Deployment of a Global Kanban System

A simulation study of kanban and CONWIP production control systems in a cold rolling plant

<div class="htmlview paragraph">South American automotive market pushes tier 1 supplier companies, as Visteon Corporation - Guarulhos, Brazil, to work in an environment of high complexity mix of products together with low volume operations.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">As a ring of the above supply chain, the Injection Area is a key internal supplier for the Plant, providing skins (cockpit plastic covers), consoles and other interior and exterior plastic parts to the manufacturing assembly cells.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">For a long time Kanban system has been used inside the Injection Area to minimize inventory through a pull system and to gain production flexibility.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper explores the link between the Kanban system and the Economic Batch Size (EBS) calculation. The EBS is the production administration approach of optimizing the replenishment costs (mold changeover costs) and inventory holding costs (injection buffer).</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper will discuss the benefits of the proposed methodology above, based on a case inside the mentioned Injection Area.</div>

Lean operation has become a very important concept to be adopted in every manufacturing company. Since the competition of companies that strives to be the best in their business are aligned with the spirit of continuous improvement from lean operation. And as a local toy manufacturing company, they also concerns' in continuously improve their process to reach a better customer satisfaction.

<div class="htmlview paragraph">European automotive coolant technology will be influenced by “Europe 1992” which means free trade and free traffic. Methods to evaluate the demanded quality level of coolants are described. Different chemical approaches to that aim are discussed. Attention is payed to ecological and toxicological aspects. The paper closes with an outlook to further developments.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper will deal with European coolant technology and the expected influence of “Europe 1992” to this item.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Europe 1992 will mean free trade and free traffic between the countries of the European community (EC). EC includes 12 countries with 9 languages, about 320 million people on about 900.000 sguare miles, one quarter the size of the U.S. These 12 countries have a car population of about 130 million units, the car density varies from 6.6 people per car in Portugal to 2.2 people in Germany, as compared</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <figure id="F1" class="figure"> <div class="graphic-wrapper"><img class="article-figure figure" src="900430_fig0001.jpg" alt="No Caption Available"/></div> </figure> </div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">with 1.3 people in the U.S. Total car production in the EC was 13 million as compared to 12.5 million in the U.S. and Canada and 12 million in Japan. Out of these 13 million EC-produced cars 6.3 million have been “exported”, mainly also inside the EC, to other parts of Western Europe and to North America.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The coolant demand for first fill and after market sales in Western Europe ia about 300.000 metric tons per year. Coolant quality is to a large extent influenced by the growing use of aluminium and its alloys in cooling systems, by high powered engines with low or medium displacement caused by the European taxation system and by high fuel prices.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Coolant quality demanded by the car industry is very high troughout the EC. The same is true for coolants marketed by oil companies. High quality products are also used by fleets of vehicles used in public services like mail, railways and the army. We do see, however, lower quality marketed by some blenders. Even if these cases are not too frequent, industry exerts much efforts to educate consumers to use high quality products and to eliminate those with lower quality.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The car industry has well organized the re-fill market in their repair shops. Warranty for the cooling system is only given when approved coolants have been used according to the maintenance or operators manuals.</div>

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Hydrogen-supplemented fuel was investigated as a means of extending lean operating limits of gasoline engines for control of NO<sub>x</sub>. Single-cylinder engine tests with small additions of hydrogen to the fuel resulted in very low NO<sub>x</sub> and CO emissions for hydrogen-isooctane mixtures leaner than 0.55 equivalence ratio. Significant thermal efficiency improvements resulted from the extension beyond isooctane lean limit operation. However, HC emissions increased markedly at these lean conditions.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A passenger car was modified to operate at 0.55-0.65 equivalence ratio with supplemental hydrogen. Vehicle emissions, as established by the 1975 Federal Exhaust Emissions Test, demonstrated the same trends as the single-cylinder engine tests.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The success of the hydrogen-supplemented fuel approach will ultimately hinge on the development of both a means of controlling hydrocarbon emissions and a suitable hydrogen source on board the vehicle. Reported efforts to develop a satisfactory onboard hydrogen generator (gasoline reformer) appear restricted by fuel economy considerations.</div>

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Due to the requirements of the market, engine manufacturers and their suppliers must develop new products in a short lead time, with high quality, high reliability and lowest possible costs.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A method to obtain a short lead time for a complicated aluminum cylinder head is the design in 3 D CAD and the use of simultaneous engineering.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A practical example shows the design of a 16-valve cylinder head in 3 D CAD (Catia).</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The cylinder head supplier received a CAD-tape with the main dimensions such as valve locations, shape of the combustion chamber and ports and location of the bolts.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A design team completed the cylinder head design in 3 D CAD in consideration of the needs for foundry technology, casting tool design and machining of the part.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Special casting tools for the prototyping were manufactured parallel to the cylinder head design.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">It is shown, that by the use of 3 D CAD/CAM and simultaneous engineering the multitude of engineering tasks can be solved and prototypes delivered within 3 months.</div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Developing the most advanced wing panel assembly line for very high production rates required an innovative and integrated solution, relying on the latest technologies in the industry.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Looking back at over five decades of commercial aircraft assembly, a clear and singular vision of a fully integrated solution was defined for the new panel production line. The execution was to be focused on co-developing the automation, tooling, material handling and facilities while limiting the number of parties involved. Using the latest technologies in all these areas also required a development plan, which included pre-qualification at all stages of the system development.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Planning this large scale project included goals not only for the final solution but for the development and implementation stages as well.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The results: <ul class="list disc"><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Design/build philosophy reduced project time and the number of teams involved. This allowed for easier communication and extended development time well into the project.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">All design teams (machine, tooling, automation, controls) collocated and worked together on integration during all stages of development and implementation for the highest level of integration.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Innovative integration of the tooling and the automated equipment evolved throughout project with the teams working as one group.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Latest fastening technology using all electric, ball-screw squeeze riveting was developed for high-speed and robust automated fastening.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Latest mobilization technology was used to make the automated fastening machines interchangeable to reduce MTTR and to enable more PPM activities offline without affecting production.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">More automation was also introduced for tool changing and to the material handling systems for more consistent processing and to reduce operator intervention.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">All systems were developed together for full integration and to enable more safety interlocks and HMI for simplified operation.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">A 30 month schedule for the complete large scale assembly line was maintained to support the new aircraft launch schedule.</div></li></ul></div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The final solution was a coherent, streamlined and efficient assembly line capable of very high aircraft production rates (<span class="xref">Figure 1</span>).</div><div class="htmlview paragraph"><figure id="F1" class="figure"><div class="graphic-wrapper"><img class="article-figure figure" src="2015-01-2492_fig0001.jpg" alt="PAL, automation cell, Line 4, Position 1 (L4P1)"/></div><span class="label">Figure 1</span><figcaption class="caption"><span class="title">PAL, automation cell, Line 4, Position 1 (L4P1)</span></figcaption></figure></div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Well-mixed lean or dilute SI engine operation can provide efficiency improvements relative to that of traditional well-mixed stoichiometric SI operation. However, the realized gains depend on the ability to ensure stable, complete and fast combustion. In this work, the influence of fuel type is examined for gasoline, E30 and E85. Several enabling techniques are compared. For enhanced ignition stability, a multi-pulse (MP) transient plasma ignition system is compared to a conventional high-energy inductive spark ignition system. Combined effects of fuel type and intake-gas preheating are examined. Also, the effects of dilution type (air or N<sub>2</sub>-simulated EGR) on lean efficiency gains and stability limits are clarified. The largest efficiency improvement is found for lean gasoline operation using intake preheating, showing the equivalent of a 20% fuel-economy gain relative to traditional non-dilute stoichiometric operation. The reason for gasoline’s larger efficiency improvement is its lower octane number which facilitates the use of end-gas autoignition to produce mixed-mode combustion. For these conditions, such mixed-mode combustion is required for rapid completion of the inherently slow lean combustion event prior to piston expansion. The fuel-economy gains are somewhat smaller for both E30 and E85 because of higher resistance to end-gas autoignition under lean conditions.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">To avoid knocking cycles when mixed-mode combustion is used, the deflagration-based combustion must be very repeatable to ensure consistent compression of the end-gas reactants. Multi-pulse transient plasma ignition is used beneficially to stabilize the combustion, especially for dilute operation which suffers from low flame speeds. However, even with an enhanced ignition system, the best fuel-economy gains of dilute stoichiometric operation with mixed-mode combustion are on the order of 11-12%, which is substantially less than for lean operation.</div></div>

<div class="htmlview paragraph">JUST YESTERDAY, simulation tackled the issues of digital technology in a new generation of aircraft, but here we face another quantum leap as we look beyond the Boeing 757/767 model airplanes. The engineering simulator has evolved, over a period of 25 years, from a relatively modest beginning, to a sophisticated design tool essential to the development of new airplanes and weapons systems. The decisions involved in the management of simulation facilities has also evolved from choosing a modest “take-what-you-can-get” product line, to picking from warehouses full of “goodies,” all of which have their associated payoffs.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">As a background, the authors will attempt to outline from personal experience and long-term history with engineering simulation, the steps that were taken to reach the present level of sophistication in engineering simulators at Boeing. Engineering flight simulators have assumed an increasingly crucial role in the development and testing of new product lines in the aviation industry. Significant flight operational cost savings have resulted from the new generation of digital systems, promoting airline fleet modernization. Both part-task and fully instrumented man-in-the-loop aircraft simulators are being used extensively for the development and integration testing of these new systems. Simulation has proven to be a high payoff tool with increasing recognition from a competitive airline industry. In other words, simulation has “come of age.”</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">From a present day technology base, we will attempt to look down the tunnel of the future and consider the demands of simulation for 1990 and beyond. An ever-increasing growth in computing requirements arises from the increasing sophistication of new airplane hardware and airborne software, and from a user community which demands ever-increasing fidelity. More models of software need to be incorporated into simulations; more and better data is being made available, all leading to more detailed simulations than ever before. In addition, the user community keeps expanding, which often leads to developing simulations never before attempted. All of this requires management to re-evaluate computing structure, configuration, and implementation into a mini, micro, multi, and/or concurrent processing world.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The arrival of the engineering workstation poses yet another challenge as many of the exclusive functions of the simulation programmer become accessible to the design engineer. This means developing adequate help systems, friendly user interface, and workstation integration into the real-time network. Artificial intelligence technology holds some promise for human interface issues, but systems available today are not sufficient to meet the needs. Last but not least, the demands of the future involve a global re-education of simulation software personnel toward Ada<span class="xref">*</span>, structured methodology, and “embedded” designs. Experience in the most prevalent simulation languages does not easily lend itself to this re-education process.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Engineering flight simulation - it spells out a revolution of change, technology forefronts of the future, and exciting challenges to those involved.</div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">The introduction of alternative fuels is crucial to limit greenhouse gases. CNG is regarded as one of the most promising clean fuels given its worldwide availability, its low price and its intrinsic properties (high knocking resistance, low carbon content...). One way to optimize dedicated natural gas engines is to improve the CNG slow burning velocity compared to gasoline fuel and allow lean burn combustion mode. Besides optimization of the combustion chamber design, hydrogen addition to CNG is a promising solution to boost the combustion thanks to its fast burning rate, its wide flammability limits and its low quenching gap.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper presents an investigation of different methane/hydrogen blends between 0% and 40 vol. % hydrogen ratio for three different combustion modes: stoichiometric, lean-burn and stoichiometric with EGR. The main objectives are to identify the complex mechanisms involved in the combustion process and to define the optimal hydrogen ratio for each combustion mode.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The study combines engine tests and 0D modeling. Tests were carried out on a spark-ignited single-cylinder engine adapted to CNG operation with 2 different compression ratios 9,5:1 and 11,5:1. Computations allow studying separately the different phenomena linked to the progressive addition of hydrogen in the fuel. Hence, using 0D modeling, the effects due only to the combustion speed evolution, as a function of hydrogen ratio in the fuel, were then quantified using experimental results as comparison basis.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The engine test results reveal that the impact of hydrogen is limited in stoichiometric conditions except for CO₂ savings. A ratio of 10 to 20 vol. % of hydrogen seems to be optimal to reach interesting HC emissions reduction without an excessive lowering of the operation range. The results are more encouraging for lean-burn operation as the lean limit of equivalence ratio is extended for more than 0,125 with 40 vol. % of hydrogen. NOx emissions and consumption were significantly reduced (-92% for NOx) while maintaining constant HC and CO emissions compared to methane operation. Hydrogen stabilizes and speeds up combustion especially in very diluted mixtures. Furthermore, hydrogen increases EGR tolerance for the same reasons as in lean-burn mode: in comparison, identical very-low NOx levels were reached with smaller consumption gains. Finally, the engine test results show that the highest tested ratio of hydrogen (up to 40%) in methane for very diluted mixtures with air or EGR drastically reduce NOx emissions without penalty on engine performances.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Computations prove that the evolution in terms of thermodynamic properties of the fuel is not the most important contribution to the evolution of combustion. The effect of hydrogen addition contributes mainly to increase the combustion speed. Moreover, lean burn operation results demonstrate that the increase of combustion speed due to hydrogen addition is enhanced. This can only be explained by the increase of thermo-diffusivity which has an opposite and larger effect than the slowdown of laminar flame velocity conventionally described in the literature.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Electrical power and efficiency are decisive factors to minimise payoff time of cogeneration units and thus increase their profitability. In the case of (small-scale) cogeneration engines, low-NO<sub>x</sub> operation and high engine efficiency are frequently achieved through lean burn operation. Whereas higher diluted mixture enables future emission standards to be met, it reduces engine power. It further leads to poor combustion phasing, reducing engine efficiency.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">In this work, an engine concept that improves the trade-off between engine efficiency, NO<sub>x</sub> emissions and engine power, was investigated numerically. It combines individual measures such as lean burn operation, overexpanded cycle as well as a power- and efficiency-optimised intake system.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Miller and Atkinson valve timings were examined using a detailed 1D model (AVL BOOST). Indicated specific fuel consumption (ISFC) was improved while maintaining effective compression ratio constant. However, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) rises due to lower IMEP. In order to take advantage of the reduced ISFC, the intake section was optimised through virtual Design of Experiments (DoE). Subsequently, intake swirl was reduced, leading to further benefits in charging and engine efficiency. For both Miller and Atkinson cycle the efficiency was increased, while meeting the reference engine's baseline NO<sub>x</sub> emissions and IMEP.</div></div>

<div class="htmlview paragraph">The high-speed three-dimensional measurement segment is associated with the introduction of both in-line and off-line production measurement technology. This segment forms the core strategy in a large number of industries, notably the automotive and aviation sectors.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The demand for high-speed three-dimensional measurement systems is particularly strong in the automotive sector, for a range of applications from sheet metal working to mechanical machining. There is a need for such systems in bodywork assembly and stamping applications to perform controls on both full vehicle body - Body-in-White - and on “subunits” - body sides, doors, etc. The control systems used to inspect Body-in-White are usually called “measurement tunnels”. They are found at the production prototype stage as much as they are on the production line where they provide quality improvement led by continuous in-line inspection.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">ActiCM has designed and is developing a non-contact measurement tunnel as part of its partnership with Renault’s Vehicle Prototype Center/Technocentre. This tunnel uses AdventCR, optical technology that drastically reduces the duration to perform the 3D inspection of vehicle prototypes. The powerful image-processing and 3D calculation algorithms used by AdventCR offer faster three-dimensional controls than any current Coordinate Measurement Machines.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <figure id="F1" class="figure"><div class="graphic-wrapper"><img class="article-figure figure" src="2007-01-1382_fig0001.jpg" alt="No Caption Available"/></div></figure>Renault intends to use this technology to shorten the tryout phase for new vehicle designs that require exhaustive controls on a number of prototypes, and to benefit from the power of the post-measurement diagnostic tool. AdventCR gives significantly faster Body-in-White control measurements: a complete measurement process usually takes the prototype off-the-line for ten hours or more; with the AdventCR “non-contact tunnel measurement” system, the Body-in-White data acquisition is dramatically cut to less than one hour. The other substantial benefit of AdventCR is its ability to offer the image data and tools for performing post-acquisition measurement possibilities; unlike other three-dimensional measuring techniques, AdventCR enables the user to measure a geometric element that is not identified in the original control survey under the condition that the element is visible within the images of the images database.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This document provides a detailed introduction to the AdventCR solution and its role in assembled body control applications, and then explains the qualification process established with Renault and the results.</div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">The scope and purpose of this paper is to give input and propose solutions to the creation of an efficient and productive geometrical measurement planning process. The case study outline what is important and how to identify and determine the preconditions and input data which is required to start the preparation and planning activities of geometrical measurements. That is why the following three main research and development questions should be answered:</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Firstly; What is the need and why does an efficient and productive geometrical measurement planning process contribute to decrease cost upstream as well as downstream in terms of reduced lead times in measurement planning process work?</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Secondly; Why are reduced uncertainties related to geometrical; functionality, specification and verification, important? And how are they linked to each other and how can they be theoretically modeled and defined in terms of uncertainties?</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The last question is; How is the current geometrical measurement planning process constructed and what does it contain and how is it functioning?</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">By applying a more systematic and holistic approach in product realization and measurement planning activities, the accomplished study indicates improvements and high potential for cost savings, from 3 up to 12 times. Hence the improvement potential is strongly dependent of the actual geometrical complexity level of the airframe assembly being studied. Results from this study will further improve and develop current applied geometrical measurement planning process and will contribute to a more effective and productive working methodology and process.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">The pressing need to improve U.S. energy independence and reduce climate forcing fossil fuel emissions continues to motivate the development of high-efficiency internal combustion engines. A recent trend has been to downsize and turbocharge automotive spark-ignited engines coupled with direct fuel injection to improve engine efficiency while maintaining vehicle performance. In-line with recent trends in state-of-the-art engine technology, the focus of this study is lean and EGR dilute combustion in a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The lean and dilute operating limits are defined by combustion stability typically in terms of COV<sub>IMEP</sub> so experiments were carried out on an automotive size single-cylinder research engine to characterize combustion stability. From a 20,000 cycle sequence analysis, lean operating conditions exhibit binary high- to low-IMEP cycle sequences. This may be because the cycle-to-cycle feedback mechanisms are physically limited to one or two cycles. Longer sequences are observed with EGR likely because the EGR loop introduces a much longer transient feedback mechanism.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Results from a sensitivity study with induced variability show that COV<sub>IMEP</sub> is far less sensitive to ignition perturbation than to injection perturbation while the sensitivity is similar in terms of efficiency. This is true for both lean and EGR dilute operation; however, one difference that stands out with EGR is the sensitivity of COV<sub>IMEP</sub> to ignition perturbation. Increased sensitivity to ignition perturbation is likely the result of longer ignition delay which is critical for early flame kernel development.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph"><b>Background</b>: The Indian automobile industry, including the auto component industry, is a significant part of the country’s economy and has experienced growth over the years. India is now the world’s 3<sup>rd</sup> largest passenger car market and the world’s second-largest two-wheeler market. Along with the boon, the bane of road accident fatalities is also a reality that needs urgent attention, as per a study titled ‘Estimation of Socio-Economic Loss due to Road Traffic Accidents in India’, the socio-economic loss due to road accidents is estimated to be around 0.55% to 1.35% of India’s GDP [<span class="xref">27</span>] Ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) accident data shows that the total number of fatalities on the road are the highest (in number terms) in the world. Though passenger car occupant fatalities have decreased over the years, the fatalities of vulnerable road users are showing an increasing trend. India has committed to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2030. In this context, the automotive industry as well as MoRTH have been taking multiple initiatives including those related to vehicular and road engineering as well as educational measures for raising awareness in the field of road safety.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">With the intent of lowering road traffic accidents, the government and the ministry are constantly upgrading the requirements related to vehicles, infrastructures, and their implementation thereof. In this context, various future regulations are being deliberated. One such regulation in discussion pertains to requirements for the protection of the passenger car occupants in the event of a full-frontal collision with a focus on restraint systems (AIS 201). This will push manufacturers to design more sophisticated restraints that would help to reduce restraint-induced injuries. The draft version of the standard is available for public input/ discussion.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The key objective of the study documented herein is to consider various aspects of the draft standard (AIS 201) from the Indian perspective. This study investigates the research questions, enumerated below: <ol class="list nostyle"><li class="list-item"><span class="li-label">1</span><div class="htmlview paragraph">What should be the appropriate test speed for the full-frontal test based on Indian accident data?</div></li><li class="list-item"><span class="li-label">2</span><div class="htmlview paragraph">What is the suitable dummy configuration in terms of gender, seating position, and age to maximize occupant safety in full frontal accidents?</div></li><li class="list-item"><span class="li-label">3</span><div class="htmlview paragraph">Is the proposed ATD’s anthropometry (weight and height) suitable, based on the people involved in full frontal cases in India?</div></li><li class="list-item"><span class="li-label">4</span><div class="htmlview paragraph">What are occupant injury attributes in full-frontal accidents?</div></li></ol></div><div class="htmlview paragraph"><b>Key findings/ expected research findings</b>: India has a very different mix of road traffic users and road traffic fatalities compared to that in Europe (Refer to <span class="xref">Table 1</span>). Further, issues like seat belt usage are of utmost concern. The demographic for India is also very different from those of developed economies. With India being a country with a rather young population, male and female dummies for driver and front passenger positions should be looked upon. This calls for India-specific safety regulations and research work on automotive test dummies.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph"><b>Practical implications</b>: The study can potentially provide a suggestion for alignment of the regulatory requirements with the actual situations, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the standard.</div></div>