series ramp-Up

Even during ramp-up phases technical product changes are inevitable. Swift and spontaneous reaction is therefore required for meeting the set market entry date. At the same time, risk estimation of different solution alternatives is needed to evaluate the effects of product changes on product and processes. In this context unstructured procedures observed in practice lead to unsatisfactory solutions and unforeseeable effects. This dilemma of product change management has been countered with the development of PMEA (Product Change Mode and Effect Analysis) and its combination with TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving).

The management of production ramp-up of complex series products is one of the critical success factors for companies. Shorter ramp-up phases become more important for companies because an early time-to-market means extra gains right after market launch. Nevertheless, reduction of production ramp-up is mostly realised by time savings in the phase of product development. This is one of the reasons for a lot of product changes, which occur during production ramp-up and whereby original equipment manufacturers as well as suppliers are forced to renew already used series tools. To reduce unnecessary expense of tool replacement a forward displacement and a faster implementation of technical product changes are required. In this context the product change classification offers significant but until today unused potentials.