Digital Manufacturing Delivers in a Changing Landscape
You may remember my post referencing an SAE Webcast I had participated last month with Phillip Gott of IHS Consulting titled: “Product to Production Integration – Connecting Virtual Product, Manufacturing and Quality Planning to Physical Production”. In case you were unable to attend, there is a replay available here (registration required).
Phil presented his latest research on the challenges facing automotive manufacturers. From rapidly changing demographics to an increasing demand for environmentally-friendly transportation and a highly-charged competitive landscape, Phil’s premise was that these changes pointto a great deal of uncertainty which will demand greater flexibility, innovation and collaboration from the automotive industry.
My presentation tied to Phil’s premise through a discussion on how product to production integration can mitigate the risk this uncertainty poses for the industry (any industry for that matter). At the core of this capability are three of the latest innovations in digital manufacturing which provide the framework for making smarter decisions about how to meet customer demand in the most flexible and cost efficient way:
If you’re thinking that these are really lean tenants, you’d be correct; standards, flow and measurement are core concepts to Lean and is precisely why these capabilities are fundamental to meeting the challenges Phil had outlined in his research.
Keep watching for my next post because we’re just getting started. Through the summer, I will blog in further detail on each of these innovations (and other topics) to provide you a more in-depth look at how closing the loop between product and production allows for greater flexibility and speed while still delivering the quality you need to succeed in today’s changing landscape.
