Success Story Harburg Freudenberger

Transcription

1 Always the right GRIP Machines for the Tire Industry Dr. Arne Gaiser, DSC Software AG Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau GmbH introduced SAP PLM for NX to manage machine and installation engineering data Direct integration features gain of information and time Until May of 2005, Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau GmbH (HF) operated as ThyssenKrupp Elastomertechnik GmbH, and was a company of ThyssenKrupp. Today, the company belongs to the conglomerate Possehl, Lübeck. HF develops, manufactures, and markets machines and installations for the rubber and edible oil industry. Among others, the company supplies Michelin and Continental with machines and has for these technologies a market share of over 25%. The products are technically highly complex, and are individually customized to customer production requirements. In order to meet future market requirements, the special machine building company focuses on company-wide continuously integrated processes and systems. Page 1 of 11

2 Right mixing is the key Whether a tire has a good grip during rain, snow, or ice, keeps the car on track at high speed, features abrasion resistance, and causes little wheeling noise is a question of the right mix of a variety of product qualities. The recipes for the rubber mix, tire makeup and tire pattern is a well sheltered know-how of the manufacturer. Thus, Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau GmbH (HF) produces each machine in a way that each manufacturer is able to optimal realizes its product and process requirements. HF is able to realize the customer's complete production process, and provides machines and installations, from provisioning, mixing and processing raw materials, and semi-finished part production, raw tire production to final vulcanization. Figure: Tire factory Machines and Installations of Harburg- Freudenberger Maschinenbau GmbH Page 2 of 11

3 Edible oil technology Moreover, HF develops and manufactures machines and installations for edible oil extraction. The program ranges from machinery and equipment for preparation of oilseeds to continuously operating screw presses, solvent extraction equipment, and systems for refining of edible oils. Figure: Pressing plant of edible oil technology Figure: Triplex aggregate of rubber technology Page 3 of 11

4 Figure: Tire mounting machine of rubber technology Figure: Tire heat press of rubber technology Page 4 of 11

5 Optimized development processes by 3D-CAD With the introduction of the SAP module PP for bills of material and production documents in 2002, the PDM processes were analyzed. What emerged was that improvement potentials could not be used due to so far missing 3D CAD functions. Figure: Mounting an extruder head In October of 2003, HF decided for switching to 3D CAD system NX. Significant reasons were the option to generate and manage assembly structures, and the introduction of simultaneous engineering. Assemblies designed in 3D can be checked for collisions and diffusions already in the development phase. This allows us to increase the quality of designs, explains Markus Voigt, Head of PLM Project at HF. An additional positive potential is the fast provision of models for mechanical production. Using the CAM module of NX omits to physically copy models realizing considerable savings in mechanical production. Page 5 of 11

6 No 3D without PDM System It became quickly apparent that the improvements in product development HF aspired were feasible only by introducing an integrated PDM system. Beginning of 2004, HF decided for SAP PLM with SAP PLM Integration for NX. Just as engineering functionalities, data management and process integration were important for us, explains the responsible Head of project. NX data are company-wide accessible, and directly usable in logistic processes. The saving potentials are considerable. Up to 30 minutes daily, each engineer saves when searching for NX components. In that, SAP classification plays a substantial role by contributing to standardization of our products, explains Markus Voigt. In addition, we save a lot of time in creating and maintaining BOMs. Due to missing part structuring, previously BOMs were manually created in SAP. Today this takes place automatically. The engineer works 95% in the CAD and only 5% in the SAP environment. Today work is managed by the graphical 3D model, previously it was the BOM, stresses Markus Voigt. Figure: Display of an extruder head in NX Page 6 of 11

7 Figure: Desktop display of an detached assembly structure in SAP PLM Integration for NX Figure: Section of a project plan Page 7 of 11

8 Introduction in less than 6 months The solution was introduced in several phases meeting budget and schedule deadlines. An important element of the first phase was the starter kit. Resting on the basic installation of the integration, it served to transfer know-how to key user. We were able to test our own requirements in an integrated environment, and check several process options. Together with our implementation partner DSC Software AG, we successively extended the basic installation. At the same time, CAD key user designed an engineering guideline which was continuously synchronized with the prototype. This enabled us to optimal harmonize our engineering methods with master data management and our logistic structures, emphasizes Markus Voigt. In August of 2004, the solution approved by HF went productive. Figure: Documents content versions are filed, and also for each drawing page a secondary file in format TIFF. Page 8 of 11

9 Document management The SAP system manages all NX models and structures. With the integration solution a Master-Model compliant work method was introduced. The Master represents the 3D model. Non-Master documents, such as drawings, are associatively linked to the Master. In sum, seven document types were introduced. Document type UGD UGM UGN UNC UKI UFE UGX Description NX drawing NX models (single part and assembly model) NX norm and standard parts NX CAM Cinematic models FEM models Further documents The document number is defined by an internal number assignment on creating a NX model (document type UGM). The number assignment for all other document types is external, and is set by the model. Master and NonMaster documents have the same number showing the association. Mapping of NX engineering functions in logistic structures HF attached great importance to map NX modeling techniques in SAP in a way that part and part structures are useable in downstream processes. For example, each single part of a welding assembly is mapped as a document in SAP, and linked to a material of material type "RAW". Via NX component attributes which are recorded by NX/Tools, size positions are created in the SAP material BOM on saving. Creating material masters and material BOM The engineering department also creates the material master for a NX model, i.e. basic data views and additional data. For a faster recording of relevant data, a DSC module provides defaults for specific fields. In addition, the material master is automatically linked to the document info record. On saving a CAD assembly, automatically a material BOM is created in SAP. Via a component attribute in NX, non-bom relevant components in a NX assembly are able to be suspended. Page 9 of 11

10 Standardization and re-use For reducing part variety and to standardize products HF employs the standardization solution 3D-Pool by BCT. Part families released by the standardization department are additionally available in SAP. Currently, HF checks options to introduce the solution aclass SAP by BCT, which not only manages part families but also any in-house engineered components in SAP. Directly using the SAP classification in this case, avoids maintenance efforts in two systems, and data redundancy. Consistent document management in the engineering process An essential basis for fast engineering processes is an automatic connection of objects in a Master group. Objects belonging to a Master group are equally treated in the process. For example, on creating a new version of a Master document (NX model), also all Non-Master documents, such as drawings, are versioned. Figure: Status linking between document types In order to automate the release process status linking and consistency checks were implemented. On transferring a NX drawing (UGD) for check, status linking comes into play. The related NX model (UGM) is automatically set to status 25 Check Request. At the same time, a JT file of models and a TIFF file of drawings is generated, and filed to SAP. Based on the TIFF view, the checking person decides on check release. Following the successful check of the drawing, the model (UGM) is automatically set to status 30 Checked. After updating the drawing header of the drawing (UGD) a new TIFF file is generated. On release of the model (UGM) then automatically the drawing (UGD) is set to status 40 Released. In advance, however, a check runs. The model is released only, in case also the material BOM is released. Page 10 of 11

11 This process definition automates reoccurring workflow as far as possible. Checks and conversion workflow are directly integrated in the process flow, and ensure consistent editing of documents. Changes with change management The change process starts with the creation of a change master record, and the assignment of the objects to be changed to this record. On versioning the Master document, all related NonMaster documents, such as drawings, are also versioned. Documents previously released are automatically set to status 50 In Modification. On releasing the new version, the system sets the predecessor version to status 70 Historic, this version then is invalid. Material BOMs starting with status 40 are history obligatory. Then changes are possible only via change number. The change number, and the change itself, is automatically transferred from the NX assembly to the BOM. Current status and outlook Altogether, we made a step from person-related to system-supported information. The same direction is aimed at with the integration of the UGS check tool Checkmate into the release process. On changing to release status, Checkmate checks whether the models meet our engineering guidelines. However, we do not use the solution in a restrictive way. We release the documents also when this check was not successful,, explains Markus Voigt. However, we analyze all errors on a monthly basis. With that we expect further quality improvements. Ultimately, we want to achieve that each engineer is using Checkmate before engineering release. User contact Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau GmbH [email protected] Information at: Page 11 of 11