Is Design Automation a Feasible Tool for Improving Efficiency in Production Planning and Manufacturing Processes?

The production planning is a repetitive process that demands engineering hours and expertise. Many parameters must be considered, and inefficiencies lead to increased lead times. The hypothesis is that valuable time within the manufacturing stages can be saved through improved engineering tools. This article will explore to possibilities to increase the utilization of digital tools to support the engineers in their production planning activities, and to improve the efficiency of manufacturing processes. Through study visits and interviews at a product owning company with manufacturing in-house, proposals for areas that could be improved with design automation will be presented