New Publications are available for Manufacturing and production
http://dl-live.theiet.org
New Publications are available now online for this publication.
Please follow the links to view the publication.Success is not merely absence of failure - a systems-engineering approach to safety assessment
http://dl-live.theiet.org/content/conferences/10.1049/cp.2009.1564
The paper explains why a new approach, both broader and more rigorous than that traditionally followed in ATM, is needed for the safety assessment of the major operational and technology changes such as those planned for introduction into European ATM over the period up to 2020 and beyond, under the SESAR Programme. It presents the theoretical basis for what is an argument-driven "systems-engineering approach". A related paper describes how that approach is being trialled on the preparatory work for the safety assessment of the SESAR Operational Concept. (6 pages)Journey to lean [lean practices in aerospace product development]
http://dl-live.theiet.org/content/journals/10.1049/em_20050401
Grouping people by project rather than discipline reduces the classic lean waste 'unnecessary motion' where engineers and information are moving to and fro unnecessarily. This article outlines Smith's Aerospace move to lean practices in their product development department. An illustrative example presents a hardware design engineer working yards away from the production team while located close by are software engineers, programme management and manufacturing engineering.Voodoo technology [company-specific technologies]
http://dl-live.theiet.org/content/journals/10.1049/em_20050212
The use of any particular technology should be strategic, selective, targeted and subject to continual review. It is equally clear that pre-packaged bundles of technologies that have had labels like lean, agile and even `leagile' slapped on them are of extremely limited usefulness. Indeed, the UK's Department of Trade and Industry has reported that less than 30% of companies implementing any form of lean or agile related improvement programmes manage to achieve worthwhile results. One alternative to jumping on a bandwagon loaded with pre-packaged bundles of technologies is to develop your own company-specific combinations of new and existing technologies, a combination that can facilitate the achievement of your own market-orientated strategies. This may require more thought, but it is a lot more likely to set your organisation apart. That is, as long as you make sure that there are rock solid grounds for each and every one of your technology investments.