The original aerospace manufacturer must synchronize all supply chain activities and is, therefore, well advised to minimize the links of the value chain and maximize its value at every step of the process. The working of this rather complex manufacturing infrastructure is through a combination of technology and interaction. Information technology ranks from FDI to intranet services within the network and Ethernet externally. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) ties nearly all functions of the internal OEM activities together. The communication is two-fold. One is the transmittal of data, the other the interconnective communication of teams.
Two spearheading programs illustrate how vast the network of supply and manufacturing partners is.
Boeing 787
Traditional rules of engagement in the otherwise conventional and aerospace market no longer apply. There are new rules, systems processes and principles with which products are made. At the core of it all is the "value supply chain," of which outsourcing is the biggest part.
Products are made locally, nationally and globally to be mated to one another to complete the end product. This principle is applied at the OEM, Tier 1, Tier 2, etc, levels.
Boeing gives design, development and manufacturing authority to their Tier 1 - systems and part supplier. Boeing taps into their expertise, spreads the risk, and expands its footprint abroad. Tier 1 suppliers do the same to their subcontractors.
Take, for example, the Boeing 787 commercial airline program. Hundreds of suppliers, all over the world, are part of Boeing's direct supply chain (23 systems suppliers in 11 countries and 14 U.S. states totaling 23 systems suppliers). Boeing's Tier 1s, such as Goodrich Aerospace, Hamilton Sundstrand, Spirit Aerosystems, Global Aeronautics, Rockwell Collins, and Rolls Royce all heavily depend on their Tier suppliers, who, in turn, produce their products productively and cost-efficiently without their own sub-suppliers.
Lockheed JSF35
Take the important JSF35 fighter plane, of which Lockheed Martin is the champion contractor. Seven participatory countries with a total of 600 suppliers contribute to the build of the fighter plane. The JSF35 is for the member countries' airforce, the U.S. Airforce, Navy and Marines, offering short take-off, conventional take-off, and vertical take-off. Besides Lockheed, some other vital players are Northrop, GKN, BAE-Systems, Parker Aerospace, Siemens, Rockwell Collins, EDO Corp, Pratt & Whitney, GE, Rolls Royce and Alenia.
A sheer endless number of suppliers, contractors, systems providers, machine shops and manufacturing enterprises constitute a complex array of players for the final assembly of this state-of-the art stealth fighter.
It is to no surprise that such mammoth undertakings are flawed - parts are not made at the expected quality level, assemblies don't fit, there are unacceptable variances in sub-assemblies, part finishes vary greatly from plant to plant, and deliveries are often not met.
All of this has the opposite effect to the principles of "lean" and "Kanban." Fixing what is made wrong creates waste all around manufacturing and unforeseen costs for the contracted enterprise.
What can be done? How can machining errors be foregone and assemblies be made to fit the first time around? And most of all, how can the associated mistakes, errors, non-conformities and resulting costs be avoided?
Standardization and uniformity of processes that make these aerospace parts are the biggest elements of stemming the tide, and of exceeding costly aerospace manufacturing. It is here, where we need to revisit the principles of concurrent engineering/concurrent manufacturing and apply robust, advanced processes to which every manufacturer around the globe has access and is able to understand it.
Concurrent Manufacturing
Derived from concurrent engineering - emphasizing "product," concurrent manufacturing embraces "process." At the core of both are teams-technology-techniques.
Teams are interdisciplinary and involve representation of the essential departments and representatives of suppliers correspondingly. Their composition can vary but should always include R&D, process engineers, systems engineers, production planning, quality assurance, tool engineering, key suppliers, and procurement.
Technology - multi-functional, multi-talented teams discuss technical issues, such as:
- The launch of new processes for the manufacture of new products
- Adjusting existing production runs
- Improving floor productivity
- Implementing changes of machining systems
- Phasing in advanced manufacturing technology (transportation, assembly, etc.)
Techniques - development and improvements of products through processing, e.g.:
- Manufacturability, i.e. designing products commensurate the production capabilities
- Manufacture to zero defect
- Manufacture to uniformity (standardize successful processes company-wide and supply chain-wide)
- Manufacture to best practice (cost-quality-time)
Concurrent manufacturing gives the OEM and its suppliers through disciplined team-building and team competence a forum of an honest, fruitful, problem-solving, and technology-oriented relationship. Aerospace manufacturing is so multi-faceted and complex that outsourcing is not only necessary but desirable.
But OEMs have to have a built-in device to verify that they are not shut out from technology advancements that are available but not provided by existing suppliers. The supplier, on the other hand, needs to know what is expected of them by the OEM.
The dependency on each other mandates that OEM and tier supplier in aerospace have a built-in device of how to keep one another informed and abreast of new, advanced and innovative manufacturing technology. Concurrent manufacturing teams are the platform and enabler of how products are to be made uniformly and how to improve upon processes. It is the platform for standardization and foregoes unpleasant surprises of non-conformity. Setting the standards for the desired performance characteristic up front and then continuously has to be stimulated and worked on by the team to assure complete acceptance of the products produced within the value supply chain.
OEMs initiate the outsourcing process and select their manufacturing partners. Concurrent manufacturing is for the OEM a vehicle with which to stay on top of what processes make their products and how to improve upon them. Conversely, it gives the supplier a much needed voice, if the OEM imposes stricter yardsticks on outsourced processes than they do on themselves, potentially exceeding the supplier manufacturing capabilities. Concurrent manufacturing teams inspire OEMs and suppliers equally as much in their quest for innovation and process improvement.
The relevance of adopting concurrent manufacturing principles becomes apparent when going "offshore" for parts manufacturing. As a corporate strategy it defines the internal proceedings and spirit of team gatherings.
Concurrent manufacturing must be done with enthusiasm, gusto, without the traditional business bureaucracy, with an element of freedom to break new grounds and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Team members must not be allowed to seek collective decision making, but must take charge and stand up for their viewpoint, instead of seeking guidance where there is none needed, questioning their own authority within the group or being afraid to be different. The internal morale and spirit has to be high at all times and a good external image.
As more and more companies go global, setting up subsidiaries in other continents and having their supply base move with them, key employees are disposed geographically. Their physical distance creates a new form of teaming that one can call virtual teams. This type of expert grouping can be connected through any form of communication and information system such as telephone, fax, email, common database, the internet, networking PCs, or video conferencing. Since agility and flexibility combined with knowledge and innovation are the key virtues of 21st century business culture, so-called virtual teaming offers added benefits, while its mechanics and principles remain the same. Teams can consist of expert personnel that might otherwise not be available. When team members communicate from different time zones, it adds to the perpetual thought process. The mandatory use of advanced communication systems increases knowledge and awareness of up-to-date information systems and the automatic use of common database as every team member with readily up-to-date information.
Virtual teams add new, advanced dimensions to the concurrent manufacturing process. In a collaborative manufacturing environment, members of the concurrent manufacturing team need to communicate through different media constantly. Flow of information and transfer of knowledge are essential to synchronize the manufacture of products through multiple plant locations. The efficiency of advanced, sophisticated communication and information systems through real and virtual teams opens the door to yet another intriguing pathway, semi-automated concurrent manufacturing.
As the manufacturing enterprise gathers a sleuth of information for storage in a data bank, it is true that every manufacturing process differs from the next. There are, however, certain base parameters typical for any production floor. Most variables are finite. Developing a computer-based infrastructure to support decision making in a multi-disciplinary, multitalented environment played out at several operational units makes sense. Drawing relevant reoccurring, well-proven data from a host data bank and transferring them to a concurrent manufacturing software program, networked to the individual concurrent manufacturing members gives the team a decisive head start. However, considering the large amount of data to be managed and adopted for group knowledge, it would appear to be natural to resort to computer technology. A well-integrated set of fundamental parameters can even serve as a virtual process prototype. Part-finishes, tool wear, assembly holdups, cycle times, machine downtimes, transportation time, workpiece material variations, maintenance schedules, coolant types, machine tool monitoring, tool coating, spindle acceleration, workpiece clamping pressure, tool setting, tolerance, and many others are typical parameters to use as condensed data. Analyzing this case history and processing them by means of concurrent manufacturing data software aids in such areas as optimizing production times, just-in-time delivery, minimizing tool changes, identifying the bestsuited tooling for each operation, preventive maintenance programs, and machineability issues. The availability of basic building blocks, vis-￠-vis multiple sets of variations can result in an infinite variety of new ideas and induce real innovation. As a unit, this system works in concurrency to yield best processes for accepted use at any operational unit onshore, offshore and globally.
If applied with vigor, discipline and efficiency, the principles of concurrent manufacturing can be of immense benefits. As a continuation of concurrent engineering it, simultaneously, lowers manufacturing time and cost and increases process and product quality and is an excellent instrument toward more growth and market share. It is a proverbial instrument for transforming mere manufacturing into world-class manufacturing.
Advanced Machining Processes
Having parts made by a whole sleuth of different suppliers demands standardization of advanced and innovative machining processes to lower cost, increase machine uptime to shorten delivery times, minimize machining variables, eliminate waste, and maximize precision and process robustness.
1. It involves taking a holistic approach toward the process by embracing all elements of the machining process - machine, cutting tool, tool clamping, part clamping, coolant, and part transportation, process management, material variations, and lean principles.
2. The number of machining passes have to be kept to a minimum. One-pass machining has to be strived for and, if possible, multitask tooling applied.
3. Machining data have to be optimized to secure high speed/feed operations for better part finishes and reduced cycle times.
4. The acquisition of multi-tasking machines ("mill-turns" or "turnmills," e.g.) should be pursued whenever possible for finish-machine in one setup to reduce part throughput time and increase precision.
5. Substitute processes to finish parts with the most common production machines. For example, turning instead of grinding or grinding instead of housing.
6. Pursuing dry or near-dry machining puts much less stress on health and environment. Considering that 16% of total production is directly related to coolant, according to a study by Mercedes Benz, it can extend machining costs substantially.
7. Simplifying machining operations starts at the design stage. Workpieces have to be designed for ease of handling, fixturing, locating and cutting tool reach.
8. The use of advanced cutting material, including innovative coatings and geometries best suited for the respective workpiece material.
9. Close attention to the most accurate and appropriate tool and part-holding for secure and vibration-free machining.
10. Processes must be selected that assure high repeatability and accuracy, no matter to what plant the process is applied.
11. Modularity of tooling increases identification and awareness of how tools stack up for specific tool assemblies (holders, inserts, shank configurations, etc).
12. Tool management consists of the tools identification, its setting, storage, handling, availability, administration and verification of the machining outcomes as a closed-loop process.
Summary
Outsourcing and global aerospace manufacturing has to be done in a methodical and disciplined way. The key ingredients are:
The enablers of these key ingredients are the principle of concurrent engineering/manufacturing. Aerospace manufacturers, who manufacture and sell complex products nationwide or even globally, cannot allow to have their own supplier partners design, develop, and produce "independently." Their individual efforts not only have to be complementary to one another, but their knowledge, expertise, abilities, and capabilities have to be orchestrated and synthesized.
In aerospace, "Today's best cannot be the limitation for tomorrow."
Dr. Bert P. Erdel, Executive Technology Advisor Aerospace, DMG America
