis for understanding more specific Industrial Engineering and
Engineering Management concepts and their application in practice.
Finally, to cap off the course it is essential that students effectively
integrate all that they have learnt if they are to be effective in their
subsequent working careers.
All this thinking is summarized in Figure 1. The Foundation and
Technology Blocks are covered early in the course and lead to
Blocks in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management.
Knowledge in these many areas is finally drawn together and
integrated in the final years, in the Integration Block.
Throughout their working careers, graduates from the course
will be vitally concerned with how technologically oriented
businesses are organized, and working in multi- disciplinary teams
to analyse and improve the ways that they operate. Effectively
communicating their ideas within work teams and throughout the
organization are also essential aspects of the graduates' work.
Therefore the Foundation Block includes modules covering an
understanding of business struc tures and operations, mathematical
and statistically based concepts and techniques for business analysis
and decision-making, computer and information systems- based
approaches to organizing, analysing and distributing data, and
communications skills as the essential foundation to the course.
This set of core foundation modules also aligns with the curricula
adopted for similar courses in well known universities around the
world.
to develop these areas of knowledge and skills are in the
Engineering Management Block in the course.
By their nature Industrial Engineering and Engineering
Management are multi-disciplinary, and draw on a very broad
spectrum of knowledge and skills. To be effective in their future
careers, graduates must have a broad perspective and take flexible
and proactive problem-solving approaches to their work. Using a
simulated working environment style, the Integration Block modules
instill these attributes in students and draw together the many strands
of knowledge and expertise learnt throughout their studies.
3 Conclusion
Hong Kong is now experiencing a major economic transition
and naturally this is influencing all aspects of the society, including
universities. A major impact is a fundamental change in the skills
inventory required of the engineering workforce. In particular, there
is a substantially increasing need for graduates skilled in the
disciplines of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management.
While Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management have
many commonalities, there are important differences between them.
The future of Hong Kong demands engineers with a blend of the two.
Acknowledgments
The contributions of the members of the Course Planning Team to
the course development and their comments on this paper are greatly
appreciated.

As mentioned earlier, graduates must have an appreciation and

broad understanding of the capabilities and limitations of important
technologies to build on the foundation modules and link them to
operational practices in the design and development of products and
services. This material is covered in the Technology Block. While it
is recognized that students will not often be involved in the design
of heavily hardware- based technological products, they must be
able to develop systems that use technological products as basic
building blocks. Therefore, they need to be introduced to the
principles and applications of mechanical, electrical, production and
other systems.

Once students have the firm foundation in basic concepts of

business, problem solving and systems that they receive in the
Foundation and Technology Blocks, they can focus on the more
concrete and practical issues and concerns considered in the
Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management Blocks. On
the Industrial Engineering side, the graduates are more concerned
with the operational planning, design and control of engineering
activities. For this reason the Industrial Engineering Block in Table
1 includes modules on production and operations planning, work
design and human factors, and management of operational activities.
Similarly, on the Engineering Management side, graduates are more
concerned with financial matters, the strategic development of
products, services and systems that meet business goals, operational
performance measurement and improvement, organizing and
managing projects, and motivational, leadership and training issues
for staff. Modules

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 47

MR AU ALDOUS
ENGINEER
MACOSTAR INTERNATION LTD
MRAUWAIKEUNG
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
MR AUYUE MAN
DEMONSTRATOR
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR BALLROGERHAL
VICE-PRESIDENT
NIAGARA ASIAPACIFIC
MR CHAKCHI KIN, PETER
MANAGER DEALER & APPLIANCE SALES
HONG KONG AND CHINA GAS CO LTD
MR CHAK CHI WAI, PHILIP
CONSULTANT
HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL
MR CHANCHEE-KAY, LEANDER
MR CHANCHEUKYAN
ENGINEERING MANAGER
MOTOROLA SEMICONDUCTORS HK LTD
MR CHAN CHI KWONG, BEN
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
MR CHAN CHI WAI
MR CHAN CHIT MING, ANDREW
MR CHANCHIU KIT
MR CHANCHUENMING
RESEARCH STUDENT
UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR. CHAN CHUNG MAN
DR CHAN HOI SHOU, ALAN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR,CHAN HON HIT
MR CHAN K. FOX
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MR CHAN KIN FLING
QUALITY ENGINEER
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MRCHANKIN-YEE,KIIVIBERLY
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PROJECT ENGINEER
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SENIOR SALES ENGINEER SUMIDA - HMG (TACTSON)
YEUNG ELECTRIC LTD
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MR CHAU SIU FAN, RAYMOND
MS. CHAN LIT-YEE, LILLIAN MANAGER
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT (ACTING)
HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL MR CHAUYIUCHUNG
PROJECT ENGINEERING MANAGER
MS. CHAN MAN-YING IRIS SAE MAGNETICS (HK) LTD
MANUAL COMPILER
MASS TRANSIT RAIL YWAY CORPORATION MR CHAW CHI CHIIEN
MANUFACTURING SUPPORT MANAGER
MR CHAN SAI KEUNG, SAMMY
ASM ASSEMBLY AUTOMATION
MANAGING DIRECTOR
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ASSOCIATED WILTSHIRE
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MS. CHAN SAU NGA MANAGING DIRECTOR
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MR CHAN SIN WING MR CHENG KA HO
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT MR CHENG KIN PING, JAMES
PRESIDENT
HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL ME YER ALUMINIUM LTD
MS. CHAN SIU MEI
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MANAGER
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ENGINEER MR CHENG SIU LUN
ASSISTANT QC MANAGER
GREYLAND TRADING LTD CATALINA ASIA
MR CHAN TIN YUNG PROF. CHENG TAI CHILI, EDWIN
VICE-PRESIDENT (RESEARCH &
MR CHAN WAI BONG POSTGRADUATE
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
VITELIC (HK) LTD
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MR CHAN WAI CHI MR CHENG TING PONG, VINCENT
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT SENIOR PLANNING OFFICER
HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & CA THAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LTD
TECHNOLOGY
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MANAGING DIRECTOR TEACHING COMPANY ASSOCIATE
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MS. CHAN WAI SUM, CONNIE MR CHEUNG CHI SING
SENIOR PROJECT OFFICER
HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS
LTD
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 48
MR CHEUNG CHUN CHUNG MR CHIUYEUNG HUI MR CHU WING LEE
PRODUCTION MANAGER MR CHUIYIUCHO

OUTBOARD MARINE CORPORATION ASIA MR CHOI YUET SHING, ERIC MR CHUN PING FAI
O&M PROJECT EXECUTIVE
LTD HONGKONG TELECOM ENGINEERING DIRECTOR
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PRODUCTION MANAGER
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PRODUCTS LTD PRODUCTION ENGINEER
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SYLVA INDUSTRIES LIMITED
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MANAGING DIRECTOR MR CHUNG FUK LUN, ALLEN
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AGENCY MR CHOW PUI YIN
PRODUCTION ENGINEER DEMONSTRATOR I
MRCHEUNGKW OKLEUNG
MR CHOW SAI LUN, FERGUS CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
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MS. CHEUNG SAU KAN MR CHUNG KIM H.
MR CHOW SAU WAI DATA QUALITY AUDITOR
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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MR CIIING MING TAT, LOUIS GENERAL MANAGER

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GENERAL MANAGER QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER
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1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 49

MR FLING PING WAI MR IP WING PO, PAUL MR LAI WAI HUNG ANDY
FACTORY MANAGER ASSESSOR
MR FLING SUI TSAN HONG KONG FUJIDENKI CO LTD UL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG DR JI PING MR LAM CHI LUN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MR LAM CHI PANG
MR FLING TAKKIN
VICE-GENERAL MANAGER HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
SALES MANAGER
ITALI DECORATIVE BLDG MATERIAL CO MS. KAM SAU LAI
LTD MR LAM CHUN SHING

MR FLING WAIKIN MR LAMCHUNYU

MR KANYEE YIN MR LAM CHUNG SANG PAUL
MR HAUHING LUNG, HENRY
MANAGER, SERVICE ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGER
FEDERAL EXPRESS
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MS. HO CHAD FONG MANAGER MS. LAM KA MAN DIONNE
TREASURY MANAGEMENT INTL
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TOTAL QUALITY MANAGER
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MR HO KEUNG, RAYMOND

MR HO MAN KEUNG, KELVIN ASSISTANT ENGINEER

MR HO SAU CHILI MR LAM PING

MR KWOK CHI KIN SAMUEL INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS
MR KWOKKUN CHUN MR LAM SIU TONG
DUNWELL INDUSTRIAL (HOLDINGS) LTD PROGRAM MANAGER
MR HO WOO H. MR KWOKLEUNG BUTS, ALBERT
MR LAM SIU YIN
MR HOYIUFAI MR HO YIU WA INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
DIRECTOR
MR HON KAM BENG MR LAM SUI CHEONG
HARBONA LTD QUALITY ASSURANCE ENGINEER
PRESIDENT FLING ELECTRONIC MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION
PRODUCTS LTD MR KWOKLO CHING
MR LAM WAI KEUNG
MR HUANG CHENG JI, GEORGE
MR KWOKTAKKI LECTURER
GENERAL MANAGER NOVA ENTERPRISES
HONG KONG TECHNICAL COLLEGE
COMPANY MR KWOK WAI YIP
(TSING YI)
MR HUI CHUNG MING,ALBERT MS. KWOK W UN SHAN FEMME
MR LAM WAI YIP
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR KWONG HO CHING MR LAM WING KONG
MR HUIYAN WING
MR LAM WUI SUEN, PATRICK
MR LAICHEUKMAN
MR HUNG CHEUNG YUN MR LAM Y.F. SAMSON
MANAGER, IND. CENTER
HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY MR LAI CHI HOO PROCESS ENGINEER

MOTOROLA SEMICONDUCTORS HK LTD

MR HUNGFAI MR LAI CHUN YU BERT

MR LAIKWOKMING MR LAMYATCHING

MR LAM YUI CHI

MR LAI POK LAI

MR LAITAKKIN

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 50

MR. LAU CHI SING MR LEE PO CHEUNG, PATRICK MR LEUNG PING SUM, EDMOND
ADVANCE MANUFACTURING ENGINEER
MAXTOR (HONG KONG) LTD MR LEE POK YU PROJECT MANAGER

MR LAU CHI WING MR LEE SAI HIT, IVAN HK INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS LTD

ENGINEER MR LEUNG SAU TUN

MR LAU CHUHIN, OTA MR LEUNG SIN MAN
PROJECT ENGINEER MR LEE SHEK HO
ARGEAL DIECASTING & PLASTIC FTY LTD SENIOR QUALITY ENGINEER MR LEUNG SIU CHUNG
SOABAR SYSTEMS HONG KONG BV
MR LAUHO CHUEN MR LEUNG TAT MING
ASSISTANT MANAGING DIRECTOR MS. LEE SHUK YEE, WENDY
HUNG NIEN ELECTRONICS LTD DIRECTOR
SYSTEM MANAGER

MR LAU SHU KWONG MR LEUNG TIT SHU

MR LEE TAK
ASST LECTURER
ENGINEER
LEE WAI LEE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
DR LAU TING LAI
LECTURER MR LEUNG WAI CHOR
MR LEE WING HO
UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER
ACEFIELD LTD
MS. LAUYUCH LAM MR LEE YAT ON
SENIOR O & M PROJECT EXECUTIVE MR LEUNG WAI CHUNG
HONGKONG TELECOM
MR LAW CHI SING
MECHINCAL ENGINEER MR LEUNG WAI LUN
MR LEE YINMING
LEE KUM KEE CO LTD ASST MANAGING DIRECTOR
SHUN HING ELECTRIC SERVICE CENTRE
MR LAW HANG WAI LTD
MR LEE YING CHOON
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ENGINEERING MANAGER
MR LI CHEONG FAI, FREDERICK
MARCO HOME PRODUCTS LTD
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG FACTORY MANAGER
MR LEI SHUN MAN OUTBOARD MARINE CORPORATION ASIA
MR LAW KELVIN LTD
TECHNICAL MANAGER - CHINA DEPT
MR LAW SUI TIN DAVE CHEMATCO LTD
MR LI CHUN FAI
MR LAW VICTOR K. MR LEUNG ALAN Y

PROGRAMMER QUALITY SYSTEM MANAGER MR LI KAI FUNG

BEL FUSE LTD SIMULATION APPLICATION CONSULTANT
MR. LAW WAI HUNG STRUCTSOLVE SOFTWARE COMPANY
MR LEUNG CHEUK SUN
TECHNICAL SUPPORT ENGINEER MR LI KING HO
MR LEUNG CHI CHIU
MR LAW YIU CHUNG
MR LEUNG CHI TUNG MS. LIMPING WAICHERRY
MRLEECHIFAI
MR LEUNG CHUNG, CHRISTOPHER MANAGER, LARGE ACCOUNTS
MRLEECHUNGLEUNG DEUTSCHE TELEKOM ASIA PTE LTD HK
SENIOR PURCHASING OFFICER BRANCH
PRODUCTION ENGINEER
LAM SOON MARKETING LTD MR LINFUHUA
SYLVA INDUSTRIES LIMITED PHD STUDENT
MR LEUNG ERNEST HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE &
MR LEE JOHN ELLY ASST MARKETING MANAGER TECHNOLOGY
MR LEE KA HING
MR LEUNG FUKTAKJOSEPH MR LING KOON WAH
MR LEE KAM MAN ASSISTANT FACTORY MANAGER
GOLIK METAL INDUSTRIAL CO LTD
MR LEEKIN MING DR LIU JI YIN
MR LEUNG KIN SHING LECTURER
MR LEE KWOK ON, ANDY GENERAL MANAGER HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE &
SCHWARTZ INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
QUALITY SYSTEM ENGINEER LTD
MR LIU KAI MING
HUNG NIEN ELECTRIC MR LEUNG MAN KI
RESEARCH ASSISTANT MR LIU PO SHING EDDIE
MR LEENGAIKEUNG CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

MS.LEENGARYEE

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 51

MS. LIU SHUI LING MR NG CHI KWONG EDDIE MR POON CHEUNG
QUALITY OFFICER SENIOR ENGINEER I - DOMESTIC
ASSOCIATED ENGINEERS LTD PROJECT INS MS. POON DONNA
THE HONG KONG & CHINA GAS COMPANY ASSOCIATE PROCESS ENGINEER
MS. LIU YUCH LAM LTD
MR POON KA KWAI
MR NG KAM CHUEN
LECTURER
MR LO BRIAN
ASST MANAGER INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

MR LO CHEE PU MR NG KING YING, STANLEY MR POON KA MAN

GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS
ASSOCIATED ENGINEERS LTD
MRLOKWOKHING
SENIOR FACTORY MANAGER
MR NG KIT CHONG, JOHNNY MR POON LOK HANG
MR NG MAN FAI MR PUN CHE HANG, GEORGE
DHL INTERNATIONAL LTD
MR NG SIU YU

MR NG SUI WONG, BRIAN MR PUN KIT FAI

MR LO KWONG KAY, ERIC
UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT LECTURER
MS. NG SUK MEI CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR LO TIN YAN, STEPHEN

MR LO WAI KAI MR NG TAI YAU MR SHIU KOON HUNG

ASSISTANT INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
MR LO YING TONG LECTURER SAN MIGUEL BREWERY LTD

SENIOR ENGINEER HK TECHNICAL COLLEGE (TSING YI) MR SIN KWONG CHUEN

QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER
MR LOK CHUM SING MR NG TAT LUN
DESIGN ENGINEER MANAGING DIRECTOR MS. SIN MAN CHI
SONCA PRODUCTS LTD
MR SIU HAK PING
MS. LUI ISABELLA
MR NG WAIKEUNG ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
FTB TOOLING & ENGINEERING LTD
MR. NG YING YEUNG PATRICK
MR LUKHOI SHAN, STANLEY
MARKETING DIRECTOR . MR SIU TUNG HUNG
PROJECT MANAGER
BUXWAYLTD PLANT MANAGER
MR NG YIU SAN STANLEY GIANT ELECTRONICS LTD
MR LUKTEILEWIS
MR NGAI SHI SHING MR SO CHING POH
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HARBOUR RING INTERNATIONAL MR NGAN KAI TAI MR SO HING WA
LECTURER
HOLDINGS LTD SECTION MANAGER
MR SO KWOK FAI, EDMOND
MR LUXIMONAMEERSING MS. OGUZ CEYDA
MR MA MAN WAI LECTURER DR SO RICHARD
HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
MR MA PO NING HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE &
MR PANG CHI CHUNG SAMSON TECHNOOGY
MR MAYUI CHUNG ENGINEERING DIRECTOR
FAR EAST ALUMINIUM HOLDINGS LTD MR SO SUNNY
MR MAK KA HI
MR PANG KING WAH PRODUCTION ENGINEER
MR MAK WAI WING

DR MIZE JOE H. BENELUX MANUFACTURING LTD

PROF. PATRI K V
REGENTS PROFESSOR HEAD, DEPT. OF MANU ENGG. MR SOONG CHI KONG
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & MR. SUEN L. HIM
TECHNOLOGY MR PO SIU HUNG
MR SUM CHIK KAU
MS. MO LEE LING
MR PONG JOEY K H MR SUN CHI HANG
MR MOKPETER, Y.F.
MANAGER, TECHNOLOGICAL SERVICES SYSTEM ENGINEER
HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY MR PONG KING CHUNG MS. SZE MAN TING

MR NG CHI KEI

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 52

MR SZE WAI PAN
MANAGER
MR TAM ARTHUR KWONG CHUEN
SENIOR ENGINEER 1
HONG KONG AND CHINA GAS CO LTD
MR TAMKITHANG
MR TAM SIU LIN
ASST MANAGER
HONGKONG TELECOM INTERNATIONAL
MR TAM WING KIN LAURENCE
PROGRAM MANAGER
MAXTOR (HONG KONG) LTD
MR TAN SHUI YIU, TERRY
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
S-MEGGA TELCOMMUNICATION LTD
MR TAN TAK LIONG
KIM FORTUNE BUSINESS SYSTEM CO
MR TANG KAMMING
SECTION HEAD
ASA T LTD
MR TANG KUI NIN
MR TANG MAN CHID
MR TAO KIN WAI
MR TIN YIU CHUNG, KEN
SENIOR MANUFACTURING ENGINEER
MAXTOR (HONG KONG) LTD
MRTINGPINGKAM
MR TING WING YIU, GARY
MR TOFEIYU
MR TONG AARON
SENIOR CONSULTANT/ M D
TQM CONSULTANTS CO LTD
MS. TONG HANG FA
MR TONG WAI SING RICKY
MR TSANG ANDREW
DEVELOPMENT QUALITY ENGINEER
WHIRLPOOL SMC MICROWAVE
MR TSANG CHID WAH
MR TSANG CHUN KONG, SIMON
REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR
TEKTRONIX HK LTD
MR TSANG CHUM LUN
MR TSANG RING CHOI MR WONG CHI HO
PRINCIPAL LECTURER
HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY MR WONG CHO F.
MR WONG EDDY K W
MR TSANG HING KAI
OPERATIONS MANAGER
MR TSANG MING CHUNG RICHARD GROUP SENSE LTD
PRODUCTION MANAGER
MR WONG HIN FU
SEASON IND LTD RESEARCH STUDENT
MR TSANG SUM MIEN, JASON CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR TSANG WAI KIT MR WONG HO-CHING, CHRIS
MR TSE CHUM FAI DIRECTOR, INDUSTRIAL CENTRE
PURCHASING OFFICER HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
ELEC & ELTEK COMPANY LTD
MR WONG HONG NANG
MR TSE PETER
MR WONG KA LUN
LECTURER
MR WONG KA YIN
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR WONG KAI CHIU
MR TSE PING HUNG, KEVIN
MR WONG KAI WING VICTOR
MR TSE TZE WAI
MR WONG KAI YAN
MR TSE WAI KEUNG
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
MS. TSE WAILING, LINDA
DHL INTERNATIONAL (HK) LTD
MR TSE WAI PONG
MR WONG KAM CHONG
MR TSE WING HONG
MR WONG KAM WING
MECHANICAL ENGINEER I
MR WONG KAM WING
GROUP SENSE LTD
OPERATIONS MANAGER
MR TSE WOON KWAN PHILIPS HONG KONG LTD - LCD FACTORY
MR WONG KIN MING
PROF. TSENG MITCHELL M.
DEPT HEAD, IND. ENG. & ENG. MGT. MANAGING DIRECTOR
HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE &
MR WONG KIN YIP
TECHNOLOGY
MR WONG KING PUN
DR TUYILIU
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HK MR WONG KWOK CHI
MR WONG KWONG WAI
DR TUMMALA V. M. RAO
UNIVERSITY SENIOR LECTURER ENGINEER
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR WONG MAN SHEUNG, SUNNY
MR WA WAI HING
OPERATION DIRECTOR
WISE OPTOTECH LTD
DR WANG JUN
MR WONG MING FAI
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
KONG DUNWELL INDUSTRIAL (HOLDINGS) LTD
MR WONG MO FAI
DR WHITFIELDRICHARD MR WONG SAI KEI
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR WONG CHI CHIU
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 53
MR WONG SHUN LEUNG
OPERATIONAL RESEARCH ANALYST
PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY
MR WONG SIU KEI, WILLIAM
TECHNICAL OFFICER
MR WONG SIU YUE
MR WONG SZE WAN
MR WONG WING KEUNG
MR WONG WING LIN
MR WOO CHI FAI
MR YAMEDDIE
MOTOROLA SEMICONDUCTORS HK LTD
MR YAM WING WA
LECTURER
HONG KONG TECHNICAL COLLEGE
(TSING YI)
MR YAN SIU WAI
MANAGING DIRECTOR
ACR EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES LTD
MR YANG DAVID
MANAGING DIRECTOR
DAINIPPON SCREEN LTD
MR YAUMUN CHU
MR YAU SHING TUNG FRANKIE
MR YAU SIUPING, CLIVE
MR YAUN CHI KIT
MR YEE WAI CHOY
DR YEN BENJAMIN PING-CHANG
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
HK UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY
MR YEUNG CHAK SZE, TERRY
USER LIAISON OFFICER
GUARDIAN ROYAL EXCHANGE (ASIA) LTD
MR YEUNG CHEONG LEUNG ANDY
RESEARCH ASSISTANT 1
THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR YEUNG CHI LING, CLEMENT
MS. YEUNG CHIT
MR YEUNG MAN KAM ALBERT
MR YEUNG WAI KIN, KEITH
MR YEUNG YUE MING MR YUEN WAI HUNG
QUALITY ENGINEER
AIRPORT AUTHORITY HK
MR YICK CHI MING, FRANKIE
DIRECTOR & GENERAL MANAGER MRYUENYATLAM
WHARF TRANSPORT INVESTMENT LTD CHIEF TECHNICIAN
THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC
MR YIMCHIKEUNG UNIVERSITY
SENIOR LECTURER
TUEN MUN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE MS. YUNG Y.S. DANNIE
PROCUREMENT MANAGER
MR YIM KING CHID, BENNY
MANAGER PROCESS DEVELOPMENT MS. ZHOU YAN QING
STANDARD CHARTERED EQUITOR GROUP Ph. D STUDENT
LTD UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR YIMKING LUN
DAH CHONG HONG (MSG) LTD
MR YIPHING FAI DEVIL
PHD STUDENT
UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR YIP HO KWAN, HOWARD
ACCOUNT MANAGER
HONGKONG TCSL MOBILE
MR YIP PO LUN
MR YIP PUI SHING
TOOLING MANAGER
MC PACKAGING (HK) LTD
MS. YIP YUK SHAN, DELLA
PROCUREMENT ENGINEER
MOTOROLA SEMICONDUCTORS HK LTD
MR YIU CHI KONG
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
RAIDER MOTOR CORP
MR YIU CHIKYING
SYSTEM ENG. SERVICES MANAGER
MEYER ALUMINIUM LTD
MR YU KAM CHEONG, NELSON
MANAGER
AIR QUALITY SERVICES LTD
MR YU SZE YEUNG, JACK
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
VITELIC (HK) LTD
MR YUE CHI WAI
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING OFFICER
MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION
MR YUENCHEUKFAI
DEMONSTRATOR I
CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
MR YUENCHIFUNGTERENCE
ASSOCIATE ENGINEER
MR YUEN CHIMING
ENGINEER MANAGER
1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 54
ABB CEAG HKCPS
ACE MOLD CO LTD
ACEFIELD LTD
ACR EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES LTD
ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTORASSEMBLY TECH LTD
AIR QUALITY SERVICES LTD
AIRPORT AUTHORITY HK
ALCO ELECTRONICS LTD
ALPHA METALS
AM TOOL
ANDREW CORPORATION
ANEX ELECTRIC CO LTD
APAC INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD.
ARGEAL DIECASTING & PLASTIC FTY LTD
ARTIN INDUSTRIAL CO LTD
ASAT LTD
ASM ASSEMBLY AUTOMATION LTD
ASM PACIFIC TECHNOLOGY LTD
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AUTOMATIC MANUFACTURING LTD
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1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 55
LITECRAFT ELECTRICAL & METAL MFG LTD TELEAN TECHNOLOGY LTD
LJN TOYS (HK) LTD TNT EXPRESS WORLDWIDE CO LTD
LMH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD TOPFINE MACHINERY CO
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LUKS INDUSTRIAL CO LTD TREASURY MANAGEMENT INTL
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SWIRE TECHNOLOGIES LTD
SYLVA INDUSTRIES LIMITED
TEKTRONIX HK LTD

1996-97 Annual Journal of IIE (HK) 56