| COMPAG | This project is closed |
| Assessment and Implementation of a Component Based Paradigm for Agile Automation |
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Context Theoretically, a Component Based approach to the engineering of automotive manufacturing machines promises a dramatic reduction in implementation costs, and greater agility at little or no extra cost. The approach relies on intelligence within the manufacturing system being distributed among individual components rather than being concentrated in a central control computer. This allows the system to be configured rather than programmed, and should allow modifications to suit new products to made very quickly and at lower cost. This has yet to be demonstrated in practice to the satisfaction of current system builders and machine suppliers. Aims To improve agility in automotive engine manufacture by using a Component Based approach to the life cycle engineering of transfer and assembly machines. Method The project will study current machine implementation and process engineering under given change scenarios. It will implement and model Component Based machines and compare their performance with conventional machines. The findings will be generalised and documented. Benefits UK companies involved in automotive manufacturer will gain from the availability of inherently more agile production machinery. UK machine builders will be able to offer more agile products at lower cost. Participants Loughborough University Ford Motor Company Jaguar Cars Ltd Giddings & Lewis Mannesman Rexroth Hopkinson Computing Mazda Krause Automation Parker Hannifin Tlon Fully Distributed Systems Echelon Europe |
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