Formalization of life-cycle data management of engineered-to-order components using advanced tracking technologies

In construction supply chains, management of engineered-to-order (ETO) components and the related information is challenging. ETO components are highly customized, have long lead times, and usually on the critical path in the construction schedules. Therefore, ETO components and related component information need to be tracked individually in a supply chain, and this information should be easily available for the participants of an ETO supply chain for effective planning, production and maintenance. Current approaches mostly use labor-intensive methods to record and exchange component-related information and result in unreliable or incomplete information. Advanced tracking technologies, such as radio frequency identification, can enable streamlined information flow by storing some component-related information on the component and communicating this information to different parties as the component flows in the supply chain. Using advanced tracking technologies, components will become intelligent knowing their identities, handling, storage and installation instructions, and histories, and communicate this information to different databases on an as needed basis. However, in order to utilize these technologies, information items and their flow patterns need to be formalized so that requirements for data flow can be derived, and appropriate mechanisms and technologies to support such processes can be identified. In this research, to identify information flow patterns for ETO components, I focused on precast concrete supply chains, and formalized flow of information related to precast components through post-design phases in a supply chain. Based on the identified information flow pattern, I selected two types of components, precast concrete components and fire valves, and focused on two different phases; manufacturing phase and operations and maintenance phase. For those two component types, I identified the requirements and corresponding approaches needed for technology deployment and testing under two different settings in a construction supply chain towards the achievement of my grand vision. I validated the information flow patterns by two descriptive case studies. The requirements and reasoning mechanisms identified for locating precast components was validated with a field test, and the requirements identified for tracking fire valves and their histories were validated with a longevity test.