Selection of competitive manufacturing resources in tooling based on manufacturing concepts

Tooling companies are challenged today by two major developments: global tooling markets and derivatization. These trends enhance the cost pressure of tooling companies continuously. Due to high manufacturing requirements and high costs of associated manufacturing resources for tooling companies it is necessary to focus on these items. Despite of their importance selection processes of manufacturing resources are mostly done on an intuitive basis today. This can result in low manufacturing competitiveness and capital intense unprofitable investments. In contrast to series production there is currently no tooling related academic methodology available that takes technological and economical aspects during the resource selection process into account. Thus this paper introduces a specific and holistic approach for the selection of competitive manufacturing resources in tooling that is completely based on key figures. The presented methodology consists of two steps. The first step is the derivation of a company specific manufacturing concept. In the next step the included machines are detailed. For the derivation of manufacturing concepts a typology is developed in order to consider the technology variety inside a company as well as the resource utilization. Each of the developed concepts contains the chosen manufacturing technology, the number and size of machines as well as the maximum load and the necessary accuracy. To ensure a maximum of objectivity the selection of a manufacturing concept is based on a utility value analysis in combination with a consideration of the necessary investments so that the selection is realized in the area of conflict between utility and costs. The chosen concept is then an input for the next step of the methodology where all contained machines are detailed in terms of manufacturing relevant aspects. For this key figures are used that are derived by an analysis of workpieces that are machined by the company.