Tag: standardization

Guest Post: EV Charging– Driving Toward Universal Accessibility

 

Prof. Misty Blessley at Temple U. looks into an issue facing EV owners.

New Jersey is removing Tesla Superchargers from Turnpike and Parkway service areas and replacing them with universal chargers provided by Applegreen Electric. These new stations will feature CCS1, CHAdeMO, and J1772 connectors, making them compatible with a wider range of EVs. Tesla owners can use these chargers with adapters. Most newer Tesla models can accommodate J1772 (Level 2) and CCS (DC fast charging) connections through external adapters.

This shift reflects a broader trend toward open-access infrastructure aimed at increasing accessibility for all EV drivers. It also introduces new OM considerations around the production, availability, and use of adapters.

The Shift Toward Open Infrastructure
New Jersey’s decision mirrors historical tech battles between proprietary systems and open standards. Tesla, like Apple in its early days, built a closed ecosystem. The state’s move to universal chargers signals a shift toward interoperability over exclusivity. As one article put it, “Up until recently, the vast network of more than 1,600 Tesla Supercharger fast EV charging stations in the U.S. was a perk exclusive to Tesla owners.” That exclusivity is
now being replaced with inclusivity, with the cost falling on Tesla drivers now being dependent on an external device.

In this context, adapters become the modern equivalent of USB driver software, seemingly minor components that play a major role in user experience and system reliability.

Adapter Implications for Operations and Supply Chain
 Forecasting and Demand Planning: Widespread reliance on adapters will drive new demand. Manufacturers must scale production, distribution, and after-sales support.
 Inventory Management: Retailers and even rest stops may need to stock or rent adapters, creating SKU complexity.
 Station Capacity: Adapters can increase setup time, and Level 2 chargers provide only 13–25 miles of range per hour—far slower than Tesla’s V3 Superchargers (over 200 miles in 15 minutes), potentially reducing the number of EVs that can be charged at a station.

 Risk and Reliability: Adapters introduce new points of failure because they are mechanical devices prone to wear, damage, or user error. This raises customer service and warranty cost concerns.

Classroom discussion questions:
1. In Ch. 11 of your Heizer/Render/Munson textbook, component standardization is discussed. What are the benefits of standardizing EVs and charging stations?
2. What advice would you provide to operations managers on the adapter implications mentioned above?

OM in the News: Standardizing Procedures at Christiana Care Health

cardiacThe Christiana Care Health System in Delaware was concerned it was spending too much on cardiac monitoring for patients who didn’t need it. So it changed its system to encourage doctors to follow American Heart Association guidelines for using the monitors. The number of patients using the monitors, and the group’s daily costs for such monitoring, fell by 70% without any harm to patient care.

The effort is part of a push by some hospitals across the nation to cut costs by standardizing care, reports The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 22, 2014). Although professional bodies such as the AHA publish numerous guidelines advising doctors how best to treat various diseases, many doctors deviate from guidelines, which can lead to overuse of some tests and procedures. Doctors cite various reasons for deviating, from personal preference to institutional custom.

Cardiac telemetry is one of AHA’s procedures in its “Choosing Wisely” campaign. In cardiac telemetry, electrodes are used to monitor the heart for abnormal rhythms. To try to cut inappropriate use of the monitoring at Christiana Care, physicians redesigned the electronic system that doctors use to order tests and other care. First, they removed the option to order telemetry for conditions not included in the AHA guidelines. Then, they attached a fixed AHA-recommended time period for telemetry duration in the computer system. After the changes, the hospital group’s mean daily number of  patients monitored with telemetry fell from 357.5 to 109.1, while the mean daily cost for delivering telemetry fell from $18,971 to $5,772. The changes had no negative effect on patient care; mortality rates at the hospital remained stable, as did the number of “code blue” emergency calls to resuscitate patients. “It is remarkable to achieve such a substantial reduction in the use of this resource without significantly increased adverse outcomes,” says one medical expert.

Classroom discussion questions:

1.  In what other ways can hospitals become more efficient? (Hint: see Chapter 5, page 175).

2. Why are some doctors opposed to these system changes?

OM in the News: The New Push for Standard Auto Parts

 

Volkswagen's modular set of underpinnings, code-named MQB, is an example of efforts to standardize modules and systems.
Volkswagen’s modular set of underpinnings, code-named MQB, is an example of efforts to standardize modules and systems.

“Automakers have long sought standard parts that can be used in various cars to cut costs,” writes Automotive News (Aug. 6, 2014). Now they want standardized modules and systems. “The requirement that we face is clearly to develop products from the outset in such a way that they can be used in all the platform derivatives without the expense of making changes,” said one German exec. But with mass standardization, a part with a quality problem can now be supplied to millions of vehicles. That puts a premium on quality.

The growth of global platforms is accelerating the trend of standardized parts. Currently, 24% of all manufactured vehicles are built on the 10 biggest platforms worldwide, with the figure expected to rise to 30% by 2020. In the process, the need for common parts that can be swapped in and out of various models will grow substantially. Why are car makers moving in this direction? First, building multiple models off one basic platform saves money in product development, tooling, and facilities. Second, manufacturers benefit from risk pooling; if one model is not selling well, it may be offset by another that can be built at the same plant.

Meanwhile, internationalization complicates the job of making standard parts and systems. To exploit regional cost advantages, automakers are pushing their system suppliers to make parts purchases in local markets. But the quality standards of suppliers in different markets vary greatly.  “When there are new product launches, we train our suppliers in the appropriate methods and processes when necessary and go into their factories to make sure there is a stable production process,” said a parts supplier. Common parts with the same specifications from various countries and on different tools may have to be manufactured in a way that they are absolutely identical in quality so that they can be installed at any other factory at any time.

Classroom discussion questions:

1. Why are standardized parts and systems so important?

2. Why are global platforms becoming the norm?