manufacturing technology

manufacturing technology

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  PAPER PRESENTATION ON Digital Manufacturing for Aerospace industry: Experimental Aircraft
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  Abstract: The aerospacemanufacturing process is characterized by complex scenarios that need to be validated in order to determine manufacturability and low cost production. Key manufacturing knowledge traduced to best practices is required to produce successful manufacturing scenarios. New technologies such as Digital manufacturing tools used through PLM, are able to access and reuse the best practices, as well as evaluate 3D manufacturing scenarios. This paper shows how to reuse collective exp ertise and intelligence using manufacturing scenarios to support key decisions through PLM. This paper contributes to the exploration of digital manufacturing tools using key manufacturing knowledge at PLM environment to the field of assembly engineering applications. The present research encompasses multidisciplinary engineering work teams defining the assembly process of an airplane part. This paper argues that digital manufacturing tools enable complex manufacturing scenarios analysis virtually, exchanging expertise at collaborative work and increasing value added between collaborators. A case study is presented as a validation to this idea.
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  Key words: DigitalManufacturing tools at PLM, Collaborative manufacturing, Assembly process. 1- PLM and Digital Ma nufacturing tools The PLM approach allows managing all the information, processes and resources of a product along its development. Nowadays, to develop new products, the innovation techniques are not only a designer’s or engineer’s concern. The most successful companies usually mobilize all their internal services (marketing and sales, manufacturing, quality and maintenance…) and external services (suppliers, customers…). PLM digital tools are useful for a wide range of sectors and products, for instance to build virtual prototypes. However all companies should have a PLM approach to help them improve the management of their products; within the production area, PLM can save time and money, diminish errors in bullfights and eliminate possible errors in design, through simulation of space required, time cycles, and programmed machines like robots or CNCs. [G4, S1, S2, S3] Generating knowledge and technological development is crucial for México country . With this idea in mind, more and more companies are dev eloping projects with Tecnológico de Monterrey. An example of this collaboration is a project of assembly and production of a RV-10 airplane, with the Integrated Manufacturing Systems Center (Campus Monterrey) and ICKTAR Company. For the development of a project of this kind it is required to work in different areas, all important to a correct operation of the aircraft produced, and of course, so as to generate a quality product, which is a key feature in the aeronautic industry and cannot be overseen. [G1, G2] Virtual Manufacturing is an important area inside the
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  assembly and productionprocess. In this area relies the task of computational modeling of the aircraft’s parts, to evaluate the best work strategy and simulate it, showing the assembly process with its different parameters and specifications. 2- Digital manufacturing tools at aerospace industry Manufacturing is a dynamic, exciting, and critical industry. A rapidly changing world at an increasingly frantic rate. Manufacturing systems and processes are being combined with simulation technology, computer hardware, and operating systems to reduce costs and increase company profitability. Perhaps one of the most interesting and important of these recent developments is called “Virtual Manufacturing”, which involves the simulation of product mechanical functionality and the processes involved in its fabrication. In addition, virtual manufacturing also reduces the cost of tooling, eliminates the need for multiple physical prototypes, and reduces material waste. It provides manufacturers with the confidence of knowing that they can deliver quality products to market, on time and within budget. Small improvements in manufacturing have dramatic and profound effects in terms of cost and quality, and it not only happens to the beginning of the life of the product but during its service life. [D1, C1, G4] Return on investment calculations have shown that small savings in material usage deliver enormous returns in a manufacturing environment. A virtual lab for product creation uses a computer to simulate a product’s performance and the processes involved in its fabrication. This technology has enabled companies to simulate fabrication and testing in a more realistic manner than ever before.
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  The case studyexplained next is a project concerning the assembly and redesign of an experimental, true-scale aircraft RV-10, with capacity for four passengers. This aircraft was supplied by ICKTAR, a Mexican company, with the general objective of producing technological competences for providing high tech. services to the aerospace industry. Such demanding project was entirely carried out by students of Tecnológico de Monterrey, enrolled in different teams, each one undertaking a specific task (or sub-project) tow ards the completion of the full project. Instructors acted as moderators and promoters of inter-team communication, rather than transmitters of knowledge. Some of the results obtained through this project are shown in this paper. From the available manufacturing tools that Dassault Sytemes® offers in PLM environment, just some of them have been used according to the project’s requirements: CATIA®, DELMIA® and QUEST®. Product design analysis One part of the study was the design of the positioning and anchorage mechanisms of the battery system to a structure of new design . The design of this new product was performed with CATIA. BATTRERY MODEL
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  Riveting machine The requirementof creating tools that would help in the fabrication phase came up. This machine (Figure 2) was planned to help in the drilling and riveting stations, optimizing and simplifying the work to be done in the construction stations. This designed tool is a pneumatic riveter with a rivets container that facilitates their positioning during the process. Layout planning analysis The preliminary work consisted in subdividing and grouping the required steps for the assembly into five different workstations: riveting, drilling, de-burring, fixturing and assembly. After that, for each station were defined resources, processes and knowledge using the collaborative work of experts consulted, as well as the previous experiences of the members. The next step was to propose different layouts to arrange the different workstations, considering the work sequence, the timings, the material flows and the value-adding processes (Figure 3). For this task, the PLM digital tools (Factory Flow simulation, for instance) were significantly useful since some of the modules are designed to perform these specific activities, sharing automatically knowledge and information.
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  Layout planning analysis Ergonomicanalysis Other stage of the project was to use virtual manufacturing tools in order to make ergonomics analysis due to the complexity of the traditional assembly procedure (Figure 4). This analysis included: time studies, process optimization with an special focus on critical steps of the assembly process, for quality considerations. Ergonomic simulation analysis Factory flow simulation Finally, a study of all the airplane construction phase requirements was analyzed in terms of the different flows. A division has been made into elements, such as materials, manpower, energy requirements, etc. Figure 5 shows the simulation of the queue model for the factory flow .
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  Queue model factoryflow simulation Conclusions Digital manufacturing tools are a helpful set of tools into the PLM framework, which allow companies to reduce the waste in material, resources and time. This technology involves the main process stages of the Product Lifecycle, for instance, product design, process design, factory flow simulation, ergonomic analysis, etc. Digital manufacturing are offering high benefits and revenues to all kind of manufacturing industries as well as complex industries as the aerospace. Digital manufacturing tools provided by Dassault Systemes® (CATIA®, DELMIA® and QUEST ®) supported successfully the RV-10 battery model development by means of the product design made in CATIA, process design and ergonomics analysis by DELMIA and factory flow simulation developed in QUEST. The results were an efficient battery support modeling, handling features design, new tool design, and optimal layout for manufacturing and assembly processes. All these results allowed building expertise and knowledge to improve the ICKTAR’s processes.
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  References [C1] Chudoba, K.,Wynn, E., Lu, M., Watwon-Manheim, M., (2005). How virtual are we? Measuring virtuality and understanding its impact in a global organization. Information Systems Journal. 15 (4):279-306. [D1] Deviprasad, T., Kesavadas, T. (2003) . Virtual prototyping of assembly components using process modeling. Journal of Manufacturing Systems. 22 (1):16. [E1] Elizalde, H.; Ramírez, R.; Orta, P.; Guerra, D.; Pérez, Y. (2006) An Educational Framework for Learning Engineering Design through Reverse Engineering. Proceedings of Sixth intern ational workshop on Active Learning in Engineering Education, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, México. pp 344-365. [G1] Guerra- Zubiaga, D. A.; Gonzalez, E.; Rodriguez- Bueno, S.; Contero, M. (2006) Knowledge Structures: a key factor in Product Lifecycle Management. Proceedings of 12 International Annual Conference of SOMIM, Acapulco, México, (1) 44. [G2] Guerra, D.; Rios, E.; Molina, A.; Parkin, R.; Jackson, M.; Niño, E. (2006) Mechatronics Design Methodology Applied at Manufacturing Companies. The 10th Mechatronics Forum Biennial International Conference MX 2006, Penn State Great Valley, USA. [G3] Guerra, D.; Rosas, R.; Camacho, R.; Molina, A. (2005) Information Models to Support Reconfigurable Manufacturing System Design, International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management PLM'05, IUT Lumiere – Lumiere University of Lyon, France. Editors: Abdelaziz
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  Bouras , BalanGurumoorthy, Rachuri Sudarsan, pp. 55 – 63. Inderscience Enterprises Limited [G4] Grieves, M. (2006). Product Lifecycle Management: Driving next generation of the lean thinking. McGraw Hill. [Q1] Qin, S., Harrison, R., and Wright, D. (2004). Development of a novel 3D simulation modelling system for distributed manufacturing. Computers in Industry, 54 (1): 69-81. [S1] Saaksvuori, A. & Immonen, A. (2004). Product Lifecycle Management. Springer.