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Surface Treatment

Geometry or Cost Engine Changes that Could Impact Configured Digital Factories

The following changes might impact costing, even for Digital Factories that use earlier cost model versions.

  • NO IMPACT

Bug Fixes or Small Improvements to Prior Cost Model Versions

The following changes might impact costing for Digital Factories that use earlier cost model versions.

  • NO IMPACT

Cost Model Changes that Do Not Affect Configured Digital Factories

The following changes do not affect costings with Digital Factories that use earlier cost model versions. The changes are available only in the latest cost model version.

  • Shot Blast Machines: This release removes the original Shot Blast machines and replaces them with branded hanger type machines and virtual machines. With the new cost model, for scenarios that have pinned a routing with an original, removed machine, the default machine is used instead.

    The new machines have the following new properties:

    • Blast Cycle Time: The blast cycle time of the machine. Located in the Time group.
    • Shot Blasting Rate: The rate at which the machine blasts shot. Located in the Rates group.
    • Chamber Height: The height of the blast chamber. Located in the Limits group.
    • Chamber Width: The width of the blast chamber. Located in the Limits group.
    • Chamber Length: The length of the blast chamber. Located in the Limits group.
    • Is Preferred: Used to identify a preferred machine (true/false). Located in the Other group.
    • Number Hanger Positions: The number of hanger positions inside the Blast Chamber enabling multiple batches of parts to be loaded simultaneously. Located in the Limits group.
    • Weight Capacity: The overall weight capacity that the machine can support. Located in the Limits group. The Surface Area Allowance and Perimeter Allowance properties are no longer used in the Cycle Time calculation.

  • Shot Blast Machine Selection: In the previous release, there were no machine selection rules for the Shot Blast process. Rules have now been introduced to determine the lowest cost feasible machine. Feasibility depends on the size and weight of the part, and the weight of the batch.

  • Shot Blast Tool Shop: A new tool shop has been added for shot blast media. This uses the same shot media as the conveyor shot blast process and includes fields for Name, Material Type Name, Attrition Rate, and Cost Per Mass.

  • Shot Blast Process Setup Options: The following setup options have been introduced:

    • Shot Blast Media: Populated from tool shop materials or user override. Affects feasibility rules and the Shot Lost Per Part and Shot Cost Per Mass parts of the Cycle Time calculation.
    • Number of Parts in the Batch: This is a function of the part batch size, the maximum batch weight of parts the machine can support, and the maximum number of parts that can fit on a hanger. Affects machine selection, the Shot Lost Per Part part of the Additional Direct Costs calculation, and the Load Time, Unload Time, and Total Blast Cycle Time parts of the Cycle Time calculation.

  • Shot Blast Cycle Time: This release improves the cycle time calculation by taking into account part shape complexity, handling time, and the number of parts that can be processed at once.

  • Shot Blast Additional Direct Costs: These now account for Shot Lost Per Part. This is a function of cycle time, the attrition rate for the shot blast media, and the number of parts in the batch.

  • Powder Coat Cart Cycle Time: This release improves the calculation of cycle time. In the previous release, cycle time was based on times for loading and curing (which were assumed to occur concurrently) as well as masking time. In this release, cycle time is based on times for powder application and handling (which are assumed to occur sequentially). Powder application time takes into account the number of coats, flow rates, the number of powder guns, and part surface area. Masking and curing are accounted for separately, by the Mask Bench and Oven Cure processes.

  • Powder Coat Cart Additional Direct Costs: The previous cost model did not account for Additional Direct Costs. In this release, Additional Direct Costs include the cost of the top coat powder and, if used, the clear coat powder applied to the part. The new tool shop for the Powder Coat Cart process contains supporting data.

  • Powder Coat Cart Setup Options: The following setup options have been removed:

    • Number of Masked Features (the Mask-Bench process is now used for feature masking)
    • Painted Batch Size (replaced by the Batch Size field on the Production Scenario tab of the Cost Guide in the aPriori UI)
    • What Fraction of Component is Painted? (replaced by Fraction of Part Area that is Powder Coated)

  • Powder Coat Cart Machine properties: The following machine properties have been introduced:

    • Booth Height: The height of the area inside the machine where parts are powder coated. Located in the Limits group.
    • Booth Length: The length of the area inside the machine where parts are powder coated. Located in the Limits group.
    • Booth Width: The width of the area inside the machine where parts are powder coated. Located in the Limits group.
    • Is Preferred: Used to identify a preferred machine (true/false). Located in the Other group.

    • Number of Powder Guns: The default number of powder guns used with the machine. Located in the Other group. The following machine properties are no longer used by the cost model:

    • Cart Spacing Factor (replaced by cost model variables)

    • Cart Window Height (replaced by Booth Height)
    • Cart Window Length (replaced by Booth Length)
    • Paint Unit Cost (replaced by tool shop data)
    • Powder Coat Specific Gravity (replaced by tool shop data)
    • Powder Coat Thickness (replaced by tool shop data)

  • Oven Cure Routing: In this release, curing that is associated with the Powder Coat Process is accounted for by the new Oven Cure process. Previously it was accounted for by the Powder Coat Process itself. Now, by default, Oven Cure is automatically included in any routing with a process that defines the node attribute requireOvenCure. You can manually exclude Oven Cure from your routing, but you can include it only along with a process that defines requireOvenCure.

  • Oven Cure Cycle Time: Cycle time includes labor handling time and cure time, both of which are sensitive to the number of coats applied during the associated instance of Powder Coat Cart. The Powder Coat Cart toolshop has supporting data. In addition, since aPriori now models Oven Cure machines separately from Powder Coat Cart machines, batch size can be different for the two processes, which can impact cycle time per part.

  • Mask Bench Routing: This release automatically includes the Mask-Bench process in routings with the Manual Paint process and, for parts that include threaded holes, in routings with Anodize, Powder Coat Cart, or Powder Coat Conveyor. These processes are specified in the lookup table automaticMaskingProcessList.

  • Mask Bench Feature masking of SimpleHoles and MultiStepHoles: Previously, the cost model assumed that silicone plugs were used to mask SimpleHoles and MultiStepHoles and that any other features were masked using adhesive tape. The Masking-Bench operation for SimpleHoles represented inserting a silicone plug and the Mask-Bench operation for MultiStepHoles rolled up the child cycle time calculations. This functionality has been updated as follows:

    • The Masking-Bench operation for SimpleHoles represents masking with adhesive tape.
    • A new Plugging operation represents masking SimpleHoles with a silicone plug.
    • By default, aPriori uses optional operation rules to mask smaller holes (Simple, MultiStep, and Complex) with plugs using the Plugging operation and larger holes with tape using the Masking-Bench operation. aPriori uses the hole size to determine which operation is assigned by default, however users can override the operation assignment if they wish. As a result of these improvements, times and costs may chnage.

  • Mask Bench Labor Time: The time calculation now takes into account the required number of part handling operators (which is distinct from the number of operators performing the masking). The number of operators is looked up by part weight in the lookup table tblHandlingTimes.

  • Mask Bench Cost Model Variables: The following new cost model variables are used by the Mask-Bench feasibility rules:
    • maskBenchMaxPlugSize: This is the maximum plug size available for masking holes. Holes that are smaller than this size are plugged by default in the Mask-Bench process. By default, in starting point Digital Factories, this is set to 65 millimeters.
    • maskBenchMaxPlugLength: This is the maximum plug length available for masking holes. Holes that are plugged in the Mask-Bench process and are less than this value only require a single plug. By default, in starting point Digital Factories, this is set to 35 millimeters.