Consulting Services
aPriori Consulting Services are designed to accomplish three key objectives:
- Configure aPriori’s Virtual Production Environments to meet the specific needs of your manufacturing environment
- Help system users make a smooth transition from the classroom education they receive to applying aPriori on real-world projects.
- Accelerate the Return on Investment for using aPriori Product Cost Management software.
aPriori offers a number of packaged consulting programs described below that have been designed based on best recommended practices we have learned from previous customer implementations. These programs will help you maximize your leverage of aPriori for current projects, and build a culture of cost consciousness throughout your company.
aPriori can also custom design a consulting program for any unique requirements your company may have.
Implementation of Virtual Production Environments
Level 1 VPE
A Level 1, Material-Only VPE is a virtual factory that leverages aPriori baseline models with a customer’s material list (compositions, cost etc.)
This deliverable can include the aPriori sub-processes for a selected process module (e.g., Sheet Metal, Bar & Tube, 3-Axis Milling, Sand casting, Die Casting, Injection Molding).
Activities include:
- aPriori will review material data fields and the data gathering template with customer.
- Customer will gather data and input it into template.
- aPriori and Customer will validate data
- aPriori will support Customer during initial data load into the VPE.
- aPriori will help customer validate VPE. Using a sample of customer parts, customer will test that material data is appropriately used in the VPE.
When to Choose the Level 1 VPE
You want to use aPriori for directional decision support, primarily leveraging our base capabilities. For example, evaluating design, manufacturing or sourcing alternatives to determine which has the lowest cost.
You want to ensure your materials and material costs are used in the generation of cost estimates.
Users will be able to select from your internal material list, but will use aPriori processes, machines and logic. Cycle times and costs will be generated with aPriori’s process and cost logic.
Level 2 VPE
A Level 2 VPE is a model of a specified process at a facility that leverages the facilities data and aPriori material utilization, process, routing and cost logic.
This deliverable can include the aPriori sub-processes for a selected process module (e.g., Sheet Metal, Bar & Tube, 3-Axis Milling, Sand casting, Die Casting, Injection Molding).
It can include up to 25 unique machines. Activities include:
- VPE Data Gathering: aPriori will facilitate this process and provide the Customer a series of templates to aid the Customer in gathering the required information about the specified facility. aPriori will work with Customer to validate the data. Data will consist of VPE data (facility, machine, material and tooling data) and test part data (that will be used to validate the VPE).
- VPE Construction: aPriori will load the data in the aPriori data structure, and construct a VPE that represents the specific manufacturing facility.
- VPE Testing: After the VPE is built, aPriori and Customer will test the VPE with the Customer’s sample parts to validate that the system is ready for production use.
When to Choose the Level 2 VPE
You want to cost estimates for should-costing, driving cost reductions and cost tracking and do not have a current cost methodology ued to cost parts that you need to match. For example, you want to determine the average cost of buying a part from your supply base.
You want to configure the material list, machines list and machine capabilities in a virtual factory and take advantage of aPriori’s industry-leading cost-models
The aPriori supported sub-processes for the selected process groups are sufficient for your needs.
Level 3 VPE
A Level 3 VPE will provide cost assessments based on a specific facility’s capabilities and costing approach. It delivers a cost assessment that approximates the facilities costing approach by leveraging the customer’s existing data, process logic and cost logic for supported processes.
This deliverable can include the aPriori sub-processes for a selected process module (e.g., Sheet Metal, Bar & Tube, 3-Axis Milling, Sand casting, Die Casting, Injection Molding).
Similar to the description for Level 2 VPEs above, activities associated with the development of a Level 3 VPE include: Data Gathering, Construction and Testing.
When to Choose a Level 3 VPE
You want to use your existing costing approach in aPriori (e.g., use the same approach currently employed at a specific manufacturing facility).
You want to generate the most accurate estimate for cost tracking.
You want to estimate a supplier quote.
Process Mapping & Best Practices Development
The goal of this program is to help map aPriori to a customer’s NPI process, cost reduction or engineering change order processes.
This program helps the super users of a company implement best practices for solution adoption and determine how users can best leverage capabilities to complete their jobs.
The program includes developing a project list where aPriori will initially be applied and plan for how it will be leveraged in the projects.
aPriori will also help through this program the development of an internal support plan and approach to results tracking.
Benefits of this Program
For most of our customers, providing design engineers, VAVE engineers and sourcing team members a cost decision support tool represents a new activity to support their jobs.
aPriori has found that the best results from the tool are achieved when a company maps aPriori to specific decision points / milestones within their processes to establish clear expectations of when and where to use the cost data to drive decisions.
We recommend establishing updated processes and best practices, choosing two to three projects where aPriori will be initially used, and closely tracking the usage and results to refine the process if necessary. In addition, these projects can become the internal case studies of how aPriori can drives value for the organization to support broader usage and results.
Cost Blitz Program
Facilitate 1 to 2 day cost blitz workshops that have as a goal to drive cost out of a very specific set of parts.
In this program, aPriori can be used to evaluate design changes, lower-cost manufacturing and/or sourcing alternatives.
This activity also includes helping the customer prepare for the cost blitz (e.g., project selection, data gathering, data validation etc.), and how to conduct these types of focused cost down programs on their own.
Benefits of this Program
Proven approach to using aPriori to help achieve existing cost goals. Service typically used to support an existing product line cost reduction goal (e.g., take $50 out of the vehicle cost).
Drive immediate savings to generate year one ROI.
Spend Analytics Program
Designed to quickly capture “low-hanging fruit,” the aPriori Spend Analytics program identifies cost-saving opportunities in three primary areas:
- Sourcing Opportunities – aPriori determines which parts are out of the “cost norm” by comparing aPriori’s “should cost” to the current or quoted price. The resulting list of parts become candidates for re-quote or re-bid. Typically, our customers identify hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in savings on parts nearing or currently in production.
- Manufacturing Opportunities – aPriori evaluates current designs to determine if there is a more efficient, lower cost method to manufacture them. aPriori customers realize significant savings by re-routing production parts through a different, less-expensive manufacturing process.
- Re-Design Opportunities – aPriori’s experts identify parts which may not be designed as efficiently as possible and therefore result in higher costs. Parts that appear out of the “cost norm” from analyses such as cost vs. mass, but show little difference between aPriori “should cost” and the price being paid become candidates for re-design.
Benefits of this Program
The company does not have to own licenses of aPriori software.
The aPriori Spend Analytics service is available to drive immediate results and is often used as a short-term, proof of concept that proves aPriori can work on a company’s product line, and is also used as a method to fund an actual purchase of the technology for use on-site.
Pricing is based on number of parts evaluated and overall part complexity