Managing Configuration Control in an Automotive Sensor Mass Customization Manufacturing Product Line

As BEI Technologies, Inc. transitioned from a low-volume, high-cost aerospace and defense supplier to a high-volume, low-cost automotive supplier for the Systron Donner quartz rate sensor gyroscope (GyroChipreg) after the mid-1990s, a need to effectively manage mass customization without replicating the production line became an economic imperative. This paper describes the tools and techniques utilized to not only solve the problem economically, but provide several significant side-benefits as well. Starting from zero high-volume mass customization experience in 1996, Systron Donner can today accommodate dozens of configurations on the same high volume production line. In addition, the line can accommodate multiple small runs (dozens to hundreds of units per day) on the line concurrent with the normal production (several thousand units per day). These benefits are supplemented by additional capabilities to achieve traceability down to the component level, screen units with a performance grading technique, permanently store all manufacturing and test data, provide integrated statistical process control information, ensure proper process step sequencing and ensure correct labeling and shipment.