Job / Work Order Management
Blog Post 10.01.03 - Automated Work Instruction Generation
Automate the generation of Shop Floor Work Instructions included with the automated generation of optimal routings. Read More ...
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Automated Work Instruction Generation
Global Edge Engineering Assistant includes functionality that allows the automated generation of routings based on CAD Part Parameters to determine the optimal route to fabricate a sheet metal part. As part of this process, Global Edge Engineering Assistant generates matching work instructions.
This process stores valuable tribal knowledge and makes it available throughout the manufacturing enterprise, which helps eliminate shop floor errors. This includes the following features and benefits:
This process stores valuable tribal knowledge and makes it available throughout the manufacturing enterprise, which helps eliminate shop floor errors. This includes the following features and benefits:
- Automated Routing Generation Based on CAD Part Parameters
- Feature Specific Work Instructions
- Helps Eliminate Shop Floor Errors
- Increases Shop Floor Velocity
- Improves Customer Satisfaction
Automated Work Instruction Generation and Optimal Routing for Sheet Metal Fabrication
Transforming Manufacturing Through Intelligent Automation and Knowledge Retention
Introduction
Modern manufacturing environments are under increasing pressure to streamline operations, reduce errors, and capture critical tribal knowledge. The emergence of intelligent automation tools like Global Edge Engineering Assistant marks a pivotal advancement in how shop floor work instructions and optimal routings are generated and utilized. By leveraging the integration between CAD part parameters and automated process planning, manufacturers can achieve unprecedented improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and enterprise knowledge sharing.
The Need for Automation in Work Instruction Generation
Traditionally, the creation of shop floor work instructions and routings has relied heavily on the expertise and experience of manufacturing engineers and operators. While this approach benefits from practical know-how, it exposes companies to risks associated with undocumented tribal knowledge, variability in instructions, and the potential for human error. As product variety and complexity increase, so too does the challenge of ensuring that every fabrication process is optimally planned and clearly communicated.
The transition toward automated work instruction generation addresses these key issues. Not only does automation standardize and expedite the process of creating instructions and routings, but it also ensures the preservation and dissemination of expert knowledge across the enterprise.
Global Edge Engineering Assistant: Core Functionality
Global Edge Engineering Assistant is designed to bridge the gap between design and manufacturing by automating the generation of both optimal routing and precise work instructions. Its core capabilities include:
- Automated Routing Generation Based on CAD Part Parameters: The system analyzes part geometries, materials, and features directly from CAD models to determine the most efficient, cost-effective sequence of operations required for sheet metal fabrication.
- Feature Specific Work Instructions: For each process step identified in the routing, the system generates detailed, context-sensitive work instructions that guide shop floor personnel through setup, operation, and quality checkpoints.
- Knowledge Capture and Reuse: By storing expert knowledge and process best practices within the system, tribal knowledge is transformed into an organizational asset accessible to all relevant stakeholders.
Automated Routing Generation Explained
Routing, in the context of manufacturing, is the sequence of steps a part follows from raw material to finished product. Optimal routing minimizes lead time, reduces touches, and leverages available resources most effectively. The automated routing generation feature of Global Edge Engineering Assistant operates as follows:
- CAD Integration: The system ingests CAD data (including dimensions, tolerances, features, and materials) as the basis for process planning.
- Rule-Based Decision Making: Embedded process rules and historical data drive the selection of machines, tools, and sequence of operations.
- Optimization Algorithms: Advanced algorithms analyze routing possibilities to select those that minimize time, cost, and risk while maximizing throughput and quality.
- Dynamic Adaptation: As new features or requirements emerge, the system updates routings in real time to accommodate changes without manual intervention.
Benefits of Automated Routing
- Consistency: Routings are generated in a uniform manner, reducing variability and ensuring that all parts receive the same high standard of planning.
- Speed: Automated tools dramatically reduce the time required to produce routings, supporting rapid product launches and engineering changes.
- Resource Optimization: Machine and labor assignments are optimized, balancing workloads and minimizing bottlenecks.
Work Instruction Generation: From Tribal Knowledge to Digital Asset
Feature-specific work instructions provide step-by-step guidance for each process in the routing, tailored to the unique requirements of the part and the capabilities of the shop floor. The automated generation of these instructions offers several advantages:
- Error Reduction: Clear, standardized instructions help eliminate ambiguity and reduce the incidence of mistakes on the shop floor.
- Onboarding and Training: New employees gain immediate access to best practices, accelerating onboarding and decreasing dependency on tribal knowledge.
- Process Improvement: Captured feedback and process data are used to continuously refine instructions, closing the loop between design, manufacturing, and quality assurance.
Elimination of Shop Floor Errors
Errors in fabrication not only result in scrap and rework but can also lead to late deliveries and dissatisfied customers. Automated work instruction generation helps address this by:
- Ensuring that all relevant process steps are documented and easily accessible at the point of use.
- Alerting operators to critical features, tolerances, or customer requirements before work begins.
- Providing visual aids (such as annotated diagrams or images) to support complex steps.
Increasing Shop Floor Velocity
Velocity on the shop floor is a function of process efficiency, clarity of communication, and the ability to rapidly adapt to change. Automated work instruction and routing generation contribute by:
- Reducing the time between design release and start of fabrication.
- Minimizing delays caused by missing or unclear instructions.
- Supporting real-time updates to routings and instructions as part changes or improvements are implemented.
Improving Customer Satisfaction
At the end of the day, manufacturing is a customer-driven business. By automating the generation of optimal routings and work instructions, companies can:
- Consistently meet or exceed customer quality standards.
- Deliver products faster and with fewer defects.
- Demonstrate responsiveness to customer design changes and feedback.
Conclusion
The integration of automated routing and work instruction generation within tools like Global Edge Engineering Assistant represents a transformation in how manufacturing knowledge is created, distributed, and applied. By transforming tribal knowledge into a digital, enterprise-wide asset, manufacturers can achieve higher levels of consistency, velocity, and quality while reducing the risk of errors and inefficiencies.
This approach not only streamlines the path from part design to finished product but also creates a culture of continuous improvement and innovation on the shop floor. As automation continues to evolve, the role of intelligent engineering assistants will become even more central to the future of advanced manufacturing.
Automate Shop Floor Data Preparation
To see a demonstration as to how Global Edge Engineering Assistant can increase your engineering capacity, click on the link below to schedule a software demonstration.