Closed Loop PMI Driven Dimensional Quality Lifecycle Management Approach for Smart Manufacturing System

Abstract

In order to devise, build and control a self-organizing smart manufacturing system for certain modular product architecture to support mass personalization, it is essential to accurately predict quality and performance of the manufacturing processes among others. Dimensional quality issues have been widely studied to understand causes of variations of product manufacturing qualities and various point solutions such as Variation Simulation Analysis (VSA), Dimensional Planning and Validation (DPV) and Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM) have been adopted. However, dimensional quality issues will never be sufficiently addressed unless all major causes during lifecycle are identified and managed. This research provides a holistic approach to build a closed loop Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) lifecycle from dimensional design, planning and inspections via a unique data repository which can accurately, effectively and smartly carry on and reuse Product and Manufacturing Information (PMI) during product lifecycle time. The new approach integrates universal semantic model using Feature Associated Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) Information Reuse, consistently stated Dimensional Quality Lifecycle and it captures, identifies and reuses 3D geometry characteristics and their associated GD&T information of the semantic model. The approach also establishes a closed loop quality lifecycle management system incorporating GD&T Design and Validation, Inspection Planning and Validation, Measurement Data Analysis and Reporting, and GD&T Design and Validation. The new approach has been applied by a functional failure study for an industrial product platform. It proves that the holistic approach can ensure single version of truth, enforce reusable technical specifications, eliminate silos among different process steps, and enable design for manufacturing to achieve optimal cost/performance balance at very early stage. Furthermore, the paper suggests future research directions of dimensional quality management system advancement based on smart PMI technologies augmented by Internet of Things, VR/AR and Cyber Physical Systems.