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Geometrical variation is a problem in all complex, assembled products. Recently, the Digital Twin concept was launched as a tool for improving geometrical quality and reduce costs by using real time control and optimization of products and production systems. The Digital Twin for geometry assurance is created together with the product and the production systems in early design phases. When full production starts, the purpose of the Digital Twin turns towards optimization of the geometrical quality by small changes in the assembly process. To reach its full potential, the Digital Twin concept is depending on high quality input data. In line with Internet of Things and Big Data, the problem is rather to extract appropriate data than to find data. In this paper, an inspection strategy serving the Digital Twin is given. Necessary input data describing form and shape of individual parts, and how this data should be collected, stored and utilized is described.

Designing aircraft engines is a complex process in which requirements from multiple disciplines need to be considered. Decisions about product geometry and tolerances to achieve optimized aerodynamics, product life and weight can affect the manufacturing process. Therefore, providing information to designers about process capabilities is necessary to support design exploration and analysis. In this paper, the authors propose the Welding Capability Assessment Method (WCAM) as a tool to support the systematic identification and assessment of design issues related to product geometry critical to the welding process. Within this method, a list of potential failure modes during welding is connected to specific design parameters. Once the critical design parameters have been identified, quantitative methods are proposed to calculate tolerances to reduce the likelihood of welding failures. The application of this method is demonstrated through an industrial case study where a combination of interviews and welding simulations is used to study the welding capability of a number of product geometries. This method represents an advancement from traditional qualitative guidelines and expert judgments about welding difficulties towards a more quantitative approach, supporting virtual design.

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