Mobile Assembly of Electric Vehicles: Decentralized, Low-Invest and Flexible

Authors: Achim Kampker, Kai Kreiskoether, Johannes Wagner, Sarah Fluchs

Abstract:

The growing speed of innovation in related industries requires the automotive industry to adapt and increase release frequencies of new vehicle derivatives which implies a significant reduction of investments per vehicle and ramp-up times. Emerging markets in various parts of the world augment the currently dominating established main automotive markets. Local content requirements such as import tariffs on final products impede the accessibility of these micro markets, which is why in the future market exploitation will not be driven by pure sales activities anymore but rather by setting up local assembly units. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the concept of decentralized assembly and to discuss and critically assess some currently researched and crucial approaches in production technology. In order to determine the scope in which complementary mobile assembly can be profitable for manufacturers, a general cost model is set up and each cost driver is assessed with respect to varying levels of decentralization. One main result of the paper is that the presented approaches offer huge cost-saving potentials and are thus critical for future production strategies. Nevertheless, they still need to be further exploited in order for decentralized assembly to be profitable for companies. The optimal level of decentralization must, however, be specifically determined in each case and cannot be defined in general.

Keywords: Automotive assembly, e-mobility, production technology, small series assembly.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1339738

References:

[1] M. Lauras, M. Zelm, B. Archimède, F. Bénaben, G. Doumeingts, “Enterprise Interoperability – Interoperability for Agility, Resilience and Plasticity of Collaboration,” I-ESA 14 Proceedings. London: ISTE Ldt., 2015, p. 118.
[2] R. Reichwald, M. Engelmann, D. Walcher, A. Meyer, Der Kunde als Innovationspartner: Konsumenten integrieren, Flop-Raten reduzieren, Angebote verbessern. Wiesbaden: Gabler, 2016, p. 173.
[3] Statista, Absatz des VW Golf im Zeitraum der Jahre 1974 bis 2012 nach Modell (in Millionen). Aug. 2012. Accessed Nov. 11, 2016. https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/240184/umfrage/absatz-des-vw-golf-nach-modell/
[4] M. Ringel, A. Taylor, H. Zablit, The Rising Need for Innovation Speed. The Boston Consulting Group, Dec. 2015. Accessed Nov. 11, 2016. https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/growth-lean-manufacturing-rising-need-for-innovation-speed/
[5] J. Daecke, Nutzung virtueller Welten zur Kundenintegration in die Neuproduktentwicklung – Eine explorative Untersuchung am Beispiel der Automobilindustrie. Wiesbaden: Gabler, 2009, p. 76.
[6] United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Revision – Highlights. New York: United Nations, 2014, pp. 1-2.
[7] United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision – Key Findings and Advance Tables. New York: United Nations, 2015, p. 2.
[8] V. HV, F.Thompson, O. Tonby, Understanding ASEAN: Seven things you need to know. McKinsey, 2014. Accessed Nov. 11, 2016. http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/under-standing-asean-seven-things-you-need-to-know
[9] N. Lang, T. Dauner, B. Frowein, Beyond BRIC – Winning the Rising Auto Markets. Boston: The Boston Consulting Group, 2013, pp. 3-4.
[10] R. Koether, Distributionslogistik – Effiziente Absicherung der Lieferfähigkeit. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler, 2014, pp. 99-100.
[11] Audi, Audi at the Ingolstadt site. Media Info, March 2016, p. 27.
[12] J. Roscher, Bewertung von Flexibilitätsstrategien für die Endmontage in der Automobilindustrie. Universität Stuttgart: 2008, p. 19. PhD Thesis.
[13] Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Rolls Royce Motor Cars celebrates second highest sales record in marque’s 112-year history. Media Information, Jan. 2016, p. 1.
[14] R. Sharma, C. Manzie, M. Bessede, R.H. Crawford, M.J. Brear, „Conventional, hybrid and electric vehicles for Australian driving conditions. Part 2: Life cycle CO2-e emissions,” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, vol. 28, March 2013, pp. 63-73.
[15] A. Kampker, C. Deutskens, K. Kreisköther, M. Schumacher, “Selbstfahrende Fahrzeugchassis in der Fahrzeug-Endmontage,“ VDI-Z Integrierte Produktion, vol. 157, 2015, pp. 23-26.
[16] H. Reil, “Smart Faction,” in Audi Dialoge Smart Factory, 2015, pp. 26-31.
[17] T. Bauernhansl, “Automotive industry without conveyer belt and cycle – research campus ARENA2306,” in Proc. 15. Internationales Stuttgarter Symposium, M. Bargende, H.C. Reuss, J. Wiedemann, Ed. Wiesbaden: Springer Vieweg, 2015, pp. 347-356.
[18] W. Kern, F. Rusitschka, W. Kopytynski, S. Keckl, T. Bauernhansl, Alternatives to assembly line production in the automotive industry, The 23rd International Conference on Production Research, 2015, p. 1-9.
[19] K.S. Yogeshkumar, K. Ramesh Babu, An advanced method of jigs and fixtures planning by using CAD methods, 2013, p.1.
[20] E. G. Hoffman, Jig and Fixture Desgin, 5th ed. New York: Delmar, 2012, p. 65.
[21] Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Additive manufacturing – A game changer for the manufacturing industry? Munich: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmbH, 2013.
[22] G. Seliger, “Montage und Demontage“ in Dubbel, 24th ed., K.-H. Grote, J. Feldhusen Ed. Berlin: Springer, 2014, p.117-123.
[23] D. Hoffmann, “Entscheidungslogik“ Industrie 4.0 automotive, Jan. 2016, pp. 34-35.