Process Management
A disconnect exists between developing research-level protocols and implementing a process on a commercial scale. Protocols often lack reproducibility, do not consider quality management steps, and were not developed to meet the needs of the commercial industry. For newly developed research protocols to be translated to industry successfully, tools from the field of industrial engineering can be used to standardize, improve, and scale up such protocols into commercial-scale pathways.
Process Flow Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (or maps) are applied in commercial-scale factory settings to help identify and eliminate wastes in service of streamlining the process. Flow diagrams generally outline the steps of a process in sequence to help understand the flow of materials and information and to identify bottlenecks and wastes. These diagrams can also be used beyond the scope of individual processes and illustrate the interactions among suppliers, producers, and customers. Process flow diagrams that encompass multiple facilities or processes are sometimes referred to as relationship diagrams. While common in manufacturing settings, these diagrams have also been used in the agricultural and biomedical fields.
Simulation Modeling
The specific type of simulation modeling used in this dissertation is discrete-event simulation (DES) modeling. These models simulate processes by modeling all the steps (in sequence) of a process throughout time. Models can include the resources required for a process to run such as the number of operators, the cost of equipment and supplies, and logic rules that reflect “real world” constraints (e.g., an operator can work on only one step at a time). With the use of DES models, industrial engineers can capture the complexity of commercial-scale production systems and inform decisions made about those systems. Models can be used to calculate the amount of time and what resources (e.g., operators, supplies, equipment) would be needed to meet certain production goals. Discrete-event simulation modeling has already been used in the field of aquatic species cryopreservation to assist in facility planning and high-throughput cryopreservation for blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus).
