Virtual Next
Building knowledge about current PLM
support for complex products
Jeanette Nilsson
Daniel Adin
Volvo Group Trucks Technology
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
OUR CUSTOMERS
BUSINESS AREAS
CEO and Group
Executive Board
TRUCK DIVISIONS
Group
Trucks
Technology
Group Functions
UD Trucks Renault
Trucks Mack Trucks
Group Trucks
Asia & JVs
Volvo
Construction
Equipment
Volvo Buses Volvo Penta
Govern-
mental
Sales
Volvo
Financial
Services
Group
Trucks
Operations
Group
Trucks
Purchasing
Volvo Trucks
Our Organization
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
Group Trucks Operations
Manufacturing of cabs and trucks
for the Volvo, Renault Trucks, Mack
and UD Trucks brands as well as
production of the Group’s engines
and transmissions.
Spare part supply to the Group’s
customers and logistics operations.
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Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
Group Trucks Technology
Research and product
development of complete
vehicles, powertrain,
components and service
offering.
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Vendors
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
To have understood how current main suppliers can support
3D product documentation and manufacturing preparation
of selected areas of a Volvo truck and the associated effort
for the new way of working
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Project Vision
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT Virtual Next - CAD, VPDM & Configuration + Manufacturing Engineering
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Project Scope
Collaboration
Shared data Product
3D geometries &
product structure
Tools & Equipment 3D
geometries & process
structure
CAD
systems for
Tools &
Equip. (3D
creation)
CAD
systems for
Product
geom. (3D
creation)
CAD
systems for
Tools &
Equip. (3D
creation)
CAD
systems for
Product
geom. (3D
creation)
CAD
systems for
Product
geom. (3D
creation)
CAD
systems for
Tools &
Equip. (3D
creation)
Physical
Part MDM
(Sprint)
Physical
Part PDM
(Kola)
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
For high variety product (a Truck) and its commodities (Cab, Engine, Chassis, Complete Vehicle)
and their individual properties and demands
For all product revisions; historic, current, future
For cases:
A) High variant case (i.e. to manage “10^67”)
B) Target products/configurations case
Support workflow/process/ communication in global company with multi-site, multi-factory
including Master Process support.
Be able to solve/handle (in some way) today’s:
A) Generated geometries (e.g. frame, props-shaft, routing?)
B) Generated positions (e.g. rear-axles, fuel tanks, joints)
For all part types (designed parts, standard parts, flex parts)
With possibility to have extended variants for manufacturing (e.g. split variants)
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Scope Conditions
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT Virtual Next - CAD, VPDM & Configuration + Manufacturing Engineering
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Project approach
Project
start
Suppliers
Contact
Feb Mars April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mars April
2016 2017
Extend Project
team kick-off
Project
Closed
Use-
case
develop
ment
(48)
Scope
anchoring with
Vendors
Project
analysis,
conclusions
and End
report
Workshop with vendors
(5 weeks/vendor)
• Concept reviews
• Rank use-case fulfilment
• Compile joint report with
vendors
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT Virtual Next - CAD, VPDM & Configuration + Manufacturing Engineering
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Current situation and obstacles Physical Part variant structure vs. CAD Module variant structure
Illustration of the dual structures that exist at Group Trucks today.
Physical part structure and virtual structure are documented and
maintained in separate structures as described in Figure
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The CAD-module was introduced in 1996
as a way to simplify packaging work for
complete trucks.
The CAD-module can be seen as a
‘geometry package unit’ built up of any
number of (part and help) geometries..
Over time the use of the CAD-module has
extended from packaging studies to e.g.
simulation and manufacturing preparations
which also means that the demands, the
expectations, on the CAD-module has
changed.
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
• Product complexity
• Change management
• Virtual collaboration and creation environment
• Manufacturing process management
• Analysis, filter, validation
• Admin, usability
The major learnings are grouped into six logical
areas to support the project scope
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Major Learnings
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Shared Context
Virtual Next Scope
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Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
Parts and geometries are
typically documented in a tree
structure or in a flat (matrix)
structure.
Group Trucks current
documentation method can be
seen as an flat structure
Tree-based documentation is
very common in the CAD/PLM
world
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Product complexity Tree based documentation of complete products
Example of documentation of car models using tree structures.
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
• Clear documentation structure
• Can easily be aligned with
manufacturing BOPs
• Simplifies aggregation of data (e.g.
weight or cost)
• Quickly becomes very complex
when it holds more than a few
configurations
• Performance is affected as the
structure grows
Benefits
Drawbacks
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Product complexity Tree based documentation of complete products
Example of the results when documenting full truck complexity in tree
structures.
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
The issue is not
managing all geometry
files/data as such, but
being able to control the
sheer amount of possible
combinations.
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Product complexity Volvo Truck business characteristics
Examples of truck configurations and its geometrical variance
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
A passenger car is a very complex system with many customer options, but from a geometrical perspective the truck is much more complex.
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Product complexity Volvo Truck business characteristics
Schematic picture high-lighting some characteristic differences.
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT Virtual Next - CAD, VPDM & Configuration + Manufacturing Engineering
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Manufacturing process complexity The structures and definitions
Illustration of a generic structure of a manufacturing process management complexity
EBOM = Engineering Bill Of Material
MBOM = Manufacturing Bill Of Material
BOP = Bill Of Process
BOR = Bill Of Resource
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Deeper analysis of selected key areas Processes and workflows - Today
Plan what to build and verify
Develop Define Evaluate
Development
Freeze
Assess the result
Waiting time at freeze
Analysis and simulation
Virtual configuration and preparation
Difficult to achieve
collaboration during the
development phase
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Deeper analysis of selected key areas Processes and workflows - Vendor proposal
Current
Proposed
Efficient flow and quality of deliverables
Risk quality or add time Product Process Resources
M E
Product Process Resources
M E
Development Assess the result
Analysis and simulation
Development Assess the result
Analysis and simulation
Volvo GTT/GTO and Volvo Group IT
All vendors support positioning for less
complex areas like engine and CAB with their
OOTB system.
None of the vendors can support the full
Group Trucks complexity with their OOTB
systems
A common system for 3D geometry reduces
the need for data transfers and manual data
validation. Cross-functional iterations can start
earlier, and more iterations can be performed.
This will support a shortening of lead time and
improve product quality.
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Conclusions