After–sales Service of Engineering Industrial Assets: A Reference Framework for Warranty Management

This book explores the practical implementation of an advanced after-sales management framework devoted to warranty management. The framework is intended for companies producing either standardized or customized products and such a management tool will facilitate organizational improvement and support innovative decision making processes for technical assistance in after-sales services.

“After–sales Service of Engineering Industrial Assets” comprises a proposal for a warranty management framework, with an account of the different methods that can be used to improve decision making in the different stages of the after-sales service management process, and strategies for strengthening the structure and foundations of the framework. A review of the fundamental issues and current research topics in warranty management and after sales services is also provided, which is exemplified by a case study. This book is intended for postgraduates, researchers and engineers who are interested in after sales management, assets engineering and warranty management.

Vicente González-Prida Díaz works currently for the company General Dynamics – European Land Systems as Project Manager for the MBT Leopard 2E Program. He is PhD in Industrial Engineering and MSc in Mechanical Engineering by the University of Seville, Executive MBA by the Chamber of Commerce and member of the Spanish Research & Development Group in Industrial Management of the mentioned University. He has also authored publications and collaborations in journals, books and conferences, national - and international-wide.

His research and work interests are focused on the integration of technical, commercial and asset management issues, connected with the industrial organization, particularly with reliability (specification in design, failure data analysis), maintenance (outsourcing, e-maintenance) and after sales (cost analysis, logistics, management). Regarding the practical application and experience and together to other responsibilities, he has managed the Integrated Logistic Support and the Configuration Management of the Leopard Program for the Spanish Army, coordinating and following-up the companies involved in the program as well as the internal resources the economic control and the customer relationship.

Adolfo Crespo Márquez is currently Full Professor at the School of Engineering of the University of Seville, in the Department of Industrial Management. He holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering from this same University. His research works have been published in journals such as the International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Production Economics, European Journal of Operations Research, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, International Journal of Agile Manufacturing, Omega, Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, Decision Support Systems, Computers in Industry, Reliability Engineering and System Safety and International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, amongothers. Prof. Crespo is the author of 5 books, the last three with Springer-Verlag in 2007, 2010 and 2012 about maintenance and supply chain management. Prof. Crespo leads the Spanish Research Network on Dependability Management and the Spanish Committee for Maintenance Standardization (1995-2003). He also leads a research team related to maintenance and dependability management currently with 4 PhD students and 5 researchers. He has extensively participated in many engineering and consulting projects for different companies, for the Spanish Departments of Defense, Science and Education as well as for the European Commission (IPTS). He is the President of INGEMAN (a National Association for the Development of Maintenance Engineering in Spain) since 2002.