There are two ways of performing a task with a set of people. By performing the group work and teamwork. The difference between the two is that Teamwork generates Synergy. When a team is involved in a project and there is unity, the contrasting knowledge and experience gained by each team member is passed on to the others.
This system is applied throughout the entire project lifecycle and allows for continuous knowledge feedback.
If we are talking about developing a project in which the tools to be used, the way to act and the objective to be achieved have been decided, the team's job is to find the way, in many cases by trial and error. For this activity to be carried out optimally there must be a willingness to transfer knowledge (not just information), interest in the functioning of the tools and a critical attitude to the tools.. When these factors are in place, Synergy is created.
Translating this to the departmental or company level, it is a question of Concurrent Engineering. In this case, by means of computer systems and PDM (Product Data Management) tools, a network of information and knowledge is created at the disposal of the teams to carry out the joint project in parallel. When this joint activity between multidisciplinary teams generates Synergy, we talk about Collaborative Engineering.
Collaborative engineering is based on a improving the organisation of projects, teamwork and the use of new information technologies. It seeks to involve all departments and teams involved in the life cycle of the project to be carried out, providing an environment of continuous visibility on operations. The PLM systems (Product Lifecycle Management) facilitate remote, updated and selective access to the different hosted information (by means of permissions, profiles, etc.), so that the large amount of stored data does not cause a saturation effect. There is currently a wide range of tools that facilitate the implementation of collaborative environments.
The following results are obtained through the correct implementation of this methodology:
- It facilitates the information flow within the working group
- The time spent in working with outdated data by improving the management of existing product variants and changes during production runs
- A active notification system that keeps team members informed
- The following are allowed to work dispersed work teams geographically
- It is allowed to differentiate information to which each working team has access
- See reduce development times by overlapping the production processes of each department
This system is applied throughout the entire project lifecycle and allows the continuous knowledge feedback.
An example, to date, is the development of the implementation of collaborative engineering in the manufacturing process of the Fan Cowls of the A320neo aircraft, within the CalipsoNeo project. The main task focuses on squeezing the PLM platform of the Delmia DPM-DPE (Digital Process for Manufacturing - Delmia Process Engineering) software until it works according to the project's objective. At the same time as designing the product, resources and manufacturing processes, simulations were carried out through the iDMU (industrial Digital Mock-up) to pick up possible interferences and problems in the assembly, all in the same environment and simultaneously, a perfect example of a collaborative process.
