Title: Process modelling the design of complex products in global enterprises

Authors: Stephen C. Cooper, Ip-Shing Fan, Kamal Sehdev, Nicola J. Ward, Gareth M. Williams

Addresses: Department of Enterprise Integration, School of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK. ' Department of Enterprise Integration, School of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK. ' Department of Enterprise Integration, School of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK. ' Department of Enterprise Integration, School of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK. ' British Aerospace Airbus Ltd., Broughton, Nr Chester, Clwyd, CH4 0DR, UK

Abstract: The majority of total product cost, although realised through production, is committed during design. Manufacturing constraints must be applied during the design activity but this becomes especially difficult to accomplish when much of the component manufacture and sub-assembly work is completed in an international supply chain. This paper describes how business process modelling techniques were applied to identify the problems inherent in designing a major aerospace structure for ease of manufacture in such a global supply chain. The results of the investigation and the utility of business process modelling approaches will be discussed.

Keywords: design for manufacture; DFM; extended enterprise; business process modelling; product design; complex products; global enterprises; aerospace structures; aerospace industry; globalisation; global supply chains; supply chain management; SCM; manufacturing constraints.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.1998.062211

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 1998 Vol.11 No.6, pp.398 - 408

Published online: 01 Jun 2014 *

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