1.

Concurrent engineering as an integrated comprehensive approach

Concurrent engineering (CE) occur as a concept and methodology at the end of the last century
and is defined as a systematic approach to integrated and co-design of products and their
related processes.

Typical of the CE is the use of modern high-efficiency methods, tools and procedures based
on the latest advancements in the range of computer technology and software, as well as
specific techniques of collective work which ensure the production of competitive products.

It was a necessity imposed by the technical development and competitive struggle between
manufacturers to reduce costs by means of engineering chain and production efficiency’
increasing. Through the application of the CE was achieved the greatest economy of time, the
effect of the time shortening and reconciliation of allowable times for different stages of
engineering project could also be achieved. The effectiveness of CE use in different directions
may be summarized as follows:

By using of CE ‘reduced the time from birth of the idea for the design of new product to
its submission on the market’ can be achieved;
In CE, the product is projected with the right demand by the market quality
characteristics;
The process at CE is optimized in terms of the costs incurred for design;
There are ‘obtained products’ with ‘the right desired by user quality characteristics’ for
the shortest possible period of time and occupying the maximum market niche.

The development of scientific and technical progress led to such technologies by means of which
it is possible the application of modern organizational forms in the transfer of information as well
as for coordination and permanent control of the stages of development and manufacturing. This
development is characterized mainly by improvement of hardware and software products for
transfer of information - computer networks. According to its scope of activities they are local and
global. The development of global information networks enable the creation of virtual
manufacturing where all exchanges of data, results and technologies is based on the principles of
CE.

2 Modern stages in the development of CE

Following the development of CE may be noted that it is characterized with general resources of
the complex digitization of design and production activities in industrial enterprise, but also with
the special features relating to the engineering nature of the problem.

This is may be noted in the latest versions of software products and their suitability to the
new production resources, such as digitization, artificial intelligence and virtual reality is an
important field of study.

The applications of AI in CE are twofold: (1) studying, explaining and modeling the facilities
underlying intelligent behavior, and (2) engineering systems that are capable of exhibiting

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such behavior, or of supporting humans in accomplishing tasks that require intelligence. AI
provided a conceptual repository for descriptive, and technologies for computational models
of design. The descriptive models accounted both for the logical and creative elements in
design.

Therefore, the role of CE for optimization of resources in real time and needs of flexibility of the
engineering process are intertwined with the capabilities of totally integrated automation (TIA).
TIA is an open system architecture, which covers the whole production process and provides an
effective interaction between all automation components.

TIA stands for a new concept to realize industrial automation tasks. Existing automation
solutions are together composed from a mix of different system technology and
manufacturers. Programmable logic controllers are employed in the field level whereas the
cell level uses a mixture of PC and PLCs and the process control level only uses PCs. So far
it is customary that each of these systems uses a whole different type of software and user
interface.

Additional differences result as soon as different manufacturers provide the components or include
enhancements. By the variety of these different solutions, frequent communication problems
occur. Data must be read or written multiple times so that no consistent concept for the preparation
of large data quantities exists. The fundamental idea is a consistent technology base for individual
problem solutions.

It should demand a thorough project maintenance and service philosophy. TIA means the
overcoming of the existing system limit. All devices and systems are integrated into a thorough
automation solution in which uniformity is reached in data storage, configuration, and in
programming as well as communication.

3. Role of TIA in speeding up CE activities

TIA enables the manufacturing industry to optimize its value chain. Having all automation
components working together efficiently offers clear benefits in each phase of the production
process.

TIA brings together the following areas:

Industrial Communication – Maximizing planning flexibility and implementing the most

appropriate network infrastructures while minimizing costs;
Industrial Data Management - Transparency of all data recorded/ generated during
operation end ability of high decision-making certainty – for maximum plant operations
cost-efficiency;
Industrial Security;
Integrated Engineering - Integrated engineering saves time, money, and effort while
increasing the profit ability and competitiveness of engineering projects;
Integrated Security - Systematic minimization of the danger of an internal or external
attack on plants and networks.

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The implementation of these areas creates an opportunity for flexible organization of production,
shorter deadlines for implementation of projects avoidance of duplication of efforts,
comprehensive process control consistent quality data documentation, integration of mechanics,
electrical systems and automation. TIA in production is related to so called vertical and horizontal
integration, which is the basis for the future development of production systems. An important part
of this integration takes CE. Cooperation between machine- web, machine- man and machine-
machine in the value chain in real time is a modern production system [6]. Automated operations
will be interconnected in multitude of networks. Software and networks will connect the intelligent
products, digital services and consumers with new engineering solutions.

Horizontal integration processes in engineering create preconditions for [3]:

dynamic design of the manufacturing processes, thereby providing a rapid and flexible response
to extraneous interference;
complete transparency of manufacturing processes;
optimal solutions finding;
new forms of added value;
new technology and business models;
response to the contemporary challenges such as resource saving and energy efficiency, urban
production and demographic changes;
greater cooperation between business partners (suppliers and customers) as well as between
employees as a result of new opportunities and benefits. A special place in this integration
process is given to and multidisciplinary teams involved in implementation of new tasks in CE
.

The effects are as follows:

Workplaces can meet the demographic factor and can be socially committed;
Based on intelligent systems for support the teams can focus on creative value added activities
and can be exempt from routine tasks.
Considering the upcoming insufficiency of skilled workers it would be possible to keep the
productivity of older workers for a longer working life;
The flexible labor organization will allow employees to combine better their professional and
private life, as well as to combine it with better training and improve the work life balance;
The digital network will enable direct involvement of the customer requirements and cheap
customization of products and services;
There is huge potential for new services and solutions.

4 New software packages defining integration essence of engineering

With the development of CE and digitization, AI involves use of different types of software
that serve the engineering activities. Generally currently they may be grouped in three areas

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First, these are the most used software tools: Product development (CAD / CAE), Process
planning (CAP, CAM), Order management (CRM, ERP, PPS, SCM), Operational
management (MES, BDE, QM) and Service (IPS).

Second - built in the recent years’ software packages from industrial companies, making it
possible to trace the value chain and to bring them closer to the requirements of cyber
physical systems (CPS).

Third. There is a trend of software development for Web services and connectivity via
platforms. In this direction operate many companies, technology centers and research
institutes.

This influences speed of the process as most are software based and human intervention is
almost nil.

Developed a portfolio of software-based systems which is based on a platform for cooperation

(Backbone Data). The development of the software market, which is closely related to the
development of CE, is shown in Fig. 1. Driving force of modern industries is to prepare the
companies for future challenges that follow the increasing digitalization. Particularly indicative in
that regard is the company Siemens, which offers an optimized platform Industrie 4.0 Processes
with Digital Enterprise Software Suite, which combines the advantages of the software product for
management of product lifecycle Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) with the proven
properties of TIA via a common database [4]. In addition to the horizontal integration in the Digital
Enterprise Software Suite is available a software of vertical integration – Execution System
Manufacturing (MES), thereby it is provided the necessary relation with the levels of management.

The advantages are obvious: Everyone involved in the process has access to the same consistent
database where any change any update and each subsequent version is immediately visible and
accessible to all. On the Fig. 2 is shown the decision of Siemens for implementation of TIA.

Process automation includes:

Management, Planning and Reporting - Manufacturing Execution System;

Operations, Engineering and Maintenance - Simulation, Process Control System, Energy
Management, Maintenance;
Automation - Controller, Communication, Power Supply and Distribution;
Field - Process Instrumentation, Process Analytics, Weighing and Dosing, Drive Systems,
Industrial Identification, Remote I/O.

Factory automation includes:

Management Level - Manufacturing Execution System;

Operations Level- SCADA System, TIA Portal Engineering Framework, Energy
Management;
Control Level - Controller, HMI, IPC, Communication, Motion Control, CNC;

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 Field Level - Power Supply and Distribution, Industrial Identification, Distributed I/O,
Drive Systems, Industrial Controls. Application of PLM allows effectively manage the
product lifecycle from the idea, design, manufacturing, maintenance and recycling, as well
as to create and optimize new, non-manufactured till now products.

By PLM are complemented Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer-Aided Manufacturing

(CAM), Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), Product Data Management (PDM) and Digital
Manufacturing without problems. Other product is SIMATIC IT that is a modern MES
(Manufacturing Execution System) with high large scope, offering a variety of functions and
allows being combined efficient production with quality and transparency. MES of SIMATICIT
is a part of MOM offer (Manufacturing Operations Management) of Siemens for digital
companies. This comprehensive solution supports the entire value chain from product
development, planning, production, improvement and operation. The result is that on the basis of
specific and customized solutions are integrated standardized problems and standardized software
by building of a software platform with a single interoperable solutions.