Conception of a Method for Quality Enhancement in the Product Development Process using Digital Manufacturing Tools

• Grant number: 07/05295-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2008
• End date: October 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Product Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Luís Gonzaga Trabasso
• Grantee: Daniella Yada Negroni
• Host Institution: Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA). Ministério da Defesa (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 04/16031-3 - High speed machining - HSM, AP.TEM

Abstract

The main objective of this proposal is the conception of a method for reducing the product fails costs during its design phase by means of anticipating the product and or process improvements identified trough the PLM - Product lifecycle Management - suit, particularly the quality modules. As a secondary objective, the work will investigate both functionality and feasibility of applying in an efficient manner, the PLM suit to the product development process for the aeronautical sector, specially the quality modes of the suit.To this end it will be elaborated a simplified, virtual model of a product within the digital manufacturing real by means of product tolerance and process data. The former can be either geometric or form; the latter is based upon process control charts and / or non conformity legacy data). Once the DMU (Digital MockUp) is built, the manufacturing processes including assembly are simulated based on the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS)concept. Then, the products features which cannot be met by the manufacturing process are set apart and these are the inputs for the quality improvement method which is proposed herein. Finally, some Key Process Indicators (KPI) are chosen as means for comparing the efficiency and effectiveness between the actual state-of-practice with that of the proposed method.For evaluating the appropriateness of applying the PLM quality modules for the aeronautical sector, it will be elaborated case studies where the designers who are building the product DMU will answer whether or not the quality requirements of the product are being properly addressed by the functions of the PLM quality modules.