Abstract:
This research has developed an organisational improvement methodology for the
Manufacturing Engineering (ME) New Product Introduction (NPI) process at Airbus
UK. The methodology is focused on improving the management of Concurrent
Engineering (CE) and team/stakeholder effectiveness through improved involvement,
communication, and coordination.
In the context of Airbus UK’s ME NPI process the objectives were: to examine the
current process, including the monitors and controls, deployed by the ME development
team to design, implement and support NPI; to map/model the ME NPI process and
hence, conduct a comparative analysis with best industrial practice; and to evaluate the
pragmatic options open to ME and recommend appropriate business
improvements/solutions.
The research showed that effective CE teams provide the main vehicle for improving
product development performance, by increasing integration through improved
involvement, communication, and coordination. A literature study of ‘best practices’
identified the major causes of ‘waste’ within NPI as, poor communication and poor
programme management. The research also showed that process modelling not only
achieves a better understanding of the processes but also serves as a tool to contribute
towards the assessment of CE teams using process based analysis. It was also found that
process modelling improves process management within NPI. Process modelling and
analysis is applied to the ME NPI process in order that a structured and pragmatic
improvement methodology can be developed.
The presentation of the CE organisational improvement methodology developed by this
research provides Airbus UK with a less prescriptive approach to improving their
business within the ME function and area of NPI. The application of the methodology
is, unfortunately, outside the time limitations of this research. However, it is widely
purported by ME NPI process stakeholders, and literature, that the most significant
improvements to the current process can be realised through the improvement of ‘softer’
organisational issues.
