Process Planning & Feasibility supports the development and optimisation of a manufacturing production facility, in collaboration with key stake holders and partners (Facility Layout, Controls, Process Simulation, Tooling Design, Dimensional Planning, Production Maintenance, etc).  The process definition matures from initial concept plans and facility layouts, through to fully defined sequence of operations, assembly build up and work instructions, facility plans and factory flow, equipment allocations and utilisation, and commissioning and launch plans.

The manufacturing process planning is developed and optimised to deliver manufacturing KPI’s such as capital and operational costs, production throughput, product quality, safety, ergonomics, reliability & maintainability, manpower utilisation, equipment utilisation and value for money.

Many OEM’s have developed standard Bill Of Process, driving standardisation of their manufacturing facilities across product platforms, while also looking ahead to technology enhancements and innovations, which can further improve their manufacturing facilities.

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• Process Planning Concept & Layout Development

• Discrete Event Simulation

• Manufacturing Feasibility Assessments

• Engineering Change Proposals & Solutions

(Software:  Process Designer, eM-Plant, Delmia, V5 & V6, AutoCAD)

Process Simulation & Facility Design utilises 3D CAD Design & Simulation software to accurately represent a manufacturing production environment.  With kinematic CAD models, realistic robot software (RRS) and I/O control signals, the virtual model is brought to life in a fully operational and accurate way.

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Process Simulation is used throughout the life cycle development of a product and process development, from early concept feasibility studies, through engineering development, to offline robot programming, commissioning and launch, into post-production change verification and actions.  In the automotive industry, this has become an integral part of the manufacturing engineering development process and is used in many other industries also.

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This is a key tool used in assessing Product & Process Compatibility, bringing together the product design, manufacturing process definition and facility design in context to develop feasibility and optimisation of each.

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Key aspects of Process Simulation include:

• Product & Process Compatibility Studies

• Manufacturing Process & Facility Design, Feasibility and Optimisation

• Robotic Simulation of Automated Manufacturing Systems (Body In White, Paint, Trim & Final, Press Shop, Powertrain)

• Manual Handling Operations & Ergonomic Analysis

• Offline Robot Programming and Upload/Download between Virtual and Production Robots

(Software: Robcad, Process Simulate, Delmia V6)

Dimensional Planning & Feasibility supports product quality through the delivery of dimensional strategies, verification & maturation (virtual and physical), driving dimensionally robust and optimised product engineering & manufacturing solutions.

Key aspects of Dimensional Planning & Feasibility include:

• Dimensional Feasibility and Maturation

• Dimensional Variation Analysis

• Locator Strategy Planning

• Metrology Planning and Inspection

(DVA Software : VisVSA, 3DCS.  Dimensional Feasibility, Locator Strategy & Metrology Planning: Catia V5 & V6)

Dimensional Feasibility and Maturation is the assessment and optimisation of dimensional capability of a product design and manufacturing solutions with respect to dimensional accuracy, fit and function.  This supports the product development lifecycle, from early product styling appraisals, product and tooling feasibility development, through to commissioning and launch, defining quality control plans, commissioning of assembly tooling and assessment of product quality through prototype and production builds and ramp-up.

Dimensional Variation Analysis (DVA) is the simulation and analysis of assembly build process, to predict the amount of variation resulting from part tolerances and process variation and to determine the key contributors to that variation. By quantifying the contributing elements to the total variation, root causes are identified, enabling dimensional improvement and optimisation.

Locator Strategy Planning defines how products are handled and geometrically set through the manufacturing assembly processes, as well as through the metrology and verification processes.  This drives the assembly tooling designs to optimise dimensional quality, as well as consistency and alignment of locator strategies throughout the assembly and verification processes.  This improves dimensional control, as well as efficiency of process, design and ability to root cause analyse and rectify and quality concerns through the manufacturing system.

Metrology Planning & Inspection develops in conjunction with the Dimensional Planning and Locator Strategies, defining measurement and inspection plans, which enable measurement and control of critical product, tooling and process points throughout the manufacturing system. Metrology plans are documented in CAD, developed into CMM programs and used to provide live quality inspection reports from production*.

*Contechs have developed a Dimensional Database & Reporting solution, which directly links CAD authored locator and metrology plans through to production metrology reports.

Manufacturing Tooling and Equipment is designed in 3D CAD and developed in conjunction with the manufacturing process, with close coordination with the Process Simulation (tool access, loading & unloading, ergonomics), Process Planning & Controls (joint allocation, manual operations, automation sequencing), Dimensional Planning & Feasibility (locator strategy, geometry setting and dimensional control) and Production Maintenance (reliability and maintainability, spares requirements).

Tooling Design matures through CAD progression levels along side the Process Simulation levels and the “TD” buyoff process at each maturity level is an central part of the overall manufacturing development and buyoff process.

Key aspects of Tooling & Equipment Design include:

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• 3D Design of Manufacturing Assembly Tooling & Equipment (Jigs, Fixtures, Grippers, Assistors, Transfer Systems)

• 2D Detailing and Bill Of Materials

• Tooling Design Optimisation & Validation (Cost, Safety, Ergonomics, Function, Maintenance, Dimensional Control)

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(Software : Catia V5 & V6)

CONCEPT DESIGN

PROTOTYPE SUPPORT