Application of build in quality principles for low-volume product re-introduction

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (9215)

[EN] Aerospace products have long lifecycles and service periods that typically exceed the stage of full scale production. The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is requested to support the products with spare parts deliveries many years after the manufacture has ceased. The challenge for the OEM is therefore the re-introduction of Low Volume Legacy parts into the supply chain. The priorities for the company are: availability of all instructions (including design, manufacture and validation); airworthiness of the product; minimise disruption and equivalence with past components. There is a need for a standard solution for which these challenges can be managed efficiently. The aim of this research is to investigate and develop manufacturing engineering product re-introduction guidelines for aerospace industry making a special emphasis on Low Volume Legacy products. These guidelines will bridge the existing gap between how new product introduction processes should be applied to low volume legacy products. This includes the steps to follow in order to consistently re-introduce the part from when the order is received until the project is completely defined. To manage the project, a five stage qualitative methodology was used for the research, including: project understanding; data collection; analysis; solution development; and validation. The result of data collection was the capture and definition of current practices, and the main issues for how product re-introduction is performed in the business. The final guidelines were developed to define a standard method for re-introduction, to be used across the business. This addresses the issues and complex challenges identified in the data collection, avoiding waste of resources, taking better decisions upfront when engaging with the customer, and sharing practices between the business units of the sponsoring company. The final material was presented and validated through experts¿ opinion from the different operating business units in Rolls-Royce.