Case Studies
Aerospace Composites Manufacturing
Overview
 Composite materials are engineered to
achieve high levels of performance under the most demanding conditions.
The increasing global demand for composites continues to be driven
by the aerospace industry, which is projected to spend $4.6 billion
on composite materials between 2005 and 2010*. Visual8 has developed
Adaptive Planning and Scheduling systems for several composites
manufacturing facilities that supply high-profile companies in
the aerospace industry.
*http://www.compositesworld.com/hpc/issues/2005/March/754
The Challenge: Better Batching  Composites manufacturing involves a diverse set of production
steps. Bonding and curing steps are often performed in a large,
pressurized vessel called an autoclave. These vessels are designed
to process large batches of material for long periods of time,
making the timely arrival of material at the autoclaves a critical
scheduling objective.
For one composites manufacturer, efficient autoclave scheduling
was proving to be an exceedingly difficult task. Due to the complexity
of the manufacturing process and limited system visibility, a
comprehensive production schedule was too difficult to produce;
instead, schedules were only being generated for the initial
lay-up (raw materials layering) process, while subsequent processes
were forced to react to incoming material. As a result, work
was frequently expedited to the autoclaves in an attempt to increase
batch sizes and caused frequent disruptions to other operations
in the process.
The symptoms could no longer be ignored: autoclaves
were not batched efficiently; orders were consistently late;
and manual
generation of the lay-up schedule was so time-consuming that
it often became obsolete before being completed. A more responsive
and integrated scheduling method was required in order to better
manage the entire process.
The SIMUL8-Planner Solution  An
on-site assessment helped to establish the current state of operating
conditions at the facility. Cost-benefit and feasibility
analyses revealed a high potential for success since a SIMUL8-Planner
system could easily be integrated with the existing ERP systems.
This would allow the production data used by SIMUL8-Planner to
be updated automatically through external data links.
A detailed
production model was then constructed to accurately capture
the flow of material through the facility
from lay-up
to non-destructive testing of the finished composite. Routing
information, processing times, and resource requirements,
such as labor and tooling, were all incorporated into the model.
Properties specifically developed for the composites facility,
such as autoclave loading and unloading times, were also
considered.
All values can be adjusted automatically through links to
external systems or manually using the fully-customizable user
interface.
  Upon completion of the detailed production
model, the SIMUL8-Planner system can be used to quickly evaluate
the performance of different
sequencing rules. With only a few clicks of the mouse, the
impact of a sequencing rule on work-in-progress levels, machine
utilization,
and due date conformance can be determined. Custom sequencing
rules designed to maximize autoclave utilization, as well as
custom reports on autoclave performance were developed to address
the client’s specific objectives.
Training, installation,
and extended support were also provided to ensure successful
integration of the Adaptive Planning and
Scheduling system.
The Benefits The SIMUL8-Planner Adaptive Planning
and Scheduling system has transformed this composite manufacturer’s
scheduling process from a tedious, manual activity to a highly-responsive
and automated
routine. Weekly automated order downloads provide quick access
to the current order requirements for all departments. Using
this information, the SIMUL8-Planner system generates a feasible
production schedule based on the selected combination of sequencing
rules and rapidly deploys this information to terminals at
each work station for immediate execution on the shop-floor.
If an
order is changed or a resource becomes unavailable (a machine
breaks down, for example), a new schedule that accounts for
these changes can be generated within seconds with a few
clicks of
the mouse.
From detailed batch scheduling at the Autoclaves
to customized reporting options; from complete system integration
to rapid
schedule generation; the SIMUL8-Planner Adaptive Planning
and Scheduling System provided this composites manufacturer
with a responsive, end-to-end scheduling capability for their
entire
facility.
Contact Us Contact Visual8 Corporation at 1-800-878-3373 or simul8-planner@visual8.com to find out how a SIMUL8-Planner Adaptive Planning and Scheduling
system can improve and control your production planning techniques.
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