Achim Kampker

Condition based factory planning

Consecutive planning approaches, common in the theory of factory design today, fail to support planning projects in practice. They neglect the interactions and dynamics in the planning task and project as well as the subjectivity introduced by the different stakeholders. Unconsidered interactions, conflicting motives and inflexible project structure lead to time-consuming, expensive and late adaptations. Local optimisation and deviations from the overall objectives are consequences of insufficient synchronisation and coordination. The approach proposed in this paper strives for a paradigm shift from consecutive processes to a modular, parallel approach, which can be reconfigured according to the specific conditions of the planning project and enterprise. This new approach integrates the modularisation and configuration of the planning process as well as aspects of management of instability and second order observation. It has been successfully employed in industry cases, which will be introduced in this paper.

Costs, quality and scalability: Impact on the value chain of electric engine production

Recent years have seen an increasing attention in electric vehicles. But due to high prices, there is only a moderate customer acceptance and market penetration. Companies need to build up new competencies to be able to develop and produce competitive electric vehicles. Moreover, a concentration on either cost or quality will not be sufficient to make electric mobility attractive to customers and to obtain sustainable success. Therefore, companies in the field of electric mobility production have to lead in both: cost and quality. This paper focuses on the electric engine production, the emerging costs, the influences on the customer value and the scalability of production processes.

Optimized Factory Planning and Process Chain Formation Using Virtual Production Intelligence

The increasing complexity of products creates new challenges in production planning. Hence, the methodology of process development has to be designed valuable. An innovative approach to reach efficient planning consists in the virtualization of planning processes. The concept of the ”Digital Factory” enables a preliminary evaluation of the planning success. In the present work, a framework is presented, which allows for the integration of dedicated applications into an integrative data model to gain a holistic mapping of the production. Using Intelligence approaches, data can be analyzed to provide decision support and optimization potentials. The advantages involved are demonstrated by a production structure planning approach in connection with a process chain optimization.

Virtual Production Systems

The use of simulation systems is of significant importance for companies in high-wage countries as the requirements of product- and process quality are generally higher than in low-wage countries due to conditions of the market. Since the implementation of simulation tools is not value-adding in the first place, the performance of virtual product development chain must therefore be continuously increased in terms of greater planning efficiency. Research in the field of virtual production systems therefore addresses the following issue.

Produktionseffizienz in der Kleinserie (ProeK)

Kurzfassung Elektrofahrzeuge weisen im Vergleich zu konventionell angetriebenen Fahrzeugen aufgrund fehlender Erfahrungswerte sowie neuer Technologien während des Markthochlaufs hohe Industrialisierungskosten auf. In einem gemeinsamen Forschungsprojekt zwischen den E-Fahrzeugherstellern e.GO Mobile AG und StreetScooter GmbH, der Laser Bearbeitungs- und Beratungszentrum GmbH (LBBZ), der TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH als System- und Fügespezialisten, dem Lehrgebiet Füge- und Trenntechnik der FH Aachen sowie dem Lehrstuhl Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) der RWTH Aachen werden daher praxisorientierte technische Lösungen entwickelt, um Kleinserien im Zukunftsfeld der Elektromobilität möglichst kostengünstig, effizient und flexibel herstellen zu können.

Assessment and Configuration of a Product Production System

The insight that manufacturing companies nowadays have to compete in an increasingly dynamic and differentiated market environment with increased competition is not new. Nevertheless, it is still difficult for many companies, particularly in high wage countries, to cope with the dilemma of simultaneously increasing cost pressure and differentiation. The following paper introduces a model to address this challenge. The model attempts to give support in finding the right fit between the production system set up and the product portfolio offered to the market. The core element is a navigator for an integrative assessment and configuration of product production systems in the domains “Customer Value Management”, “Product Architecture and Technology Design”, “Integrated Product and Production Design” and “Production Process Design”.

Radikale Innovation durch effiziente Netzwerke

Die Nachhaltigkeit einer Losung setzt per Definition stets auch deren Wirtschaftlichkeit voraus. Lokal emissionsfreie Mobilitat kann technisch bereits heute realisiert werden. Einige Dutzend Neuentwicklungen sind auf dem Markt erhaltlich. Das Geschaft mit Elektrofahrzeugen bleibt jedoch auf absehbare Zeit eine risikobehaftete Investition. Es existieren hohe Marktunsicherheiten und ein groser Kostendruck von Seiten der etablierten Technologien. Aktuell ubersteigen die Kosten der Elektromobilitat die Zahlungsbereitschaft der Konsumenten deutlich (vgl. [12]). Technologische Vorsprunge und Innovationen sind zwar die starksten Wachstumstreiber von Unternehmen. Um erfolgreich geschaftstatig zu sein, mussen diese aber auch rentabel sein beziehungsweise unter tragbarem Aufwand rentabel werden. Diese Aufgabe gilt es zu losen (vgl. [10]).

Development of technological competence innovations in disruptive changes using the electric motor as an example

The established engineering industry within the automotive sector are confronted with the challenge, caused by the electrification of cars, to acquire competences for production processes and technologies which are completely unknown to them. After the identification of the suitable technology, it has to be developed, deployed and transferred. The most critical step is the development of an unknown production process and technology competence for which a holistic guideline is necessary. For that reason a methodology concerning the strategic alignment of technological competence innovations in disruptive markets is being developed.

Process alternatives in the battery production

The future demand for Lithium-Ion-Cells is definitely going to increase. The main part accelerating the development is the cell production for electric cars. In order to gain more market share it is necessary to build up high-quality machines and connect them to an efficient process. Problematic for this target is the diverse process chain. An international survey showed that most companies are focused on just one specific operation; they cannot handle all steps with their own solutions. This paper presents a way to solve the problem by identifying, characterizing and assessing product alternatives along the whole process chain. In addition to that interdependences were detected and technology chains got written down in a last step.

High Resolution Information Management Decentralized and Self Optimizing Manufacturing Control in a Multi Machine Operating Environment

Absorbing the dynamics in production and to stabilize the production processes requires high efforts in order control. Today’s IT-systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are specialized in planning technical resources and optimizing deterministic sequences. Inconsistencies in planning have to be compensated by the operational staff at the latest. The vision of High Resolution Information Management (HRIM) is to build upon decentralized and adaptive control mechanisms for the workers in contrast to the traditional centralized control paradigm. In using context information, creating transparency through information and evaluating alternatives in the decision making process, the workers can better be enabled in handling the dynamic inherent in the system. The centralized structure of the companywide planning and control system will therefore not be abolished on the operational area but completed by decentralized self controlling structures.