Applying the principles of social manufacturing to chemical process-related value chains

The principles of Social Manufacturing are revolutionizing manufacturing value chains that produce discrete products. Moreover, Social Manufacturing holds the promise of revolutionizing chemical process-related value chains. Social Manufacturing in Chemical Engineering is not a straightforward adoption of the principles of Social Manufacturing that were originally developed in the context of discrete products. These fundamental principles include customer involvement in all parts of the value chain, decentralized production, individualized products and small-scale production, all enabled by powerful modern information technologies. Chemical process-related value chains include both batch processes and continuous processes. The adaptation of Social Manufacturing principles varies depending on which of the two types of chemical processes is in question. With the help of two examples, the potential and limitations of Social Manufacturing in chemical engineering are explored. The first example addresses batch processes. Microbreweries, which allow Social Manufacturing in the food and beverage industry, are proving a serious competitor to large-scale industrial operations. With the help of the microbreweries example, the potential of Social Manufacturing in the food and beverage industry is explored. The second example addresses Social Manufacturing in crop science. Climate change will cause rapid changes in local ecosystems, and the need to produce sufficient amounts of food will require that crop plants adapt to these rapidly changing local ecosystems. To facilitate this adaptation, engineering based on Biochemistry is needed. Social Manufacturing offers a powerful way to mobilize the expertise of farmers and scientists to create crop plants that are suitable for each stage of the rapid change of local ecosystems. The two examples are used to adapt the principles of Social Manufacturing to the chemical engineering environment.1