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Phasing-in PLM and Related Technologies Kyle Monaghan Design Engineer SKF Aeroengine North America kyle.j.monaghan@skf.com. WHO IS SKF AEROENGINE?. A unit of SKF USA, INC. The legal entity of AB SKF Leading global supplier of precision ball, roller and spherical bearings
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Phasing-in PLM and Related TechnologiesKyle MonaghanDesign EngineerSKF Aeroengine North Americakyle.j.monaghan@skf.com
WHO IS SKF AEROENGINE? • A unit of SKF USA, INC. The legal entity of AB SKF • Leading global supplier of precision ball, roller and spherical bearings • Found in almost all aircraft • Commercial • Military • U.S. space programs • Certified for today’s business environment • ISO 9001/ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001/AS9100
Our Pre-PLM Environment • Implemented UG V11 May 1996 on HP C110 workstations • “Home-grown” Bourne shell PDM scripts • GRIP/UFUNC design automation programs developed and presented at PLMWorld in March 2000 • Various hardware-software upgrades… • Unsuccessful NX CAM implementation • 2001 - began, then dropped, Teamcenter implementation project • For 10+ years 3d models were only used for drawing creation. • August 2006 - retired NX2 and HP C3600 workstations and implemented NX 4 on Dell Win XP Pro machines working within Teamcenter Express (TCX) 9.1.3.3
Initial TCX Environment • TCX only used for data vaulting • CAD data is an “Island of Knowledge” within Design Engineering • Bravo and text-based parametric NC programming • Variety of databases and spreadsheets • “Tribal Knowledge” throughout the company • Reoccurring notes on drawing sheets are inserted on drawing sheets via GRIP, some are copied and pasted from another file, if a user knows what file may have that note, but many are manually retyped repeatedly • Inspection prints created from NX models, some manufacturing prints are still created as stand-alone AutoCAD files • Tooling/fixturing done in AutoCAD or BY HAND • One component created in AutoCAD, then remodeled by different people in NX to create prints
Overall Goals • Reduce NMLT (non-manufacturing lead time) and production costs • Reduce duplicate data entry • Ideally duplicate data entry would be eliminated, but that may not be practical at this point in time • Utilize information stored in NX 3D models • Take advantage of TCX functionality • Eliminate AutoCAD • Eventually have a paperless office • Allow for safe and controlled sharing of data with other companies/divisions
Why phase in PLM? • Cost • Licensing and Consultancy fees, regardless of how soon they pay for themselves, can be a difficult cost to justify. • Keeping costs within department budgets reduces the number of people that will see/could possibly reject the purchase. • Resources • Training takes time. Training users simultaneously allows for them to learn from each other, but can cripple a department for a few days or weeks. • Comfort • The change from native sessions on Unix to Teamcenter based operation on Windows made some users very uncomfortable. Custom help files were written to show people “the old way” and “the new way” • Let users get used to changes, don’t turn their world upside down, “walk before you can run”
Project beginnings • April 30th - May 3rd 2007 – Visit from a Siemens Business Consultant • Helped put an idea on paper and develop a strategy for achieving our goals • Between May and August Two NC Programmers attended NX 4 CAM class
Improvements since PLM World NYS • October 2007 - Two Siemens PLM Software consultants brought it, one for Teamcenter and one CAM, to help implement NC programming within TCX • Tooling/Fixture designer has been to class. • Excellent opportunity to utilize “new” functionality, production parts are based on UG V13.x seed files. • Software adaptation has gone quite well. • Although peers can be useful, their help can also be detrimental. Old habits are hard to break, there is no reason to teach a new user the UGV13 way, or even NX2 way, if a newer “better” way exists in NX4.
How did we get here? • Strong management support • These projects take time • This type of change takes most users out of their comfort zone • Initially, productivity could drop! • Driven, forward-thinking users • Help from UGS/Siemens – especially business development • Help from/for other companies
Driven, forward-thinking users • At least some leadership needs to come from those that use the software • One or two such people can provide good communication between users and management • Limit the overall number of users • Yes, more ideas can be better, but too many can make this process less efficient • There is nothing wrong with a “need to know” basis
Sometimes you need an expert • We’ve tried the “do everything yourself” approach before. • Yes, it works • Yes, it costs less (if you consider internal labor free, and don’t expect people to work on anything else) • But… • It takes forever • Testing can take a very long time • Learning enough to take on the project can take more time than having experts do the entire project. • So, for CAM integration, we called experts • Yes, there’s an up-front cost • Yes, its done right the first time • Yes, its quick (relatively)
Obstacles • Software licensing • Excellent sales reps make this easier, but… • Corporate policies dictate who can buy what, so multiple Sold-To ID’s have been used to separate purchase orders. • Other options are available, but we have never explored them • Lack of time!!! • Some of this project has a set schedule, some of it doesn’t, but users need software installed and training classes, then internal training and customization once they return.
Too much talk, not enough action • Department members were having daily discussions about PLM implementation, coming up with good ideas, but never following through with anything because daily activities got in the way. • This could occupy two or three people for 10 to 15 minutes per day
Taking Action • Biweekly meetings started during the last week of March 2008. • Monday morning meetings discuss current projects and assign tasks for the coming week. • Thursday afternoon meetings allow members to summarize the week’s activities and start forming ideas for weekend thinking. • A brainstorm file was created in a common area on the server for users to discuss ideas or list complete project plans. • A password protected file listing all current and future projects and their status was also created. • Having one user with control of the official list helps ensure data integrity. • Ideally these meetings would be documented in Teamcenter, with even more functionality if Teamcenter Project were used, but this cannot happen until the use of Teamcenter expands. • Adding Teamcenter Consumer licenses and users is one of the projects on the list.
PDF as a Drawing Standard • We are still a paper master company, but are taking small steps towards becoming paperless. • All newly released NX prints are converted to PDF. • Legacy AutoCAD data may be mass converted to PDF if I.T. will support this change. • This library may eventually be controlled by InforXA once the in-process Infor upgrade is complete. If anyone has implemented this or a similar standard I look forward to the opportunity to discuss your experiences.
Utilizing Teamcenter Functionality • Currently only NX files (UGMASTER datasets) are being stored in TCX. • Pilot project will attach design sheets, specifications, etc. to items and item revisions to determine what works best for users and data integrity. • These files are traditionally printed, placed in a drawing folder, and the digital copy is not saved.
Digital Review and Markup • Purchase Teamcenter Consumer licenses for all drawing checkers. • Create workflows that parallel current paper-based review process • This will allow users to learn on step at a time • Transition to an entirely digital review process
NX6? • Continuing our every other version upgrade timeline, we will be looking at the first “point release” of NX6. • Improvements will be made to system configuration • Increased use of software leads to increased administrative overhead • Currently all settings are site specific, new users will mean role-based settings will have to be implemented for the first time • Is there new functionality in NX6 that can make our lives easier? • Direct modeling may not fit our business, but the Product Template Studio introduced in NX5 looks promising
Teamcenter Project? • Most project scheduling/planning is currently done in spreadsheets, some users use MS Project. • This would require an upgrade from Express to Engineering. • Currently this is cost-prohibitive, but we are attempting to find as many perspective users as possible to help cover implementation costs.
Phasing Out/Upgrading Legacy Programs • Current GRIP/Ufunc programs are based on native operation and pre 2000 technology. • The solution that is the “best” technologically may not be the “best” for users. • Can changes be made in small steps allowing users time to get comfortable, or is it best to do this all at once?
Learn From Other Companies • I have discussed TCX implementations with two companies. One is an automotive supplier and the other is a producer of commercial baking equipment. • The situation was mutually beneficial, there are always things to learn. • Knowledge and experience is not necessary CAD or PLM system dependent.
Does anyone have any questions or experiences they would like to share?
