Mapping supply chain risk by network analysis of product platforms

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Sustainable Materials and Technologies

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2016.10.002· OSTI ID:1329270

Nuss, Philip; Graedel, T. E.; Alonso, Elisa; Carroll, Adam

Modern technology makes use of a variety of materials to allow for its proper functioning. Here, to explore in detail the relationships connecting materials to the products that require them, we map supply chains for five product platforms (a cadmium telluride solar cell, a germanium solar cell, a turbine blade, a lead acid battery, and a hard drive (HD) magnet) using a data ontology that specifies the supply chain actors (nodes) and linkages (e.g., material exchange and contractual relationships) among them. We then propose a set of network indicators (product complexity, producer diversity, supply chain length, and potential bottlenecks) to assess the situation for each platform in the overall supply chain networks. Among the results of interest are the following: (1) the turbine blade displays a high product complexity, defined by the material linkages to the platform; (2) the germanium solar cell is produced by only a few manufacturers globally and requires more physical transformation steps than do the other project platforms; (3) including production quantity and sourcing countries in the assessment shows that a large portion of nodes of the supply chain of the hard-drive magnet are located in potentially unreliable countries. Finally, we conclude by discussing how the network analysis of supply chains could be combined with criticality and scenario analyses of abiotic raw materials to comprise a comprehensive picture of product platform risk.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1329270
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1422548
• Journal Information: Sustainable Materials and Technologies, Journal Name: Sustainable Materials and Technologies Vol. 10 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 2214-9937
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: Netherlands
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
Sustainable resource management
Supply chain risk assessment
Social network analysis
Metals criticality
Product platforms