2plm
New improved format: More Knowledge in Less Time!
2PLM NewsletterJohn Stark Associates July 19, 2010 - Vol13 #8 |
|
Welcome to the 2PLM e-zine This issue includes :
|
 |
| PLM in the Newspapers by Roger Tempest |
|
|
News about PLM is often published in the form of case studies. This seems fairly obvious - to tell the story of what one organisation has done, so that others can read it and follow in the same direction.
But has anyone ever read a case study and thought: "Aha, now I know exactly what they did and how to copy it"? This seems unlikely, because most case histories do not carry enough information. In an effort to give the stories general appeal the detail is stripped out (disappointing the technical reader) and the study is published in a specialist PLM publication (out of reach of the general reader).
Case histories therefore fail on two counts. They are not detailed enough to be useful for reference (the CL2M contributions in 2PLM are an honourable exception!); and they are not published in the general press where most business people will read them. So what is currently on the business pages? The New York Times carries news that the S.E.C. has settled on a fine for Goldman Sachs, and that Google has made a disappointingly small amount of revenue. Die Welt reports problems with air conditioning on the summer trains. Le Monde informs us that Sean Connery is under investigation for a possible fraud committed in the 1990s, and Norway's Aftenposten says (I think) that the Postal Service has been fined 102m Kroner for transgressing competition regulations. |
The challenge is to get PLM into this space, and it should be possible. Although the most obvious business news concerns takeovers and financial results, themes such as Business Process Re-engineering, manufacturing technology and globalisation have all been reported in the past. It is time that the business world became aware of what PLM is doing.
The PLMIG aims to develop a story-telling and reporting format that works, and then to get news articles published. When we have found the secret, the articles should be reproduceable in many countries. It will take a while to find the right formula, but we will pursue this in our PLM in the Popular Press feature. If you would like the news of your PLM successes to make the outside world, we would be glad to talk to you to find out how it can be done.
Roger Tempest is co-founder of the PLMIG. You can request more information or find out how to participate via standards@plmig.com |
 |
|
|
| CL2M Case Study 8 : MOL Structural Monitoring of Heavy Machinery by David Potter |
|
|
This case study is based on one of the 10 commercial applications developed during the EU PROMISE Project. It briefly describes how common PROMISE technologies were applied in order to address product lifecycle management of heavy construction machines and in particular fatigue monitoring of their major load-bearing structures.
This application closes the information loops between middle-of-life (MOL) product operation and product recycle, reuse, remanufacture or disposal at end-of-life (EOL). However, to effectively impact these focus areas the demonstrator must also close the loop with manufacturing and design (BOL). The demonstrator is designed to enable predictive maintenance of heavy vehicle structures using smart embedded systems and specialised sensors - devices that register real time fatigue damage on welded structures. These fatigue sensors were integrated using a common PROMISE PEID (Product Embedded Information Device) enabling them to communicate both data and alarms via a wireless UPnP connection. The PEID also integrates information from the on-board vehicle Electronic Control Unit (ECU), including operating time and other key indicators such as payload data from sensors linked to the main hydraulic cylinders, giving a profile of the application severity. The design life expectancy of each welded structure for standard applications is known at beginning-of-life (BOL), and quality controls are made during manufacturing to check for weld geometry and crack detection. The fatigue life of the structure depends on weld geometry and size of cracks existing at BOL. Fatigue damage sensors are attached to the structures at specified positions identified by the design engineers. Finally, the structure is equipped with an RFID tag encoded with BOL data including unique identifiers and quality measurements. When the final assembly of the machine is completed, the consolidated BOL information is recorded in the PROMISE PDKM (Product Data Knowledge Management) system. During its life, the mission profile, changes of attachment and variations in payload are recorded in the on-board PEID. At periodic dealer service operations, the information is transferred to the PDKM/DSS (see PROMISE Decision Support System). The analysis of this information and its transformation into knowledge uses specialised algorithms that are part of the DSS. The maintenance needs can be decided also taking into account the consolidated knowledge from similar machines with common structural components, and the fatigue lifetime of each structure can be re-calculated. |
If any component needs replacement, the identity and pedigree of the new component is recorded on its own RFID tag, on the machine's PEID and also in the PDKM.
The implementation of a structural monitoring system allows the optimisation of the design, maintenance and sustainability of these heavy load vehicles and their main structures. Benefits include:
Field results knowledge developed from field experience will improve internal design processes and support to customers and dealers:
Expected cost reductions from this application:
Registered users who are logged in to cl2m.com will be able to access the full public text of this PROMISE demonstrator case study by following this link: Case Study 8: MOL Structural Monitoring of Heavy Machinery. There is no charge for registration. In the next issue of the 2PLM newsletter, I will present the ninth in this series of case studies, dealing with the application of PROMISE technologies to support beginning-of-life adaptive production of automotive components. .
David Potter is Chief Technical Officer, Promise Innovation International Oy, and former Chairman of the Project Steering Board of the EU PROMISE Project. |
|
|
| Small Ad Section | |
|
|
 |
|
|
Top
To unsubscribe, please visit My account, - Newsletters- "manage my subscription" and untick the appropriate box.
Subscription is free to registered users. Register now
Post to Twitter
