Mass control & monitoring

A successfully established technical weight management system that is coordinated with the processes ensures that a realistic and equally ambitious weight target is set at an early stage. Weight management is the foundation of lightweight design consulting and helps to sharpen weight forecasts, avoid late corrective measures and demand accountability and decisions at the right time. If carried out consistently, weight management ensures that the weight targets set are achieved and that the necessary transparency for decision-making prevails at all times during the product development period.

First of all, the terminology used, i.e. the definition of the individual mass properties and targets, is defined. In this context, mark-ups and reserves are also already provided for in order to absorb changes, tolerances and risks during development. This makes it possible to define a target weight that is both achievable and, in particular, meets the technical and sales policy requirements. The decisive factor here is to break down and define the weight limit up to the base weight top-down. Depending on the reference situation, functional or constructive weight breaks are used.

Weight management includes recording and evaluating important project data such as centers of gravity, inertias and individual masses as well as reporting the status and identifying potential problems such as exceeding technical or regulatory limits. Other areas include the weight analysis of components as well as the evaluation of scenarios and the provision of forecasts.

During development, the weight forecast is then derived bottom-up based on the maturity level of the respective component and statistical allowances. Depending on the complexity of the component, lists, tools or software solutions such as the WDT or Smart Act are used. The determined component weights are cumulated and constantly measured against the mass limit. As part of risk management, the continuously updated weight or weight forecast of the product and its individual parts is tracked. This ensures ongoing transparency for management regarding the current status of target achievement and any necessary control interventions.