Testing the Digital Thread in Support of Model-Based Manufacturing and Inspection

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Engineering
• Systems Engineering
• Digital Transformation

Background:

• Anecdotal evidence suggests benefits of Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) in manufacturing.
• Industry leaders are pursuing a vision for widespread MBE deployment.
• A unified digital thread is proposed as key to realizing MBE's potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document strengths and weaknesses of current industry strategies for MBE implementation.
• To identify data transition and exchange gaps in manufacturing processes.
• To present measured results comparing model-based and drawing-based processes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of current industry strategies for MBE implementation.
• Identification of data flow gaps between manufacturing processes.
• Comparative study of model-based versus drawing-based manufacturing processes.

Main Results:

• The study provides evidence supporting anecdotal claims about MBE benefits.
• Measured results demonstrate the advantages of model-based processes over drawing-based ones.
• Gaps in data exchange between manufacturing stages were identified.

Conclusions:

• The digital thread is crucial for integrating Model-Based Definition, Manufacturing, and Inspection.
• MBE implementation strategies have both strengths and weaknesses that need addressing.
• Evidence supports the transition to model-based processes for improved efficiency and traceability.