Co-operative Research Centre forAdvanced Automotive Technology

AutoCRC1. Automotive Supplier Excellence Australia

2. Wireless Supply Chain Tracking

Clive RossiterZo Lowrie-Nunes

ANU Department of EngineeringNovember 2006

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Presentation Overview

1. The AutoCRC• Background• Research• Education

2. ASEA Project• Aims• Background• Stages• Status

3. Wireless Supply Chain Tracking Project• Aims• Background & Technology• Overview• Status

4. Other ANU–AutoCRC projects

AutoCRC

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AutoCRC

• Currently 70 CRCs with >250 companies involved

• AutoCRC– Formed in December 2005– $38m grant over 7 years– 23 projects underway

Mission: Through strategic industry-led research collaborations, AutoCRC will deliver smarter, safer, cleaner manufacturing and vehicle technologies for Australia’s benefit.

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Industry

AutoCRC – Participants

Researchers

Supporters

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AutoCRC - Research Program

Theme 1: Materials and Sustainable Manufacturing• Process optimisation• New materials and applications

Theme 2: Powertrains, Fuels and Emissions• Conventional powertrain enhancements• Hybrid systems

Theme 3: Safety and Intelligent Vehicle Systems• Occupant protection• Human-machine interfaces

Theme 4: Virtual Design and Manufacturing• Virtual engineering, prototyping, training• Knowledge management

Theme 5: Supplementary funding bid - Telematics

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AutoCRC – Education & Training Program

Postgraduate• Masters & PhD Scholarships for exploratory projects• Students available for contract projects, exchanges

Undergraduate• Final-year engineering projects – target 50 in first year• AutoCRC facilitates, provides cash for project expenses• Available to companies outside CRC• Vacation employment, industry placements• Curriculum development

Industry Short Courses• Targeted to emerging skills gaps

Automotive Supplier Excellence Australia

ASEA Project

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Automotive Supplier Excellence Australia Project

Aims: – To establish a competitive future state for the Australian

Automotive Industry, based on a thorough scan of the short- & long-term, national and global horizons.

– To develop a flexible, robust strategic pathway to create this future state, mapping the industry position for the short-, medium- & long-term future.

Primary Deliverables:1. An Industry Roadmap based on local and global needs

2. A supply-base assessment

3. Targeted supply base (and chain) interventions

Involvement: MVPs (Holden, Ford, Toyota & Mitsubishi) , Suppliers (ACPs), Government, AutoCRC (Research Providers) & Specialist Resources

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Three primary project stages:1. Industry Roadmapping – Alternative Futures + Strategic Planning

2. Supplier Evaluation – Assessment + Global Benchmarking

3. Intervention Development – Implement Industry Roadmap based on Supplier Evaluation

ASEA - Project Overview

Stage 1 – Industry Roadmapping

Stage 2 – Supplier Evaluation

Stage 3 – Intervention Development

Identification of industry direction and development of a roadmap for achieving industry goals

Global benchmarking and client assessment of suppliers in relation to industry roadmap

Development of mechanisms to support supplier transition to world-class capability and competency

0 3 Months 6 Months 9 Months 12 Months 15 Months

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Objectives:• Develop an overall sector roadmap for the Australian automotive supply

base• Develop a number of priority area roadmaps based on the top-level

roadmap

Outcomes:• Identify critical business drivers, key competitive areas and key markets for

the auto industry, now and to 2015• Develop a strategic vision for the auto industry going forward• Initiate processes and actions to strengthen the Australian automotive

industry as a whole

Stage 1 – Industry Roadmapping

Identify ‘potential futures’ for the industry and strategies/ initiatives to encourage favourable futures and discourage unfavourable ones

Where does the industry need to be?

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Roadmapping

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Objectives:• Develop a holistic supplier evaluation• Increase data sharing and communication between OEMs and the

local supplier industry

Outcomes:• A framework for communication between supplier and customer

focused on key metrics• A categorisation of suppliers• Understanding of the current capability/competence and potential

capability/competence of suppliers

Stage 2 – Supplier Evaluation

An industry-wide supplier evaluation, incorporating benchmarking against a global standard

Where is the industry now?

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Stage 3 – Intervention Development

Objectives:• Establish an industry resource to provide mechanisms and

interventions to assist supplier capability and competence development

Outcomes:• A range of government and industry supported

mechanisms/programs to provide expert supplier assistance• Transferal of best-in-class process and system technology into the

Australian automotive supply chain• A foundation for the future implementation of state-of-the-art

technology and innovation to support new product development

Implementation of mechanisms to support suppliers transition to ‘world class’ capability and competence.

How can the industry get there?

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ASEA - Status

Early phases of Stage 1

– Developing & testing roadmap architecture and process

– Coordinating industry participation

Planning

Scoping

Budgeting

Stages 2 & 3

Wireless Supply Chain Tracking

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Wireless Supply Chain Tracking Project

Aims:– Conduct a production pilot on tracking stillages– Develop a business case and framework for broader

implementation.

– Investigate system integration of wireless tracking

technologies throughout the supply

Involvement:– Primary:

• AutoCRC, Toll Logistics, ANU

– Secondary:• MVPs, Tier 1 Suppliers

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Why Stillages?

• Stillages cost $$$

• Lose Approximately 20% of stillage stock over 7 year period

• High value item: justification for current relatively high costs

• Potential for future implementation over entire supply chain

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Wireless Tracking Overview

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TechnologyEvaluation

OperationalValidation

ProductionPilot

SystemIntegration

•Stillage•Laboratory•Starter Kits

•Single Site (X-Dock)•Tags & Readers

•Multi-Site•OEM–Toll–Supplier(s)•Tags & Readers

Req

uire

men

ts

•Technology Report•Recommendation

•Tracking Results•Technology Confirmation

•Business Case•System Design

Out

com

es

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

Go?

No-Go?

Go?

No-Go?

Go?

No-Go?

Project Overview

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Phase 1 – Technology Evaluation

Primary Tasks:– Application Definition– Technology Evaluation

Outcomes:– Quantitative evaluation of current and emerging wireless

tracking technologies – A defensible recommendation of technology/vendor

selection for implementation of the production pilot

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Phase 1 – Expected obstacles

• Which Technology is the best to use?• Higher frequencies vs Low frequencies• Active vs Passive• Types of antennas

• Other Wireless Technologies – Chip-less wireless tech.

• Surface acoustic wave– Polymer based RFID etc

• Implementation Environment• Scattering of walls/metal surfaces• Onsite radio interference• Human Interference• etc

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Wireless Tracking Issues

ANU-AutoCRC Projects

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Other ANU-AutoCRC Projects

End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Management– Strategic study into ELV management in an Australian context– Collaboration with RMIT – 2 PhDs at each university– ANU Contact: Paul Compston/ Victor Pantano

Material Data and Knowledge Acquisition System– Investigate and design a material data and knowledge

acquisition and application system for the AutoCRC– ANU Contact: Jeremy Smith

Software Complexity Management– Improve and develop software to meet the demand for

increasing functionality and shorter development horizons.– ANU Contact: Clive Boughton

Vision Based Collision Avoidance– A range of collision detection systems will be developed

focusing on vision recognition of stationary and moving objects.– ANU Contact: Rob Mahony

References:AutoCRC - www.autocrc.comASEA Project – project website coming soon!