The process innovation in "BOEING COMPANY"

BOEING COMPANY

Introduction

This case study is to research the process innovation done in Boeing Airplane Company. Boeing is the company that operates in the airplane industry. The innovation takes into process design. A new airplane traditionally approach to designing an airplane was to produce drawings for each part and assembly, manually check the drawings for compatibility and placement, build a scale model and discover and fix the mismatches. Boeing decided to move to a paperless design process using CATIA a mainframe based computer aided design (CAD) tool originally developed by French Aircraft Manufacturer Dassault. Boeing Airplane Company implements their innovation to increase effectiveness and efficiency in process to leading competitive advantage as an airplane industry.

What is the Process Innovation?

Innovation is:

1. New Ideas.

In innovation we find new ideas to make something different.

2. Changing

In Innovation must provide value added. In other word make something more valuable than before.

3. Realization

We realization about the new ideas and our invention for example :people

d. Changing
Do something different ways in many aspects.

In conclusion about what the innovation is new ideas, value added, realisation and changing to make something better, more effectively and efficiency.

Process is every singe steps to make input to be output. We need exactly what the process if we want to do innovation.

From the information about what the process is and what the innovation is, we can conclude that Process Innovation is “To bring novelties or changes to a course of action or a series of operation which will make new process or alter the organization” (lecture note 1, TBS 929, Management of Process Innovation, Peter Child). The company need to innovate because “ To maximize resource utilisation and improve the flexibility and adaptability of the organisation to ensure survival and prosperity” ( lecture note 1, TBS 929, Management of Process Innovation, Peter Child).

In other word direct benefits which are increased profit, improved performance, increased sales, increased market share, reduced manufacturing cost, improve the flexibility and adaptability of the company to ensure survival and prosperity could be gain in the company.

We need technology as a tools to make the process innovation. We must know the technology is fit or dangerous for our organisation or not. Furthermore we also must know which technology can lead competitive advantages for our organisation. Such as in this case study Boeing Airplane Company do the process innovation in design Airplane using the technology which we called CAD.

Figure 1

The concept for process innovation

Input --> process -->output

Application in Boeing Airplane Company:

Data >>>>technology CAD to design Airplane >>>> Boeing 777.

Background Information

Boeing Airplane Company is the company, which operates in the airplane manufacturer. Today this company is the largest manufacturer of satellites, commercial jetliners and military Aircraft. The history of the Boeing Airplane Company is established in U.S by William E.Boeing on July 15, 1916, and at the beginning this company used Pacific Aero Products Company as their name. A year later this company changed the name to the Boeing Airplane Company.

. This is the first product 1916 from William Boeing; the name for this airplane is Model C. Source: www.Boeing.com/history.

Boeing Airplane Company made the first plane for passengers transport. It made its first flight July 27, 1929, and was later upgraded to the 18-passenger Model 80A by 1928, with 800 employees to finish this plane. Today Boeing Airplane Company was one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, because they always do innovation in the company such as in product, services and in the process production to increase effectiveness and efficiency in process to leading competitive advantage as an Airplane Industry. This case study will discuss Boeing Airplane Company do the innovation in the process design a new Airplane using CATIA which is a mainframe-based computer aided design (CAD) and the new airplane which has the name is Boeing 777. Through these innovative applications of computing technology, the 777 program exceeded its goal of reducing change, error and rework by 50 percent. Parts and systems have fit together better than anticipated and at the highest level of quality. As a result Boeing 777 can develop.

What is Boeing 777?

Boeing 777 is the airplane which is produced by Boeing Airplane Company. Boeing 777 is the most technologically advanced airplanes in the world. Because this airplane is designed using application computing designs to help develop Boeing 777. Boeing 777 is the world's largest twin jet and there are five models for Boeing 777:

* Model .777-200

* Model 777-200ER (extended range), a larger

* A larger Model 777-300 as well as two new longer-range models

* Model 777-200LR and the 777-300ER, which are both in development.

Both this picture is Boeing 777 (www.Boeingstore.com)

In the mid-1980s, Boeing Airline Company invested in three-dimensional CAD computer-aided design technology as an innovation in process design in Boeing Airline Company. They use CAD because it is difficult to fitting the appropriate parts in airplanes manufacturing, sometimes there are mismatch in assembly each parts, because there are many parts must be assembly in making an airplane.

What is Computer Aided Design (CAD)?

Since 1970’s computer growth rapidly involved in the design of many product. Today Computer Aided Design is common used by engineer in the manufacturer to create the new product, because CAD can help engineer to complete their job more efficient and effective.

Computer-Aided Design application not only in manufacturing but also can used for electronic, mechanical , architecture design, orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, clothes designers use CAD to design clothes even hair dressers can use CAD application before cut hair so they have alternative style for their customer.

There are several definitions for Computer Aided Design (CAD):

1. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is “basically a tool for recording and manipulating information” (Alter, 2002.p.180).

2. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is “The use of computers in interactive engineering drawing and storage of design. Programs complete the layout, geometric transformation, projections, rotations, magnifications and interval (cross-section) views of a part and its relationship with other parts” (Gaither & Frazier, 2002.p.239).

Based on both definitions we can conclude that Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the computer software that helped engineer to draw and storage of design, change the nature of design process from manual to computerize. It is also to make work more efficient and effective.

The goal of Computer Aided Design is “to enlist the computer to aid an interface to be eventually used by end-users” (www.media.mit.edu).

There are some advantages can be gained from Computer-Aided Design (CAD): (http://www.revision-notes.co.uk/revision/922.html):

a. Precise

CAD can perform precise calculation such as implementation in architecture. An architect will build a building. Using CAD an architect can draw the building precise with the real building. As a result an architect can verify whether a building is strong enough or not before it is built.

b.3D detailed drawing

With Computer Aided Design [CAD], a product can also be simulated and tested in 3D before it is actually produced. Therefore, if there are inappropriate designs before produce the product we can change easily with CAD because the data about the product is stored in computer. So we don’t need waste time to produce new model and this can save cost. This 3D picture is a car model design before it is actually produced.

3D model)

(www.movinggraphics.ca )

C. Computerized model to scale

Using Computer-Aided Design, can computerized model to scale like in the real product. So we do not need to produce the real product.

d. Test without having to produce it

We can test without having to produce it because CAD makes the 3D model which is the same like the real product. We can see the image in animation so we can get the feeling of it without having to build it. Computer Aided Design systems “permit the customer to have a simulated walk-through of a building that has never been built or to view how a washing machine works even though it has not yet been manufactured” (Alter, 2002.p.182). Therefore, we do not need to produce the real product to test. It will spent more money and wastes the time. For example: in aviation industry such as Boeing 777 (which will discuss in this case study) people can make a computerized model of an airplane and tested in virtual wind tunnel without produce the real product. We can testing the product whether the product can accept or not and if the product cannot be accepted because some reason, with Computer Aided Design it is easy to modification the product to fulfill and satisfy what customer in this case is engineer wants and needs. The advantages from we can test without having to produce the real product is we can save cost because to make the real model we need to spend a lot of money but using CAD we do not need to make the real model because CAD can represent model in computerized.

f. we can resize easily by using calculation

Automated calculation and drawing can be performed by Computer-Aided Design (CAD). As a result, engineer or anybody who use CAD can resize easily. For example:

Applications CAD in architecture, an architect make the calculation for the building to verify that a building is strong enough before it is built. Furthermore, CAD software can also perform calculation such as the amount of paint required for the building.

g. More economical and efficient

Using computer Aided Design is more economical and efficient than we use traditionally approach. Such as in Boeing Airline Company which is produce 777, before using CAD software they use traditional approach in design model and this spent a lot of money. It is because we need pay many engineers to draw and make the model. Using CAD can save cost because CAD can automate drawings so we do need many employees. The other reason why CAD is more economic is because we can test the model without we produce it in the real situation. The model can be checked and tested by using CAD because it can draw the model in computer, like the real product. Furthermore, using CAD is more efficient because it can automated perform calculations. As a result, because the calculation is done by computer so it can reduce error which is usually happen if the calculation is done by human. Sometimes there are errors in calculation because of human error.

h. Smaller files than bitmapped images

Computer Aided Design (CAD) has smaller files than bitmapped images. Therefore, the data files from CAD can be stored more than bitmapped images.

Implementing CAD in Boeing Airplane Company

Boeing Airplane Company do the process innovation in design airplane .They implementing Computer-Aided Design in process design which it is never done before. In June 1995, Boeing division used CAD to produce an airplane which the name is Boeing 777.

Process Design Before Using Computer Aided Design (CAD)

The traditional approach to process design an airplane in Boeing Airplane Company before using CAD is not effective and efficient because ( Alter, 2002.p.179):

- Produce drawing for each part and assembly

The designer an airplane must draw the design for each part and assembly in the paper. The company must spend a lot of money for designer, because they need 283 engineering teams to draw 3 million parts flying and 130,000 unique parts to increase production time.

-Manually check the drawing for compatibility and placement.

In build an airplane we must draw and calculate exactly because if we do not draw exactly as a result is there have a problem in assembly an airplane. Therefore, to avoid a problem in assembly an airplane , the engineer must manually check whether the draw and calculate is correct or not. It needs a lot of time to check the calculation and drawing.

- Build a scale model

We need to build a physical model to test that an airplane is good or not

- Discover and fix the mismatch

The engineer must draw and do many calculation in making an airplane. As we know there are 3 million parts flying for an airplane. Therefore, we must see humanity aspect point of view that it is possible to the engineer make a mistake (Human error).

Process Design after Using Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

Boeing thing that the traditional approach in process design an airplane is not efficient and effective. Therefore they decided to move to a paperless design process using CATIA, “ a mainframe-based computer-aided design (CAD) tool” (Alter, 2002.p.179). Many advantages could be gain in process design using CAD there are :

- Reduce cost

Not many engineers employ in process design only 40 engineers. It is because CAD can automate drawing the precise shape and location of every component and do the calculation.

- Data storage

The data storage capacity for the system was 3.5 terabytes and the data was available to 7000 workstations spread around the world. There are online access each workstations to the database this is permitted the engineer can draw any part from different places and after drawing the engineer which spread around the world can automated combine each component in computer. Therefore, the engineer do not need to work in the same place. It can save time and cost.

- Test without having to produce physical model

Boeing do not need to produce physical model to test whether the drawing, calculation and assembly are correct because CAD has capabilities to visualisation in computer. As a result, it permit to engineer to have a simulated walk-though of an airplane that has never been built before.

- laws of geometry and physics

CAD can apply the laws of geometry and physics to check whether the design is correct or not. If not match CAD can automated to fix the error.

In conclusion, based on the information above the process of designing Boeing 777 through innovative application in using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) can reduce error and rework. Parts and systems has fit together better than using traditional approach in process design. Finally, Computer-Aided Design can make the process design more effective and efficient in many aspects.

Bibliography

http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/

http://www.boeingstore.com/catalog/

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/777family/pf/pf_background.html

http://www.visionengineer.com/mech/computer_aided_design.shtml

http://www.revision-notes.co.uk/revision/922.html

http://lieber.www.media.mit.edu/people/lieber/Publications/CADUI_by_Example.pdf

www.movinggraphics.ca/3D_Car_Transparent.htm