Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the class, students are expected to acquire the basic knowledge about logistics activities, processes and systems.
Applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will acquire the skills needed to understand, govern, plan and design the main logistics activities, with particular reference to transport, packaging, handling and storage of goods.
Making judgements
The student must possess the appropriate knowledge for a critical analysis of the main logistics activities.
Communication skills
The student must acquire the specific vocabulary of the logistics field and be able to describe its main processes with language properties.
Learning skills
The student will be able to carry out a project of the main logistics systems and illustrate the results.
Prerequisites
Although not compulsory, it is suggested that students attending this course know some basics of Industrial Plants and Operations Management
Course unit content
The course addresses mainly theoretical arguments. The following list includes the main topics :
- Logistics activities
- Freight transport systems
- Packaging systems
- Material Handling systems
- Warehouse design.
Full programme
The logistics system
• Logistics activities
• Physical description of the logistics system and related flows
• The performance of a logistics system. The concept of total logistics cost.
Freight transport systems
• Introduction to freight transport systems and choice of transport mode
• The road freight transport and related costs
• Intermodal transport.
Packaging systems
• definitions and terminology
• The costs associated with packaging
• Environmental aspects of packaging. The channels of the reverse logistics;
• Guidelines and regulatory issues related to packaging;
• Types of packaging and description.
• Identification of the packaging
• Management and design of packaging systems
Material handling systems
• definitions. Classification of material handling systems. Construction features and performance. AGV systems
• Design of material handling systems
• Description of the main types of material handling systems.
Warehouse design
• Definitions and terminology.
• processes and functional areas of a warehouse
• Process design of the storage areas intensive in manual warehouses.
Bibliography
Ferrozzi, Shapiro. Logistica e Strategia Vol I e II. McGraw-Hill
Caron, Marchet, Wegner. Impianti di movimentazione e stoccaggio dei materiali. Hoepli, Milano
Materials (in the form of slides in pdf format) provided by the teacher through the Elly portal
Teaching methods
The course consists of 9 CFUs, most of which are the subject of face-to-face lessons. More precisely, theoretical topics related to freight transport systems, packaging systems, material handling systems and material storage systems are illustrated in frontal lessons. On the same topics are proposed exercises carried out in class, with which we intend to deepen the application aspects of the course (for example, the design of a warehouse or of a materials handling system).
The teaching material, in the form of slides pdf format, will be made available through the Elly portal. Students are advised to register on this portal at the beginning of the course. The material is updated every year, therefore it is not immediately available in its entirety; vice versa, it is gradually uploaded on the system. In any case, the teacher inserts the material relative to each chapter treated BEFORE the beginning of that chapter.
Assessment methods and criteria
Verification of learning is carried out by means of a written examination, containing both questions on the theoretical topics of the course and exercises on the practical parts. The time for the written test is two hours. Students are allowed to use a calculator to solve the exercises while they are not allowed to use any other material.
In correcting the examination, the teacher assigns a relative importance to each question taking into account its difficulty; in view of this aspect, more importance is typically assigned to the exercises compared to the theoretical questions. Similarly, the student's answer is given a score, ranging from 0 in the case of an unanswered question to 1 in the case of a perfectly answered question. In determining this score, the teacher can also take into account the capability of the student to write in good Italian.
The student's final score is determined by the score given to the answers and the relative importance of the questions.
The results of the examinations are published in the Esse3 portal and are valid for 7 days from the date of publication. After the 7 days have elapsed, the mark is considered accepted by the student and the teacher proceeds to record it. The teacher always sets a useful time (communicated through the Esse3 platform when publishing the results) for viewing the written tests before the end of the validity of the proposed grades.
Other information
The exam can be taken only after registering the system ESSE3. Upon successful completion of the examination, the student has a maximum of 7 days to proceed with the verbalization or prosecute the case of rejection of the grade. After that period, if the student has not performed the Reject action (or has not performed any action), the grade is deemed to be accepted and will be verbalized in the subsequent days.
