As automotive manufacturers in North America try to keep pace with market and technological change, plant leaders are interrogating every opportunity to reduce waste, time and unnecessary costs, including through AI and digital tools. However, meaningful innovations depend not on any one type of technology but on breaking down organisational silos and ensuring manufacturing teams are set up for success.
This session will explore further how the right organisational and collaborative framework in manufacturing plants will be the foundation for next-generation smart factories. Experts will share examples of successful digital, AI and automation implementation, and why they depend on ensuring team member engagement, finding internal champions, and developing leaders who want the technology to succeed.
Among the most important and powerful examples will be how to align teams to drive out waste and reduce complexity in manufacturing starting at the design and engineering phase of new models. You’ll hear insights on how manufacturers are reducing complexity and designing for streamlined production, including through integrating R&D engineers with manufacturing engineers, as well as through collaborative digital tools.
Leaders from Fraunhofer and BorgWarner will share examples and engage with the audience to understand how manufacturers can better collaborate across departments and suppliers, implement lean principles and reduce unnecessary complexity, whilst consider technology tools that support streamlined development and production engineering.
Key Takeaways:
- Advice on breaking down organisational silos and building integrated teams across manufacturing, engineering and suppliers
- Methods to implement technology effectively and build a culture of innovation
- Strategies to reduce parts and assembly complexity to drive efficiency
- Best practice for digital tools to support R&D and manufacturing optimisation, including virtualisation, digital twins and AI
