Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly is an end-to-end solution for designing, optimizing and validating electronic box-build NPI processes and transferring them to volume-manufacturing plants. Its process-oriented environment allows OEMs, CMs and EMS providers to collaborate on the development of manufacturing processes and is a major facilitator for outsourcing.

Starting the NPI Process

Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly provides a powerful 3D environment to create and analyze a product assembly sequence based on 3D MCAD data. Product design errors are discovered early, when problems are cheaper and quicker to fix. This process also verifies that the BOM and CAD data match. The output is a valid sequence of assembly, or the initial sequence of operations.

Planning an Assembly Process

Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly tools and methodologies are used to plan assembly processes by means of a Bill of Processes. The BOP contains all the information about your various processes, manufacturing resources and products, as well as the relationships among them. Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly allows you to plan facility layouts in a CAD-embedded environment, estimate assembly times based on time and motion standards of your choice, balance the lines, evaluate costs and carry out variants and change management.

Optimizing, Detailing and Validating the Process

Discrete event simulation - where the simulation model is automatically created from the process plan - allows you to validate and optimize line performance, including throughput, bottlenecks, resource utilization and buffer sizing. These models facilitate evaluating different manufacturing scenarios and maximizing their throughput potential. Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly 3D environment is used for detailing manufacturing cells and lines, and performing human simulation, including ergonomics analysis.

Delivering Process Information to the Shop Floor

Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly automatically generates electronic work instructions - including text, pictures (real or virtual), drawings, animations and movies--in the template of your choice. Based on information from the manufacturing database, these work instructions can be updated at the push of a button when changes are made to product parts, resources or operations. Moreover, because they are created from animations, they do not require the actual physical prototype. Work instructions can be published and distributed either in hard copy format or over the Intranet to monitors on the shop floor.

Transferring Processes from NPI Centers to Mass Production Plants

The BOP includes all of the data required to build a product. By enabling the sending of the BOP from the NPI center to mass-production plants, Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly reduces the time it takes to transfer processes to volume manufacturing facilities, thereby accelerating demand fulfillment. These time savings apply to both the number of engineering hours required and the duration of the processes.

Facilitating Outsourcing and Collaboration

Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly allows for the distribution and sharing of manufacturing data over the Internet - a major facilitator for collaboration among OEMs, CMs and EMS providers. Once a process is captured in the form of an BOP, it becomes the basic token of information, and is exchangeable among participants throughout the extended product and process designing organization. The consistency of creating and capturing the process means that anyone looking at the BOP can easily understand the process design.

Tecnomatix for Electronics Box Assembly enhances enterprise competitiveness by:

• Enabling "Plan Anywhere, Build Anywhere" strategies
• Facilitating outsourcing
• Cutting process ramp-up and transfer times by up to 50%
• Reducing NPI duration by up to 20-30%
• Shortening the time to create electronic work instructions by as much as 50%
• Reducing time to update and maintain work instructions by up to 80%

Assembly Sequence Verification and BOM Checking

Define the assembly sequence and verify product assemble-ability. Check BOM completeness.

Process Planning

Allocate parts and operations to assembly stations. Estimate cost of the manufacturing process.

Time Estimation

Estimate and allocate assembly operation times using any time and motion standard or your own in-house tables.

Cell and Line Layout and Detailed Design

Lay out the assembly line in an embedded AutoCAD or Microstation environment. Detail and analyze the line in 3D, including human simulation and ergonomic analysis.

Electronic Work Instructions and Reporting

Create Web-based electronic work instructions and manufacturing process-related reports, including text, pictures and 3D MCAD-based animations.

Process Transfer and Collaboration

Allow insight to processes as they are created. Share BOP's throughout the extended enterprise.

Line Balancing and Performance Analysis

Balance lines and analyze line performance to optimize throughput, size buffers, and relieve bottlenecks.