Chapter 3: Process Development

Title: Information management challenges and enabling factors for utilizing virtual product builds

Author(s): Johanna Mela, Eeva Järvenpää, Ricardo Velez, Timo Lehtonen, Asko Riitahuhta

Address: Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, PL 589, Finland | Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, PL 589, Finland | Visual Components Oy, Itsehallintokuja 6, 02600, Espoo, Finland | Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, PL 589, Finland | Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, PL 589, Finland

Reference: International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management 2010 pp. 107 - 121

Abstract/Summary: Substantial part of the competitiveness of the global design and manufacturing companies arises from their ability to optimize the design and manufacturing life-cycle operations for reaching the goals of time, quality and agility required to answer the market trends. By utilizing virtual 3D product and assembly simulation techniques, the designers can model the assembly of a product before the actual product build and ramp-up at the factory, saving time, decreasing errors and cutting costs from the design and manufacturing. In the research presented in this paper, organizational settings, including the enablers and limitations of organization wide utilization of early virtual builds is examined. Product information life-cycle management inside the product organization forms the basis for effectively utilizing virtual simulations. A case research illustrating challenges and enablers, and a framework for viewing the organizational information landscape, for utilizing virtual simulation tools as a business benefit is introduced.

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