properly?

Suppose you were then given a
chance to ‘‘talk’* to the people
who desigued the product — how
would that affect the toy?

i think most of us would agree
that bringing together all the peo-
ple involved would ultimately
resukt in a finished product! Fur-
thermore, given som time. to
work out the ‘‘bugs”’ cogether, we
should be able to come up with a
revamped version of the toy that
is easy to build, and hopefully, a
joy te own.

Apply the same philosophy to
automobiles by bringing together
the designers, product engineers,
and the manufacturing engineers,
and voila! you have just
discovered one of the most
significant organizational ap-
proaches that domestic auto-
makers are now implementing:
Simultaneous engineering.

Under a more rigid, outdated
system, designers would pass the
design onto the product engineer-
ing group, who then would have
to, figure out how to “‘engineer-
out” the vehicle. Once that was
done, the product guys would pass
the engineering design to the
manufacturing group, where

- engineers wouid ‘spend months
working out the plant equipment
details.. This system was ineffi-
cient, as each group would work
out their part independently,
without much regard as to how
the result. would affect the next
group. Under the new engineering
system, however, everyone is in-
volved from the very beginning of
the project, talking, discussing,
and working together simulta-
necusly.

This concept of integration is so
important to the. automotive in-
dustry that it’s sweeping every
domestic car company by storm.
Simultaneous engineering, also
known as integrated engineering
or synchronous organization, will
not only improve the product’s
quality, but will bring the cost of

Darren Hayes

Darren was formerly with a large
electronic home entertainment
chain, Darren would like to extend
a personal invitation to come by for
a visit and get your best deal on a
new vehicle. Season's Greetings.

seb 28-87 4458

Team effort the key t to building better cars

Concept of integration
sweeps industry by storm

HOW OFTEN have you come across a situation where
you were trying to build something — a wooden toy for
your kids perhaps — only to find that the instructions were
impossible to decipher and the pieces didn't fit together

David
Chao

OVERDRIVE
the project down and shorten the
product development cycle as well.
Chrysler’s recent launching of
the $1 billion Technology Cenire
in Auburn Hills, Michigan,
signifies that it’s serious about in-
tegrating key operating ‘groups
under one rcof. Initially} 1,200

“aie ror

2

FINANCING Bi

Photo submitted

BY 1993 nearly 7,000 employees will be working In Chrysler's $1 billion Technology Centre in

Auburn Hills, Michigan.

people will move into the com-
plex, but by 1993, -nearly 7,000
employees will be working in this
four-storey centre. This allows the
designers, manufacturing
engineers, product engineers, and
purchasing group to work, chat,
and eat together in the same area
simultaneously. To see why being

able to walk to your buddy in a
different departmeni is a big deal,
keep in mind that traditionally,
people had to do some of these
engineering functions through
phone calls, faxes, or by driving
to another building in a different
city! Chrysler claims that from the
centre of the compiex, any point

CASH BACK,

in the building can be reached
within !0 minutes.

Chryster will be developing the
next model of sub-compact’ cars
{code-name PL) in this state-of-
the-art centre, and they expect the
manufacturing people to get in-

See GM page 42

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