Operational Methods for Production and Logistics (OMPL)

The mission of our group Operational Methods for Production and Logistics (OMPL) is to conduct high-quality interdisciplinary research and education embedded at international, national and university level in the general area of Operations Management.

Operations Management refers to the control of operational processes. Operational processes convert inputs (materials, information) into outputs (products, services, information) embedded in a transformation system that consists of an organized set of equipment, information systems, and people within a workspace. Operational processes are the primary processes in both discrete and continuous manufacturing, financial and information services, multi-level, multi-modal distribution and transport organizations, and health care organizations.

Choosing to study the performance of operational processes requires a multidisciplinary input as well as a disciplinary body of knowledge, expressed in terms of methodologies, theories, models, and tools. The analysis of operational processes is based on a firm scientific basis, which means that principles for the design of operational processes can be developed. This implies that our research has, to some extent, an engineering focus, yielding research methodologies, theories, models, and tools for the effective and efficient design of operational processes.

The effectiveness of an operational process can typically be measured against the time and quality goals set out above, whereas the efficiency of an operational process relates to the cost goals. The setting of goals implies, in itself, that control of operational processes is required to achieve them. Our research emphasizes the control of operational processes, whether these are automated or involve human activity. The control process itself is also considered to be an operational process that requires in-depth study from both a scientific mono-disciplinary perspective, and from an engineering multidisciplinary point of view.

The research of OMPL is divided in four themes:

There are obvious links between the themes. Methods and techniques developed in the first and second theme form the building blocks for health care logistics. The themes focus on process optimization taking information availability in some form (centralized, decentralized, e-transactions, mobile communications) as their starting point. Purchasing decisions may have a profound impact on actual systems operations and therefore may influence both maintenance and service logistics considerably. Contract decisions in health care provide a linking pin between the fourth and the fifth theme. Finally, we note that reflections on sustainability and environmental impact may severely influence the decision framework in all areas. Our research is part of the strategic research area ICT and Industrial Engineering within the Centre for Telematics and Information Technology.

An indispensible part of our global mission is to transfer knowledge to industry and society at large. Apart from the need of external funding, we deliberately choose to contribute to innovation in firms, while at the same time gaining inspiration and motivation from engineering practice. Projects on distribution planning and control in the Rotterdam harbor, operations management to improve capacity utilization and to decrease patient waiting times in several medical centers, as well as improving procurement procedures in the public sector, are clear examples of the success of our approach. A recently awarded project on service logistics with companies such as IBM, Thales, Océ and ASML confirms the position the group has gained also externally.

Latest tweeds

Stay connected

Latest news

	Peter Vanberkel ontvangt de ORTEC Excellence in Advanced Planning Award 2012 Onderzoek aan Nederlands Kanker Instituut – Antoni van Leeuwenhoek ziekenhuis bekroond met Award. ... read more
	Gezamenlijke afstudeercolloquia: Optimale logistiek en patiënten voorkeuren in de acute zorgketen Donderdag 8 december aanstaande vinden afstudeercolloquia plaats van Christine Fransman en Renske Visser. Beide afstudeerstages maken onderdeel uit van een door ZonMW gefinancierd project omtrent de geïntegreerde spoedpost in Almelo. Het project is een samenwerking tussen de Centrale Huisartsenpost Almelo (CHPA) en Spoedeisende Hulp (SEH) in Almelo en de vakgroepen ‘Operational Methods and Logistics’ (OMPL) en ‘Health Technology and Services Research’ (HTSR) van de Universiteit Twente. ... read more
	Anke Verbaarschot wint SLF Afstudeerprijs Het Service Logistics Forum (SLF) heeft tijdens de Service Logistics Summit op 19 oktober in Sint Michielsgestel de SLF Afstudeerprijs 2011 toegekend aan Anke Verbaarschot. Zij is dit jaar afgestudeerd bij de vakgroep Operationele Methoden voor Productie en Logistiek van de Universiteit Twente (faculteit Management en Bestuur) met het onderwerp: “Last Time Buy and Reuse at Océ”. Deze prijs is nu voor de vierde keer uitgereikt en is bedoeld voor afstudeerders van universiteiten en hogescholen. De winnares mocht de prijs ontvangen in het bijzijn van Aafke Visser-van Boekel van Océ en haar supervisors van de universiteit, Dr. Matthieu van der Heijden en Dr. Ahmad Al Hanbali. ... read more
	BATMAN maakt Rotterdamse haven slimmer Op dinsdag 4 oktober reikt minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen tijdens de innovatie-estafette in de Van Nelle Ontwerpfabriek een prijs van 300 k euro uit aan het project BATMAN, het intelligente planningssysteem voor de binnenvaart. Het consortium onder leiding van de Universiteit Twente is als één van de drie prijswinnaars voor de categorie verkeers- en transportmanagement containerbinnenvaart uit dertien inzendingen verkozen. De wedstrijd is georganiseerd door het IDVV van Rijkswaterstaat. ... read more