Ford to cut costs and improve quality on extended virtual manufacturing initiative

Ford Motor Company says it’s aiming to reduce costs and improve quality in its product and manufacturing process design by extending its use of manufacturing simulation software. The firm is buying more eMPower virtual manufacturing software from Tecnomatix – in this case the eMPower Assembly suite – to extend its existing virtual manufacturing initiative. Ford, which has been using Tecnomatix’s simulation software to develop its manufacturing processes for some 10 years, says it will now implement the firm’s e-manufacturing server (eMS) to store and manage manufacturing process simulation information. The addition means an opportunity to spread the use and application of Tecnomtix’s software throughout the organisation. eMS provides an integrated collaborative environment with web access to product and process data. It also supports multiple users, ensuring that everyone is working on the latest version of a document or data, dealing with the thorny issue of data and work dupliction. Just as important, it will allow Ford to capture and standardise on best manufacturing practices throughout the organisation globally.