aPriori > Case Studies > Leveraging Digital Manufacturing for a Resilient EV Supply Chain: A Case Study on Eaton

Leveraging Digital Manufacturing for a Resilient EV Supply Chain: A Case Study on Eaton

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Applicable Industries

Aerospace
Automotive

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Digital Thread
Digital Twin

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Eaton is a leading power management company with approximately 90,000 employees in 175 different countries. The company, which has a history spanning over a hundred years, started by manufacturing axles. Over the last two decades, Eaton has undergone a dramatic transformation, expanding into sectors such as electrical, aerospace, hydraulics, and vehicle eMobility. In 2020, the company made roughly $18 billion in sales, with the electrical sector accounting for just over $11 billion and the industrial sector, which includes vehicle eMobility, representing just over $6 million.

The Challenge

Eaton, a premier power management company, was facing challenges in improving time to market and profitability in the highly competitive electric vehicle (EV) market. The traditional manufacturing environment, characterized by siloed departments each with its own database and processes, was hindering timely, accurate, and effective collaboration. This was particularly problematic given the current prevalence of supply chain shortages. The company needed a solution that would allow it to quickly understand the impact of design on the supply chain, identify potential manufacturability issues early in the design process, and innovate faster.

The Solution

Eaton embraced manufacturing simulation to improve sourcing and build a resilient supply chain. The company adopted aPriori, a cloud-based digital manufacturing tool, which allowed for a single, consistent database accessible by all departments. This created a 'digital thread' between all departments, enabling seamless connection throughout the product development lifecycle. The aPriori system allowed Eaton to examine new product designs from both a design engineering and sourcing perspective, generating data-rich content with minimal user inputs. The system also enabled the company to understand how the geometry of a product would affect manufacturability and cost, generate cost models in just a few minutes, and make instant design and materials changes. Furthermore, aPriori allowed Eaton to compare pricing for their product across multiple regions around the world, helping them identify where they could save the most time, money, and resources.

Operational Impact

The adoption of aPriori and the shift towards digital manufacturing has led to several operational benefits for Eaton. The company has been able to improve its product knowledge, with the tool providing meaningful insight into how product design affects product cost models. This has fostered a greater care about product cost across the team. The creation of a 'digital thread' has also enhanced collaboration across departments, allowing for a continual flow of information throughout the product development lifecycle. Furthermore, the ability to quickly understand the impact of design on the supply chain has helped Eaton build a more resilient supply chain, which is particularly crucial in the face of prevalent supply chain shortages.

Quantitative Benefit