Nikola Bursac

Internal Innovation Communities from a User’s Perspective: How to Foster Motivation for Participation

In order to further include the employees’ creativity in the innovation processes, companies provide social software platforms for internal innovation communities to share, discuss and evaluate ideas. The main challenge for organizing such communities is to foster motivation for participation. In this paper, motivation theories are put in context with an innovation community concept developed at the automotive manufacturer Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Firstly, an interview study analysis of this concept is used to identify new relevant expectations, hopes, needs and abilities of employees. Secondly, measures proposed in the past are evaluated. With the help of 20 semi-structured interviews it can be shown that each of the employees is unique and has own motivational deficiencies. Thus it is important that a concept for fostering motivation includes several measures which motivate the various users to participate. These measures are integrated into a holistic concept presented in this paper.

Influence of process parameters on the formability of bead stamping part using advanced models

Beads are applied to deep drawn sheet metal parts to increase its stiffness. In order to form the bead, a two-stage manufacturing process including at least deep drawing and beading is performed. Thus, reductions of sheet metal thickness and consequently weight reduction can be effectively reached by numeric optimization. In order to apply the optimization algorithm to the production of non-virtual actual parts, the forming limits of the parts must be considered in both manufacturing steps. Bead formability is affected by process parameters such as blank holding force and lubrication. One way to investigate these influences is to use an accurate simulation model. In this study, the yield function named Yld2000-2D under non-associated flow rule is used to express anisotropic material behavior of blank and the Generalized Forming Limit Concept (GFLC) considering nonlinear strain paths is used to determine the formability. These models are validated by comparing the strain and bead forming limits measured in the Nakajima experiment. Then, the influences of mentioned process parameters are investigated by the validated model.

Methods and processes for robust weight management in the automotive industry

The development of successful automobiles requires the consideration of customer, business and public interests. Especially public interests like legislation, environment and regulations challenge the automotive industry today [1, 2, 3]. In order to achieve all desired requirements, an intelligent overall system of objectives is indispensable [4].

20 Years of Co-creation Using Case Based Learning

The teaching program IP - Integrated Product Development has been implemented annually with great success for 20 years, which means that this format has gained a high level of acceptance among companies from a wide range of industries. The participating students acquire professional skills in the area of PGE - Product Generation Engineering through the experience of the real development project and by applying activities and methods of product development, combined with a lecture that deals with the most recent cases from the business world. With the aim of bringing the co-creation formats to further student target groups with diverse needs, the format IP was analyzed and a general valid co-creation approach for case-based learning, was characterized by relevant success factors. Based on this, it was possible to transfer the success factors from IP contextual into the breadth (reaching a high number of students) and into the depth (gain of research competences) by means of two further formats.

Coupling of Computer-Aided Methods: Supporting Product Developer During Embodiment Synthesis

The high complexity during the development of new product generations is nowadays one of the biggest challenges in the product development process. One solution to support the product developer is the use of computer-aided methods. These methods allow simulating various physical behaviors in order to predict the validity of the new product generation. Furthermore, the integration of those methods into optimization procedures allows generating optimal design proposals. One example for this is the topology optimization. However, those methods are limited because they do not consider the results of previous simulations or information from other domains in a fully automated way. This work proposes a strategic approach to overcome the current challenges by coupling different simulation and optimization methods. By this, newly coupled computer-aided methods are developed in order to support the product developer during embodiment synthesis. The presented coupled methods show the benefits of this strategy. For example, the linkage of the topology optimization with the form fill simulation was carried out. Hereby, the calculation of the fiber orientations is done in each iteration of the topology optimization process. This results in initial design proposals for parts made of fiber-reinforced polymers which consider the local anisotropies caused by the manufacturing process. Another example for the successful coupling of existing methods is the merging of topology optimization and multi-body simulation. This allows reducing the energy consumption of accelerated systems by minimizing the inertia of moving structures within the topology optimization process. The presented coupled computer-aided methods are based on established and commercially available tools. This ensures a short-term availability of the developed methods for product developer. Therefore, additional qualification measures and long training periods are not required.

Determination of the bead geometry considering formability and stiffness effect using generalized forming limit concept (GFLC)

Beads are used in deep drawn sheet metal parts for increasing the part stiffness. Thus, reductions of sheet metal thickness and consequently weight reduction can be reached. Style guides for types and positions of beads exist, which are often applied. However, higher stiffness effects can be realized using numeric optimization. The optimization algorithm considers the two-stepped manufacturing process consisting of deep drawing and bead stamping. The formability in both manufacturing steps represents a limiting factor. Considering nonlinear strain paths using generalized forming limit concept (GFLC), acceptable geometries will be determined in simulation. Among them, the efficient geometry which has higher stiffness effects will be selected in numerical and experimental tests. These will be integrated in the optimization algorithm.

Modelling Technique for Knowledge Management, Process Management and Method application - A Formula Student exploratory study

Due to increasing product complexity, an exchange of knowledge between different areas is getting more important in multidisciplinary product development. Furthermore, another trend can be recognized, which points out that employees change their position more often in an organization. Both trends, multidisciplinarity and a higher fluctuation lead to the consequence that it is necessary to explicate and share knowledge. Therefore, knowledge management should take up a central role in the product development processes (PDPs). Thus, a PDP has to be considered as a socio-technical system, which is characterized not only by technical development, but also is represented as knowledge-intensive process.