Automation

Starting point and motivation

In the field of wire harness manufacturing, in particular, which is largely characterised by manual value creation, the automation of production offers great potential. The right choice of components suitable for automation or the early evaluation of the automation feasibility of a new development are decisive for a high degree of automation in wire harness production. The automation index developed in this SP is intended to support the selection process for the user in a comprehensible and reproducible manner.

Current working focuses

In order to ensure broad acceptance of the results developed in this SP, it is of particular importance to take important cause-effect relationships into account and to integrate the know-how available in the sector into the assessment method. The process model being followed here is described in [1].

The current focus of the work is to develop a detailed approach for the method by comparing it with the approach for an FMEA using selected product groups as examples.

[1] Article ATZproduktion 3-4/2020 – Stefan Olbrich, Lab Hang Ren: Determination of the technical automation effort

Outlook

The next steps are to further validate the process model for the evaluation of an automation index by addressing additional components from different component classes. Due to the high complexity of the process model and the resulting considerable expenditure of time, the assessment process needs to be streamlined to a minimum.

The knowledge gained through this procedure will then be recorded in a user manual for designers. This manual will describe the methodology in detail. It should be possible for manufacturers to determine the automation index for their products voluntarily so that they can be made aware at an early stage of the effects of their technical solutions with regard to the technical automation effort in wire harness production.