Digital lean manufacture (DLM) for competitive advantage

The presented work sets out a research programme with the core aim of developing digital manufacturing capability for integration into the Integrated Product Process Development (IPPD) process. As part of the business process the key phase being addressed is the concurrent integration of manufacturing requirements at the stage when design geometry has been released. The digital manufacturing platform is used to provide simulations of the assembly process that have been developed in order provide simultaneous estimation of the associated learning curves, cycle time, recurring cost and throughput. These estimation processes form research projects within their own right as part of their development within the overall programme framework. Consequently, their findings will be presented at this stage in the programme. The integration of Lean principles at the programme and functional levels will also be addressed as the Lean approach underwrites the entire programme. Fundamentally, the compression of lead time, increase in value added effort and reduction in waste and inefficiency are the key Lean challenges being addressed. Consequently, a Lean Implementation Methodology will be presented while the Lean characteristics of the functional development will also be highlighted. The later also includes the development of a Lean Flow Accounting Methodology which addresses the Lean flow of work through a plant in order to maximise value added effort according to a top-down assessment of financial value and optimal through-put, thereby reducing Work In Progress (WIP).