An approach to systematically identify and analyze delay risks in ramp-up projects of automotive manufacturers assuring scheduled ramp-up considering challenges of time-to-volume, increased quantity of ramp-up projects and increased complexity of products. It follows a multi-stage process based on the common risk management process.
- Within the first stage comprehensive risk identification in a preliminary process of ramp-up projects is conducted.
- The second stage includes any activities (risk management) to optimize ramp-up process with regards to delay risks. The approach was validated at an automotive manufacturer site within a ramp-up project of a new product. Results of the forecasting risk simulation and reality of open flaws are to a high degree consistent.
Volume Ramp-up Projects
Production and manufacturing companies today, in a bid to achieve time to market and time to volume, makes use of production ramp-up. To achieve effective and rapid returns in investing in newly manufactured products it is necessary to maintain appropriate cost and volume as well as considerable manufacturing quality.
Companies that introduce new products quickly have been shown to be better performers. The effectiveness of the new product introduction process is critical to their performance. Production ramp -up is a necessary phase of new product introduction and both planning and execution need careful consideration especially for engineered products which are generally typified by design, purchasing and production complexity.
Lean Automation has enormous experience with ramp-up/ face lift projects,
1.Addition of robots to reduce cycle time.
2.Modifying the fixture for changes in the updated car panel.
3.Addition of new variant in the existing line.
4.Improving the efficiency by optimizing the process/layout.
In automobiles industry, facelift often be shown as a small change in its outlook, updating its engine output, adding some new equipment’s or creating a new edition etc. Company will push out a facelift version to attract new and past customers to change their cars as they observe the sales revenue starts decreasing. This process is controlled by product life cycle management.
It is commonly applied to many kinds of products to keep them competitive during a model's product life cycle and to increasing the sales revenue of products. To earn high sales revenue and profits for as long as possible with one product generation, one must enhance the product's attractiveness from time to time. Mid-cycle facelifts for cars are usually just cosmetic: a little nip here, a little tuck there, new lights and maybe a couple of different trim pieces to maintain interest in an aging vehicle for an extra couple of years before a full redesign
Face Lift Projects
Many of our customers have industrial or professional products with very long life cycles. The core technology is usually very robust and there isn’t really any need to replace it with more modern technology. But the customer’s sales organization runs into the problem that the product’s look-and-feel simply isn’t attractive enough. Revenue starts to drop, even though the product has superior price/performance. Today’s professional users, as everyone else, has gotten used to modern smart phones with superior user friendliness. Why should they be satisfied with anything less in a professional product that they use every day at work?
This is a common driver behind the need, when our customers commission us to do a face-lift project. The specification can be to improve mechanical housing, graphical user interface, or to attach functionality for connecting external devices such as tablets or smart-phones.
