NAERINGSPH-Nærings-phd

Norske industribedrifter har vist seg å være globalt konkurransedyktige innen utvikling og produksjon for lavvolum. De er svært tilpassede og kunnskapsbaserte for monteringsintensive, store og tunge produkter med høy grad av avansert ingeniørkunst. Produksjon av lavvolum, store og tunge produkter med høy grad av manuell arbeidsoperasjon er imidlertid en utfordring å produsere i Norge, eller i andre høykostland på grunn av lønnskostnader. Det er behov for å finne mer kostnadseffektive produktrealiseringsmetoder for å styrke den samlede konkurransekraften på denne typen produkter slik at det fortsatt er betydelig verdiskaping i Norge. Å automatisere montering av store og tunge marine produkter krever nye ideer og nytenkning på alle nivåer, og industridrevet forskning. Forskningsfokuset er plassert på de inter-samarbeidende prosessene som foregår innenfor tverrfaglige produktutviklingsteam, spesielt mellom produkt- og produksjonsteknikk, med det overordnede formålet å etablere designprosesser som til slutt vil resultere i mer levedyktige produkter innenfor den industrielle konteksten til Kongsberg Maritime Commercial Marine. Det forventede resultatet av denne forskningen var en metodikk, inkludert designevner og designprinsipper, for design og utvikling av produkter som er effektiv i et automatisert produksjonssystem. Dette vil være i form av et helhetlig rammeverk. Forretningsmålet er å redusere tiden-til-markedet og å minimere behovet for et komplett produktredesign etter en prototype. Et resultat som kan brukes til å forbedre produktiviteten i de fleste produksjonsindustrier.

In this research, it was found that the main obstacle for industrialization of automated assembly operations is heritage with existing design practices for manual assembly. Current PD practices are ‘project-like’ in the sense that designs are unique to each product, which implies lack of repeating operations in product development. This makes it challenging to leverage ‘process-like’ thinking, including repeated operations, trade-offs and re-use – all which are important capabilities in Lean practices. In general, the knowledge and capabilities needed for facilitating a transformation toward automated assembly requires significant front-loading in PD. This investment in time, cost and resources is partly a management responsibility, and partly a product development team concern. Evidence in the research indicates that design practices similar to those in detail design should be shifted to the early stages of PD, where the opportunity to influence product design for automated assembly is higher. In the early design phase, company design practices must include the following capabilities: a. To leverage automated assembly in terms of product and part design (DfX); b. To carefully consider synergies within a specific product and across a product family to facilitate repeated and standardized operations in production. Finally, an investigation of concerns related to product data and digital data flow when aiming to automate company processes was conducted. Findings are reported based on two case studies, both with the overall objective to identify factors enabling data-driven product and process optimization. An important premise for auto generation of manufacturing programs, sustainability reports and environmental declarations, to automate using any type of tools, is precise product information in the PLM system. Product data must be made available early in the PD process and data must be strongly connected throughout the entire product lifecycle through harmonization, integration and automation. Building on the strengths promised by digitalization requires precise and extensive product and process information. Accurate data is necessary to create value by enabling improved decision-making in product development, including sustainability capabilities.

The PhD project is closely linked to an NFR funded innovation project (IP) for industry, termed "AutoFlex" (NFR-ref.: 219296/O30), where Rolls-Royce Marine AS is the project owner. The objective of this IP is to find new cost-effective and HSE (Health, Se curity and Environment) methods for development, engineering and manufacturing of low-volume, customized, assembly intensive, large and complex products. This PhD project will focus on the inter-collaborative processes taking place within multidisciplina ry product development teams, particularly between product and manufacturing engineering, with the overall purpose to establish design processes that will ultimately result in more viable products within the industrial context mentioned above. More speci fically, the candidate shall develop new design-for-manufacturing strategies that are applicable within the low volume manufacturing of high value added products where appropriate balance between standardization (process-driven) and uniqueness (project-dr iven) is a major part of the value proposition. The candidate will also implement (selected elements of) the strategies in the industrial setting at Rolls Royce and determine the effect on productivity in new product development along with the absorptive capability within product engineering teams.