最近我和一位牙醫(yī)師討論到供應(yīng)鏈的問題。他不久前才投資于一套十分先進(jìn)的 build-your-own-crown 高科技齒模制作系統(tǒng)。 這套系統(tǒng)一開始先透過攝影/X光檢查牙齒，分別在制作齒模的前后截取所需的尺寸數(shù)據(jù)。在病人等待的時間，該系統(tǒng)已開始制作齒模。前段使用CAD/CAM系統(tǒng)，后段則是激光技術(shù)。CAD/CAM系統(tǒng)能以3D呈現(xiàn)齒模影像，并控制尺寸、形狀、寬度、深度與間距，并下載規(guī)格至制作模塊上。整個過程約需1小時。 在此模塊中，透過雷射形成瓷塊，并經(jīng)水柱冷卻。由于我的牙齒天生較脆弱，因而花了好多時間看牙醫(yī)。我的牙醫(yī)知道我的情況，所以介紹我使用這種最新最酷的儀器。 在他購買這套雷射系統(tǒng)以前，我的牙醫(yī)得將X光、適合我嘴型的橡膠模具以及其它東西送到實(shí)驗(yàn)室制作瓷牙套。在實(shí)驗(yàn)室中制作出適合我下巴和牙齒的黏土模型，然后再把牙套交給我的牙醫(yī)安裝在模型上。如果制作好的齒模安裝不合，就得再送回實(shí)驗(yàn)室加以修改。這個過程約需4至6周。 因此，我問我的牙醫(yī)，如果牙醫(yī)診所都買這套高科技系統(tǒng)的話，是否會讓實(shí)驗(yàn)室沒生意可做？他的答案是否定的。因?yàn)閷?shí)驗(yàn)室也會因應(yīng)這種趨勢加以調(diào)整。一方面，由 于實(shí)驗(yàn)室不必再做模型以及來回郵寄，因而減少了成本。實(shí)驗(yàn)室也可接受來自牙醫(yī)診所的設(shè)計(jì)規(guī)格，然后制造齒模。此外，為了制作出更好的牙齒，實(shí)驗(yàn)室也大量投 資于材料與技術(shù)，例如采用氧化鋯材質(zhì)來制作齒模，不但更堅(jiān)固也不會破裂。同時，一些更高階的產(chǎn)品，例如植牙、牙橋以及特殊齒模，這些都是牙醫(yī)診所中無法做 到的。實(shí)驗(yàn)室仍在此供應(yīng)鏈中具有重要價值。 幾乎任何供應(yīng)鏈中的情況都是是這樣的，DIY模式可能影響原有的關(guān)系。例如在電子 產(chǎn)品中，直接向制造商訂購組件看來好象會讓經(jīng)銷商倒閉吧？但事實(shí)上并不可能發(fā)生，部份原因在于供應(yīng)鏈的復(fù)雜性。經(jīng)銷商專注于為客戶解決較高階的問題，同時也透過線上交易DIY訂單(主要是低量產(chǎn)品)。經(jīng)銷領(lǐng)域中的全球訂單履行業(yè)務(wù)依然十分穩(wěn)定。EMS公司富士康的規(guī)?？赡苤苯佑嗁徑M件，或在某些情況下，也會自行制造部份組件。 高科技齒模系統(tǒng)也是如此。從在牙醫(yī)診所即可DIY制造齒模即可了解。成本由高效率(貼近客戶制造)以及物流(一次實(shí)現(xiàn)完美貼合的齒模)而抵銷了。當(dāng)然它也可能涉及一些風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。對于齒模制造機(jī)器、軟件以及培訓(xùn)的初期投資相當(dāng)高。然而，這并沒讓我去看牙醫(yī)的費(fèi)用 增加，而且我只需去看一次牙醫(yī)即可，不必再來回跑三、四趟了。 我知道以后我還得再去看牙醫(yī)，但不必再到處比較哪一家好了。在我住的波士頓地區(qū)就有低成本的供貨商──如果你愿意給牙醫(yī)系學(xué)生看診機(jī)會，好幾所學(xué)校的牙醫(yī)學(xué)系都提供了折扣優(yōu)惠。但我期待錢花得有價值，因此我堅(jiān)持讓我現(xiàn)有的牙醫(yī)為我治療即可。 在供應(yīng)鏈中，價值與價格之間是一場永遠(yuǎn)的戰(zhàn)爭。當(dāng)然，有時，比較一下是有必要的，特別是涉及許多錢的時候。但對我來說，最后的決定很簡單：我的時間值多少錢？你應(yīng)該會對我的回答感到驚訝！ 本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：Supply Chain Lessons From High-Tech Teeth，by Barbara Jorgensen, EBN Community Editor

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{pagination} Supply Chain Lessons From High-Tech Teeth Barbara Jorgensen I had a supply chain conversation yesterday with, of all people, my dentist. His practice recently invested in a build-your-own-crown system. It starts by photographing/X-raying a tooth, capturing its dimensions before and after it is prepped for a crown. The system then manufactures the crown while you wait. It uses a CAD/CAM system on the front end and a laser on the backend. The CAD/CAM system renders the crown in 3D; allows manipulation of the size, shape, width, depth, and margins; and downloads the specs to the manufacturing module. The entire process takes about an hour. In the module, a block of porcelain is shaped by lasers while being supercooled by streams of water. Since heredity has saddled me with very brittle teeth, I spend a lot of time in my dentist's office. The dentist knows what I do for a living, so he shows me all the "neat stuff" he buys to stay on the leading edge. Before he purchased the laser system, my dentist would send X-rays, a rubber mold of my mouth, and other things to a lab that makes porcelain crowns. The lab would make a clay model of my jaw and teeth and then send him the crown mounted on the model. More often than not, the crown had to be shaped, ground down, or otherwise changed. If the changes were significant, the crown went back to the lab. This process could take four to six weeks. Despite the Novocain in my mouth, I asked my dentist yesterday if the labs were suffering because they were cut out of the supply chain. He said no, because they have adapted. For one thing, they've cut costs because they don't have to make models and mail them back and forth. Labs accept the design specs directly from dentists and then manufacture the crown -- if it's not done in the dentist's office. Additionally, the labs have invested in materials and technologies to build better teeth. Crowns are now made out of cubic zirconia, which my dentist says is nearly impossible to break. And some high-end products, such as implants, bridges, and certain crowns, still can't be made in a dentist's office. The labs have managed to retain their value in the supply chain. In almost any supply chain situation, the DIY model can disrupt relationships. In electronics, ordering components directly from manufacturers was supposed to cut out distributors. This didn't happen, in part because of the complexity of the supply chain. Distributors focused on the high-end problems of their customers while enabling DIY orders (mostly at low volumes) online. The global fulfillment business is still firmly in the realm of distribution, with a few exceptions for massive customers. EMS companies the size of Foxconn can still order components direct or, in some cases, manufacture the components themselves. In these cases, scale makes all the difference. The same holds true for high-tech teeth. Manufacturing one crown in an office makes sense. Costs are offset by efficiencies (manufacturing close to the customer) and logistics (the crown fits perfectly the first time). There's also an element of risk involved. The initial investment in the crown-making machines, software, and training is significant. Yet I haven't seen my prices go up, and I make one trip to my dentist's office instead of three or four. I already know I am facing more dental work, but I'm not shopping around. There are low-cost suppliers in the Boston area -- a number of dental schools provide discounts to customers willing to be treated by a student. But I am getting value for the dollars I spend, and as long as that persists, I'll stick with the dentist I have. Value versus price is a constant battle in the supply chain. Running a comparison -- especially when a lot of dollars are at stake -- is a worthwhile effort. For me, the decision often comes down to this: How much is my time worth? You might be surprised by the answer.