INDUSTRY FOCUS Automotive Supply Chain
Abreast of the ever-evolving automotive manufacturing
By Neil Ballinger, Head, EMEA, EU Automation T
he automotive sector has been continually undergoing advancements and technology updates. Innovations such
as artifi cial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, energy storage and cybersecurity are just some of the technologies reshaping this industry. Self-driving cars, augmented- reality dashboards and automated parking systems may appear as novelties right now, but they are revolutionising the automotive sector. This also means that manufacturers must modernise their production lines and streamline their complex supply chains.
Sensor obsolescence
As government initiatives such as the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) cite driver monitoring as a basic automotive safety system, the adoption of this technology increases, with Europe having the highest share of driver-monitoring systems in use. To meet existing and future regulatory requirements, automotive manufacturers will need to install sensors that help ensure suffi cient safety-related redundancies. As a consequence, more sensors will be built throughout the car to continuously track and trace drivers’ vitals such as respiration rate, blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac activity.
It is worth noting that these components have signifi cantly shorter lifecycles than those traditionally used in the automotive sector. The average lifespan of current electronics ranges from 1.5 to 13 years, but most only survive four to fi ve years,
28 October 2021 | Automation
requiring manufacturers to reconsider their obsolescence management plans. Moreover, as newer sensors reach the market, those already in use will become obsolete earlier than before. For instance, ultrasound sensors may soon be overtaken by camera- or lidar-based parking assistants. Overall, sensor obsolescence will bring means huge challenges to most automotive manufacturers.
Strategic approach However, obsolescence is the natural consequence of technological progress and there is no way of eliminating it completely. Luckily, several steps can be taken to minimise its negative consequences. For automotive production lines, the
fi rst step is to assess the current state of equipment by performing a comprehensive system audit. Manufacturers can start by assessing how old their machines are and how long their components have been on the market. The answer should then be compared with the life-expectancy data provided by the OEMs to determine the life stage of core machines and their components, and gain a better idea of how long they will serve the plant. Manufacturers can therefore make a list of components that are already obsolete or near their end of life.
The second stage involves risk analysis. In this phase, manufacturers can assess which applications to prioritise in their obsolescence management plan and establish a dedicated budget for their upkeep. Finally, based on the analysis of how
critical a part is to core processes, the speed at which it will wear and its risk of becoming obsolete, manufacturers can devise a plan of where these parts can be sourced and how quickly. In this phase it is essential to liaise with a reliable parts supplier. Since failure of any key component could aff ect the whole assembly line, timely replacement is essential to avoid unplanned downtime. Therefore, when an obsolete component breaks, calling the right partner can make the diff erence between a couple of hours or several days of downtime.
Obsolescence Analysing procurement data and avoiding the selection of parts that have already been on the market for several years is a good beginning to minimise the risk of obsolescence. Although assessing product lifecycle is not easy, analysing procurement information can off er more control to the designer over the complex automotive supply chain. Simulation and digital twinning can also be used to visualise each stage of production and design in the most effi cient way, eliminating unnecessary redundancies that may increase the risk of obsolescence. With careful planning and the assistance of a specialist in obsolete spare parts, auto makers can keep ahead of the game and remain competitive for years to come.
s CONTACT:
EU Automation
www.euautomation.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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