Production Systems

Latest Advanced Technology and Tasks in Automobile Engineering

Seminar 13: Manufacturing for Automotive Parts

Jenna M. Eason

 

Summarize this lecture.

Today’s lecture was presented by Furuhashi-san and Kodama-san of DENSO’s Production Engineering.  DENSO is a global supplier of automotive technology, systems, and components.  They operate in 32 countries and regions with approximately 119,000 associates.  Global consolidation sales totaled US$40.2 billion for fiscal year ended March 31.2008.  DENSO aims to “make things that last”- monozukuri (art of making things), pursue innovation and quality (focusing on the environment, safety, comfort, and convenience), and “contribute to a better world”. [1]

During the lecture, the History of the Production System was outlined.  This began as “Point” in 1950, and then became “Line”, followed by “Area”, then “Cube”.  The latest system employed, as of 2000 is known as “Network”.  The goal is to have an automated production system with high flexibility for volume fluxuation.  [2]

The final portion of the lecture introduced the newest form of production system.  This is known as the “Protean Production System” (PPS).  Under the keen competition between industry worldwide, the products’ improvement cycle and the model-change cycle become shorter and shorter.  In such circumstances, the facility life cycle also becomes shorter in automated production lines.  In consequence, the facility life cycle cost increases.  To cope with that, DENSO has developed this process, which can have longer life, and lower facility life cycle cost than existing production systems.  The PPS is attributed by several unique features such as “Lot Circulation Flow System”, “Function Divided Modules” and “Plug and Play techniques”, and has been applied to the DENSO plant since 1998. [3]

Sources

(1) “About DENSON”, Copyright 2008 DENSO CORPORATIONS, www.globaldenso.com, July 8, 2008.

(2) Furuhashi, H., Kodama, K., (DENSO Corp.) ,“Manufacturing for Automotive Parts”, presentation for Latest Advanced Technology and Tasks in Automobile Engineering course at Nagoya University, July 4, 2008.

(3) Katsuhiko, S., et.al. (DENSO Corp.), “The Protean Production System as a Method for Improving Production System Responsiveness” (Abstract Only), 2004