User supporting Assistances as a Prerequisite for developing tailored CIAs How web-based Assistances may support the product development process in the automobile industry

摘要

Automotive manufacturers are challenged by a growing number of product derivatives, decreasing sales figures of each product, shorter product life cycles and increasing market dynamics. There is a strong need for a competitive cost-optimal engineering and production. Therefore multidisciplinary requirements have to be taken into account in early phases of the product development process. The tool helping to consider these requirements could be a web-based Assistance for the development engineers and other involved people during the process. The Assistance can be embedded in the CAD system or accessed directly with a web-browser. The opportunities of having a user tailored tool working with a web-based interface across different systems where different user groups inside the enterprise are working without waste of time would avoid duplication of effort and might help to develop the Competitive Innovation Advantage (CIA). This paper describes the principle and usage of an Assistance at the field of Standard-Part-Management between product development and production planning.