Resource efficient configuration of an aircraft assembly line

The design of efficient assembly systems can significantly contribute to the profitability of products and the competitiveness of manufacturing industries. The configuration of a an efficient assembly line can be supported by suitable methodologies and techniques, such as design for manufacture and assembly, assembly sequence planning, assembly line balancing, lean manufacturing and optimization techniques. In this paper, these methods are applied with reference to the industrial case study of the assembly line of a Skycar light aircraft. The assembly process sequence is identified taking into account the analysis of the assembly structure and the required precedence constraints, and diverse techniques are applied to optimize the assembly line performance. Different line configurations are verified through discrete event simulation to assess the potential increase of efficiency and throughput in a digital environment and propose the most suitable configuration of the assembly line

The Application of Mixed Reality Within Civil Nuclear Manufacturing and Operational Environments

This thesis documents the design and application of Mixed Reality (MR) within a nuclear manufacturing cell through the creation of a Digitally Assisted Assembly Cell (DAAC). The DAAC is a proof of concept system, combining full body tracking within a room sized environment and bi-directional feedback mechanism to allow communication between users within the Virtual Environment (VE) and a manufacturing cell. This allows for training, remote assistance, delivery of work instructions, and data capture within a manufacturing cell. The research underpinning the DAAC encompasses four main areas; the nuclear industry, Virtual Reality (VR) and MR technology, MR within manufacturing, and finally the 4 th Industrial Revolution (IR4.0). Using an array of Kinect sensors, the DAAC was designed to capture user movements within a real manufacturing cell, which can be transferred in real time to a VE, creating a digital twin of the real cell. Users can interact with each other via digital assets and laser pointers projected into the cell, accompanied by a built-in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. This allows for the capture of implicit knowledge from operators within the real manufacturing cell, as well as transfer of that knowledge to future operators. Additionally, users can connect to the VE from anywhere in the world. In this way, experts are able to communicate with the users in the real manufacturing cell and assist with their training. The human tracking data fills an identified gap in the IR4.0 network of Cyber Physical System (CPS), and could allow for future optimisations within manufacturing systems, Material Resource Planning (MRP) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This project is a demonstration of how MR could prove valuable within nuclear manufacture. The DAAC is designed to be low cost. It is hoped this will allow for its use by groups who have traditionally been priced out of MR technology. This could help Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) close the double digital divide between themselves and larger global corporations. For larger corporations it offers the benefit of being low cost, and, is consequently, easier to roll out across the value chain. Skills developed in one area can also be transferred to others across the internet, as users from one manufacturing cell can watch and communicate with those in another. However, as a proof of concept, the DAAC is at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) five or six and, prior to its wider application, further testing is required to asses and improve the technology. The work was patented in both the UK (S. R EDDISH et al., 2017a), the US (S. R EDDISH et al., 2017b) and China (S. R EDDISH et al., 2017c). The patents are owned by Rolls-Royce and cover the methods of bi-directional feedback from which users can interact from the digital to the real and vice versa. Stephen Reddish Mixed Mode Realities in Nuclear Manufacturing Key words: Mixed Mode Reality, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Nuclear, Manufacture, Digital Twin, Cyber Physical Syste

Computer aided manufacturing system modelling and development using virtual reality serum

This work focused on virtual factory environment created to assess the value of Virtual Reality (VR) and animation based software for design, visualisation and planning of production facilities (i.e. their user friendliness for the user to perform specific operation). The project largely focused on what desk-top VR techniques can do to assist the design and planning of production facilities and application of techniques to solve plant layout problems using 3D and 2D views. The first part describes an approach to a virtual bi-cycle factory by means of a three dimensional modelling system and animation based simulation package (PC version o f Animation Package 3D Studio Max) by taking into account the real data of a factory. This part also discussed how 3D solid modelling and animation based simulation can aid engineers in analysing the virtual factory's layout with a view (i) to identify bottlenecks in the existing factory (ii) proper utilisation of space and other facilities by applying plant layout problem solving techniques. Also the usability of the Superscape VRT 5.5 and 3D Studio Max System were assessed for how easy or difficult it was for the user to perform specific operations. The last part of the work deals with the application of CIM (Computer Intregated Manufacturing) concept in one of the virtual factories created earlier and to analyse the simulation result. Firstly, the applicability of the 3D Studio Max system was assessed for its user friendliness (for the user to perform specific operations). The designer can build a virtual factory ju st like constructing a miniature model of the real factory. A 3D model of a real bi-cycle parts manufacturing factory has been modelled using 3D Studio Max Software. Participant can navigate through virtual factory and examine the virtual factory from different viewing points. After visualising different sections of the factory using viewing points, it is considered that both the factory walkthrough and the visualisation facilities were useful for designing and planning activities in virtual environment. Various bottlenecks of the bi-cycle parts manufacturing factory layout were identified using 2D and 3D views and scientific factory layout problem solving concepts and techniques. The old layout and the new layout were compared using the concept of CRAFT (Computerised relocation of facilities technique) and further changes were made until the new layout was found to be the better one. Secondly, a simple toy factory, which makes a toy sports car (for four to six year old children), has been modelled using Desktop Virtual Reality System (Superscape VRT 5.5).The factory model has been designed to visualise shop floor virtually and to test both the factory walk through and visualisation facilities. It was found that the factory walkthrough and viewing point facilities o f Superscape VRT 5.5 is better th an that o f 3D Studio MAX. Participant can navigate freely through the virtual factory using Superscape VRT 5.5 mouse where as for the case o f 3D Studio MAX, participant cannot navigate freely through the virtual factory using the mouse. Lastly the process modelling and simulation software SimCad has been used to simulate the processes o f the bi-cycle parts manufacturing factory in 2D. Simulation results were analysed. The results were found to be satisfactory

Robustheitssteigerung in Produktionsnetzwerken mithilfe eines integrierten Störungsmanagements

Manufacturing companies operating in global production networks face increasing susceptibilities to disruptions that may have far-reaching consequences for the entire network. To cope with disruptions and to maintain the network\u27s performance even if disruptions occur, companies are in need of a holistic, systematic disruption management, which includes all network actors in the identification of advantageous reaction measures and thus ensures the network\u27s robustness against disruptions. However, current implementations of operational disruption management are mostly exclusively based on experience or intuition and are limited to individual, production or logistics-related partners or areas, hence not forcing a holistically advantageous reaction. Therefore, the objective of the present thesis lies in the development of a methodology for increasing robustness in production networks by means of an integrated disruption management, taking both production and logistics perspectives into account. Based on the analysis and modelling of significant, production- and logistics-related disruptions, a simulation-based approach is used to identify (combinations of) countermeasures that are suitable both for the elimination of disruptions as well as the minimization of their consequences. The simulation thereby combines design of experiments with methods of metamodeling in order to obtain comprehensive statements about the interactions between disruptions, countermeasures and system performance and thus about the suitability of certain measures. Based on the knowledge about the suitability of certain measures, proactive strategies are derived, which promote the implementation of advantageous measures from a planning point of view by appropriately adjusting the respective capacities in the production network. This combined approach, which optimally coordinates the planning and control components of disruption management, allows to increase robustness in production networks. Within the scope of the research project FlexPLN, the developed methodology has been discussed and applied to a use case from the aviation industry. The results thereby do not only unveil that a joint consideration of production and logistics measures provides a promising means for a comprehensive understanding of disruptions and their consequences for production networks, but also indicate that a metamodeling-based approach might be meaningful to predict suitable countermeasures for the reaction to disruptions