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4 Global Cover Story Commercial Vehicles Actros Model Refinement More Than Just a Facelift About three years ago, the Commercial Vehicle division started a model refinement project for the Actros to update the truck series originally introduced in 1996. For the first time, this upgrade project has incorporated some new steps that have significantly revised the product development process and, at the same time, have had positive effects on the collaboration between <strong>Daimler</strong>Chrysler and its supply partners. At this point, we can let you in on some of what has already been accomplished: When the Actros MP II (“MP II” is the internal designation for the model refinement project) is finally presented to the public at next year’s IAA commercial-vehicle show in Hanover, those attending will see “an almost entirely new vehicle,” states Achim Hornung, head of Procurement Commercial Vehicles, Exterior, Area Support, referring to the vehicle’s multifaceted features which are as new as the implemented development process itself. “We applied this revamped process for the first time in the Actros refinement,” he reminisces. “The goal of the new approach was to involve our suppliers even earlier on in exercising their own responsibilities for component development.” A Far More Stringent Process. With the introduction of skeleton specifications, concept approvals and functional specifications during the design phase, the overall development process was tightened up considerably. “Sure, having to write a comprehensive document like a detailed functional spec can be very time-consuming,” Hornung concedes, “but in the long run it pays off in supporting product development.” As early as during the concept approval stage potential suppliers were already involved in contributing their competing ideas to the process. These proposals were then evaluated to determine which ones were most promising from both technological and economic standpoints. In addition to Procurement, above all Development, but also plant representatives from Logistics, Quality Assurance as well as from Production Planning and Cost Planning were involved in making these selections. After this phase, while being supported by <strong>Daimler</strong>Chrysler, the suppliers finally selected were expected to conduct “their own largely independent development work,” Hornung explains, adding that, “the extent to which we have consistently employed this approach in this model refinement project had never been attempted before.” Close Interdisciplinary Collaboration. In this process phase, the PIF (Permanent Interdisciplinary Function) team organization once again proved its worth. “It
was able to provide strong support for our partners’ development work because, in most cases, their representatives were actually sitting right at the table along with the members of the respective DC function team.” In addition, the integration of Customer Service and Sales into the overall project team promoted cross-functional collaboration and allowed greater consideration of market-related factors much earlier on in the development process than had ever been possible before. Extensive use of computer-supported testing produced great time savings in certain development steps, and, in fact, allowed some testing sequences and loops to be completely eliminated. Successful Shortening of Development Time. Applying the new methods and measures in the product development process resulted in, “substantial time savings in development time for the Actros MP II compared to previous projects,” Hornung reports. Beyond this, the introduction of a three-stage “try-out” phase starting in the middle of next year, followed by a prior, upstream “pre-try-out” phase (in which, as Hornung puts it, “series production processes will already be subjected to initial testing”) to be introduced by the end of the year, will allow even more time be cut out of the development schedule. It’s become quite clear just how many advantages there It’s almost all new: The MP II model refinement, strongly focused on the needs of the driver, has almost completely transformed the Actros cab interior (the photo shows the interior of the predecessor). Achim Hornung is optimistic: “The advantages of the new process and how it allows earlier integration of supply partners into development will definitely benefit the final product.” really are to the new, more stringent process and how well it allows earlier integration of supply partners into joint product development. “Some of our supply partners have already been involved in intensive development work for two to three years now. They were already there during the prototype phase and so are familiar with the whole process, which means that they know exactly where they stand.” These cooperative conditions give Hornung good reason to be optimistic: The best prerequisites have been created for the successful handling of a new series development, resulting in a quick switchover from the current Actros series right on into a relatively steep ramp-up phase of the new Actros MP II. An Almost Entirely New Actros The Actros MP II is full of surprises, ones that Hornung, quite understandably, can only hint at right now, not quite a year before the revised Actros is to be introduced. But he has revealed a few general things about it: the model refinement process has paid particular attention to the cab area, “which has undergone significant changes.” Aspects of living, sleeping and working were re-evaluated and put into proportion, while the interior and instrument layout were designed in an even more driver-friendly fashion. The vehicle exterior will have an improved appearance, better aerodynamics and will also offer some functional innovations. The powertrain section will now feature higherperformance engines coupled to a new rear axle and diagnostics facilities are undergoing considerable improvement. All Actros MP II refinements are being adapted and modified to reflect the specific requirements of the three product lines: long distance vehicles distribution vehicles construction industry vehicles, special vehicles. 5
Page 1 and 2: South Africa Issue No. 4/ 2001 Glob
Page 3: Editorial Facing the New Year with
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