With an easy-to-use, task-oriented web browser, Teamcenter Easy Plan helps you synchronize product engineering with manufacturing activities and data, to efficiently execute and optimize assembly planning processes across your organization and plants.
Assembly planning
What is assembly planning?
Assembly planning is the process employed by manufacturers to create, simulate, and optimize assembly operations. Although assembly process planning has been around for as long as assembly lines have, today’s assembly planning is supported by advanced digital manufacturing software. A wide-ranging set of digital tools works together to help automate and streamline each phase of the production lifecycle for products that rely on assembly processes. Assembly planning is a fundamental aspect of manufacturing process planning, which is a key element of product lifecycle management (PLM).
Assembly planning software digitalizes and facilitates process planning workflows, automates planning tasks, and validates plans for product assembly. It also allows design and manufacturing engineers to develop product and assembly process definitions concurrently. Collaboration enabled by the software connects all design/assemble process members into one virtual working group.
With a modern assembly planning software solution, manufacturers can standardize and re-use assembly processes across multiple plants, capture work instructions for the shop floor, perform detailed time analysis, balance production lines, and more.
The assembly planning software enables manufacturers to execute modern production strategies and consistently deliver high-quality products. Assembly planning software can help connect and optimize entire manufacturing value chains as manufacturers contend with increasingly complex assemblies and supply networks.
Functions of assembly process planning software
Assembly planning software enables manufacturers to design and simulate assemblies and generate advanced digital twins. With these digital twins, assembly planners can meet assembly requirements and address constraints before any physical prototypes are produced. The key functions of assembly planning: modeling, planning, and simulating assembly processes resulting in safe, efficient facility operation and the ability to adapt to the unanticipated readily.
Software modules within assembly process planning software include:
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Manufacturing BOM (MBOM) creation and management – Manufacturing BOM capabilities provide a common source of BOM information across the manufacturer’s organization. It allows manufacturers to coordinate upfront planning of available product options and features. It connects the product definition to partners and suppliers in need of manufacturing, service, and support knowledge. It lists all materials and parts needed to produce a specific product and informs the shop floor what to make.
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Electronic work instructions authoring and sharing - Engineers can author electronic work instructions for operations under the BOP. The manufacturing process planning software links textual instructions to reference parts, resources, and visual aids, including 3D graphical representations, to provide shop floor personnel with accurate, and clear guidance.
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Reconciling the MBOM with the engineering BOM (EBOM) – BOM accountability check tools in assembly planning software ensure that engineering and manufacturing BOMs correctly correspond to the current product design or process changes.
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Creating the bill of process (BOP) and keeping it up to date – Assembly process planning software helps manufacturers create processes and operations within the BOP. They can assign parts and assemblies from the manufacturing bill of materials (MBOM), as well as tools and resources from the bill of equipment (BOE), to specific operations.
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Line balancing – Time management tools in assembly planning software provide visibility of all assembly activities and enable the implementation of lean initiatives. Tools include a display of rolled-up times for operations, stations, and operators, as well as cycle time and wait time within the plan.
Benefits of assembly planning software
Enable a Digital Twin of production to plan for and capture “what to make” and “how to make it” with close collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, and execution. Assembly Planning software will help manufacturers lower costs and bring quality products to market, faster
Additional benefits
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Execute assembly operations more efficiently
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Maximize productivity
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Increase profitability
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Increase quality