Improving producibility in aerospace engine manufacturing : process automation vs. process reengineering

In any aerospace manufacturing operation, including Pratt & Whitney's Compression Systems Module Center, producibility problems can be major drivers of cost. Much of the literature focuses on design for manufacturability as a solution to producibility problems. While this is a valuable approach, this study focuses on manufacturing process improvement as a solution to producibility issues. Two methods of process improvement are discussed, process automation and process reengineering. This thesis first surveys some of the major producibility problems at Pratt & Whitney's Compression Systems Module Center, as well as some of the efforts underway to address them. One of the largest issues, operator data input errors, is described in detail as a case study. Wireless gauging with automatic offset adjustment is proposed as a focused technological solution to this issue. As part of this study, funding has been obtained to implement the solution and testing has been conducted. This is an example of process automation. However, a broader process reengineering effort is also proposed. The fundamental question of why producibility problems tend to persist is also examined.

Department dc:contributor.department

Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Hoopes, Daniel (Daniel Michael)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Thomas W. Eagar and Roy Welsch.

• Sloan School of Management.
• Materials Science and Engineering.
• Leaders for Manufacturing Program.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/43836

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/43836