Recognition for Top Research

A manuscript from a research project funded by grants from the Defense Logistics Agency/Department of Defense and facilitated by Manufacturing 21 has been accepted for publication in Production and Operations Management (POM), a flagship research journal for operations management in manufacturing and services.

The publication titled “Input Material Reduction Incentives Versus Scrap Recycling For Closed Loop Supply Chains,” primarily motivated by challenges in the aerospace industry, offers insights for a buyer to judiciously adopt sustainable sourcing in procuring titanium alloy forgings that are far from the net shape achieved after the buyer machines them to specifications (i.e., raw forging with high buy-to-fly ratios). The buyer needs to strategically incentivize the supplier to invest in input material reduction (i.e., to supply raw forgings that are closer to net shape) that, in turn, reduces the machining scrap generated in the buyer’s facility. The research offers guidance to a buyer for designing contracts while incorporating the inherent interplay in this scenario between the sustainability strategies of input material reduction for forged parts and closed-loop recycling of machining scrap. This research has important implications for the metals forging industry at large that cuts across several sectors.

The paper is coauthored by Nagesh Murthy, Roger Engemann Professor in the Operations and Business Analytics Department, Eren Çil, Oregon MBA academic director and associate professor at UO Lundquist College of Business, and Tolga Aydinliyim, associate professor of operations management at Narendra Paul Loomba Department of Management.

“Engaging with the industry via funded research projects over the years has been an amazing opportunity to gain a first-hand and in-depth understanding of key issues. I am particularly excited about the opportunities emanating from partnering with the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC) R&D to provide our colleagues and doctoral students in the upcoming years with access to resources, data, and an early preview of problems to address significant challenges related to enabling additive manufacturing with metals at an industrial scale. This entails addressing innovation, efficiency, agility, sustainability, and resilience in value chains of physical, discrete, engineered, and manufactured products in a digital environment,” said Murthy.

“We also hope our ongoing data-driven engagements in the energy, healthcare, and financial services sectors will fetch similar dividends in the upcoming years,” he added.

Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research Diane Del Guercio noted this is the third top-tier publication acceptance this academic year for Murthy.

“Congratulations on your success with funded research and converting that work into top-tier publications,” she said.

The research is grant-funded, and Murthy and Çil exemplify how great research and innovative ideas can spread beyond the University of Oregon.

“These grants have allowed us to engage several colleagues in ours and other departments at the Lundquist College and faculty at other schools to collaborate in research to address cutting-edge problems faced in the industry and society,” Murthy said.

“This is an incredible example of how industry engagement can lead to top-level scholarship that has impact,” said Bruce Blonigen, Edward Maletis Dean of the Lundquist College.

Murthy also serves as Associate Executive Director for POMS Global Initiatives and Outreach as well as the President of POMS.

—Lundquist College Communications