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Content archived on 2024-04-19

AUTOMOTIVE MULTI-COMPANY INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SYSTEM

Objective


The results of the AMIES project were tested through the implementation of a pilot project under Task G (Implementation, Test & Validation) of the AMIES Project Work Programme. The objective of the Pilot Project was to assure the adequation and functionality of the AMIES Information Management System (IMS). In order to satisfy the above objective, it was defined a working environment in which the performance and the related functionality of the IMS would be tested. The goal of this definition was to limit the scope of the validation procedure in order to achieve a feasible and representative scenario.

The use of the AMIES IMS even though it being a pilot project, and therefore limited in its scope, has implied some changes in the organisation and work efficiency which show the potentialities of a wider implementation of the platform after the funded period, and allows us to extract conclusions for future implementation in other companies.

With regards to the direct benefits obtained from the pilot project, the following classification can be made:

- cost reduction benefits: in this class are grouped those benefits achieved through a reduction in the time spent performing non-value added tasks like repetitive tasks, time spent correction errors, etc.

- quality improvement benefits: in the class are considered the benefits which imply an increase of the quality of their output, like better organisation of data, error-free information, etc.
In the current years of the 90's, the automotive manufacturers challenge is to reduce the overall development time of vehicles from the current 5 years to the minimum possible in order to, at least, achieve the japanese ratio of 3 years. In addition, recent studies show that the utilization of only the techniques of Simultaneous Engineering represents a reduction of around 20% of the total overall cost of a new product. The proposed Integrated Engineering (IE) will surpass this goal by large. The estimated cost of the development of a new car nowadays will amount roughly to 920 MECU, this will give an idea of the big potential for savings that can be achieved.

The main objective of the present project will be to develop a methodology, guidelines and tools to help in the development of automotive parts in an heterogenous and complex multi-company context. The methodology, guidelines and tools are based on the Integrated Engineering concept and are supported by an Information Management System.

The joint application of Simultaneous/Concurrent Engineering (CSE) and Total Quality Management (TQM) has been called Integrated Engineering. It is applied at the management level of the development process therefor doesn't consider lower level of Computer Aider and Computer Integrated Techniques (CAx & Cix).

Because of the plastic parts being crucial to the manufacturing of vehicles of any type, the present research has been aimed towards the plastic parts. An average passenger car has around 400 plastic parts integrated into it: the dash-board (Instrument panel) happens to be the current bottle-neck of the overall new car development process.

The present research will be developed in the following stages:

i) Development of methodology and guidelines to reach the desired optimum scenario (How to get to it) for the design of plastic parts for the automobile industry in a multicompany context.
ii) Development of a prototype for the sofware tools integrating Engineering Management, Quality Management and overall communications flow.
ii) Implementation of the methodology and guidelines, first under the engineering point of view then supported by the software. Final testing, user training and practical evaluation.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

SEAT SA
EU contribution
No data
Address
(POBOX 740)
08080 BARCELONA
Spain

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Total cost
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Participants (5)