Developing a Cost Model for Aerospace Laser Beam Welding Technology

摘要

A significant proportion of the total unit cost of the product is authorized at the early stage of design phase. Therefore, integrating the capabilities of the manufacturing process into a cost model will lead to optimizing the product design, estimating its cost and attaining a cost reduction from it. Due to the advantages of low cost and greater productivity, Laser Beam Welding (LBW) has been employed as a key process in aerospace industry to manufacture components of gas turbine. This study aims to develop a manufacturing process cost model by collecting and analysing the LBW manufacturing data. The developed model will aid the aerospace industry to estimate the cost of product during early design stage. Detailed statistical analysis of past data was done to develop the LBW cost model which was further validated with several weld inspections to assure the conformity of total unit time and unit cost estimation. LBW cost model will guide the designers to make suitable design at the early design stage which will also be useful in reducing the manufacturing cost of the product and consequently, provide a competitive advantage to aerospace industry.