RASSP Manufacturing Interface (RASSP-MI) Appnote

Abstract

In order to remain globally competitive, it is critical that organizations establish processes that allow them to adapt to an ever changing market place. This need for agility is particularly pronounced for organizations involved in the design and/or manufacture of complex products. An agile manufacturing interface that allows design and manufacturing organizations to interact in a highly automated and effective manner is essential to realizing the RASSP objectives. This capability allows designers to quickly assess the level of compatibility between a design and a manufacturing facility, while simultaneously providing manufacturers with the ability to effectively interact with a diverse variety of design organizations. The RASSP Manufacturing Interface has been designed to enable this agility and provide the mechanisms necessary to help ensure first-pass manufacturing success.

The essential role that virtual concurrent engineering plays in the realization of agility is examined in this Application Note. Virtual Concurrent Engineering is defined to be the application of concurrent engineering concepts and principles amongst teams and organizations that have formed a temporary "virtual" organization for the purpose of accomplishing some task. The members of a virtual organization are generally not physically co-located. The definition of concurrent engineering assumed in this document is the effective and efficient sharing of information between different groups working at different life-cycle stages of a product throughout the life of that product from conception to retirement. The principle goal of virtual concurrent engineering is to provide the information sharing infrastructure necessary to enable the formation of virtual organizations and to provide them with the robust DFx mechanisms (Design For x where x = cost, manufacturability, testability, etc.) they need in order to develop high quality products in a timely, cost effective manner.

Purpose

This appnote discusses the operational characteristics of the RASSP Manufacturing Interface as well as the experience gained in establishing an agile manufacturing interface to support the RASSP process. The results achieved from the operation of the RASSP Manufacturing Interface are presented. These results, realized in a production environment, include a 10x reduction in the time required to transition from design to manufacturing set-up, and a reduction in rework of complex Printed Circuit Assemblies of up to 80%.

Roadmap

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Technology Description

3.0 RASSP Manufacturing Interface Usage Scenarios

4.0 LMC Installation

5.0 Summary

6.0 References

Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Dennis Basara