Application of Virtual Process Verification in Production Preparation of Instrument Panel Assembly Line

Virtual process verification is an important part of vehicle development, which plays a connecting role between product development and actual vehicle assembly process. Standardized assembly process verification can detect and avoid defects generating fundamentally during the product design and development stage. Through improving and optimizing the design scheme to eliminate the detected defects, the manufacturing costs can be effectively reduced and also the production preparation cycle can be shortened. Taking the introduction of new instrument panel of a new platform model in an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) as an implementation case, this paper illustrates the utilization of virtual process verification in the product design stage from the aspects of assembly process, man-hour balance, logistics planning, workshop layout etc. Based on the application of virtual simulation technology, the process preparation for mixed model production of new type instrument panel is completed with the minimum cost and the shortest cycle, which significantly ensures the successful production of new vehicle project.