Manufacturing Systems

In this article, the potential risks in wire arc additive manufacturing are analyzed using failure mode and effects analysis. To achieve this, 186 possible causes of risk were analyzed and the five most critical risks were discussed in detail. Four significant risk factors were identified in the construction process. The fifth risk relates to the shielding gas flow. This is only one influencing factor among the welding parameters, which have strong interactions with each other. Therefore, their relationships should be analyzed on the basis of numerous tests.

Production simulations involve considerable effort, among other things, due to the knowledge transfer between the domain expert and the simulation specialist. For small and medium-sized companies, this often represents an economic hurdle in the use of simulation. In this article, a method for a software- supported cooperation between the production expert and the simulation specialist is presented, which leads to a considerable reduction in effort. This means that the advantages of simulation can be used economically even with low optimization potentials.

The development of textile products is associated with high material, time, personnel and cost expenditure. The paper describes the digital twinning for materials and processes and their application in a digital product development process, which can accelerate the ramp-up phase and thus reduce development costs by up to 60%.

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is an additive manufacturing process which produces metallic components on the basis of arc welding. ISO/ASTM 52900 describes additive manufacturing as a process that creates components layer by layer from 3D model data. The basic equipment required includes a welding device, introducing the energy necessary for melting the metal wire, and a guiding machine, which traces the specified geometry of the component. Applications for WAAM include rapid prototyping and tooling, direct manufacturing and additive repair. The greatest advantages the process offers are low-cost system technology and a high deposition rate. The disadvantages of the process are the lack of process stability and exact repeatability. This article is intended to provide a clear overview of the WAAM manufacturing process, and to address its complex interactions.

Global supply and value chains have become increasingly complex and interconnected, exposing companies to a range of risks caused by natural disasters, political instability, or global pandemics. The paper outlines some strategic options for companies to improve the resilience of their value chains, namely expansion of local or global supply chains, regional concentration or global diversification of production capacities, and insourcing or outsourcing activities. Data of 314 German manufacturing firms is used to investigate the influence of different digital technologies and adaptable production systems.