Martin Pitsch

Simplified Life Cycle Analysis of a Forming Tool in the Automotive Industry

Since climate protection and reduction of carbon emissions have gained increasing significance in research, industry and legislation, it is not only important to reduce energy consumption and emissions of vehicles during the use stage, but throughout the whole life cycle. In the sub-project “Resource-Efficient Tool Manufacturing” of the Green Carbody Technologies Innovation Alliance the life cycle of an integrated forming tool for the manufacturing of car body parts has been analysed. From casting to tool manufacturing and use stage until recycling processes have been considered and energy and material consumptions have been measured and analysed in a life cycle perspective.

Modular Service-Oriented Cyber-Physical Systems for the European Tool Making Industry

Manufacturing companies in high-wage countries are facing rising challenges in a global market. Increasing customer demands for a higher degree of individualization result in smaller lot sizes and higher variety of products. In addition, competitors from low-wage countries in Asia and Eastern Europe have significantly improved their technical capabilities, resulting in a more competitive environment. The tool making industry provides its customers with the means to achieve excellence in production due to its unique position in the value chain between product development and the serial production of parts. A tool making company’s ability to improve the efficiency of serial production and develop innovative product design is strongly dependent on its capability of integrating itself into the preceding and following customer processes. Over the last years, customer demands for global sourcing of tools have changed from low prices to the demands of extended tool operating life and high operational availability. European tool making companies have learned to take this development as a chance to differentiate themselves from global competitors and subsequently increase their range of services up- and downstream the value chain. As a result, new industrial product-service-systems (IPS²) for the European tool making industry need to be developed that address the demand of a higher degree of integration into the preceding and following customer processes. Within the German Government founded research project “Smart Tools”, an industrial product-service-system (IPS²) for the tool making industry has been developed based on a modular service-oriented cyber-physical system. Core element of the cyber-physical system is the smart tool – an injection molding tool equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology to capture data on the condition of the tool during its operational use. Its intelligence derives from the condition based interpretation and data management of the collected process data which is also the basis for the design of customer specific services. Besides the successful integration of force and position sensors into the tool, experimental research has delivered important results on the application of solid borne sound sensors for online early detection of tool wear. An innovative concept for the distribution and interpretation of the process data incorporates the specific requirements of the customers. To cope with the demands of individual and small series production in the tool making industry, a modular sensor kit has been developed together with a diagnostic unit for data interpretation and storage of data in an electronic tool book. The developed modular service-oriented cyber-physical system delivers the means to extended tool operating life and improves the overall efficiency of serial production. Based on the results new business models can be developed for tool making companies to differentiate themselves from global competitors and overcome the challenges of production in high-wage countries.

Methodology for resource allocation in the tool and die industry

The effects of globalization have caused a continuous increase of competition intensity within the tool and die industry. Thus European tool shops have access to emerging markets but in the same time they have to face new competitors with lower factor costs. Furthermore customer requirements have changed. New customer requirements lead to derivatization and decreasing product lifecycles. The demographic change results in limited availability of skilled and experienced employees which especially affects know-how intensive industries as the tool and die industry. In sum all factors force European tool shops to aim for a fast, efficient and cost minimal manufacturing process. This aim is only achievable by a capable employee and technology allocation. This paper presents a methodology developed by the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, which shows an appropriate resource allocation regarding employees and technologies to enable an optimal value creation process.

„Kostengünstigere“ Werkzeuge durch Lebenszykluskostenbetrachtung

Kurzfassung Im Zuge des zunehmenden Kostendrucks, ausgehend vom Wettbewerb aus Niedriglohnländern sowie den Budgetrestriktionen der Kunden, bergen die Analyse und die Optimierung der Lebenszykluskosten eines Werkzeugs Differenzierungspotenzial für mitteleuropäische Werkzeugbaubetriebe. Ein im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts TEC (Total Efficiency Control) entwickeltes Kalkulationstool ermöglicht Werkzeugbaubetrieben die Lebenszykluskosten ihrer Werkzeuge zu prognostizieren und gegenüber ihren Kunden transparent darzustellen. Dadurch werden sie in die Lage versetzt, ihre zumeist höheren Einstandspreise über die geringeren Betriebskosten zu rechtfertigen und damit ein insgesamt kostengünstigeres Werkzeug vermarkten zu können.