Consulting Services

aPriori Consulting Services are designed to accomplish four key objectives:

• Assist customers with the configuration of aPriori Virtual Production Environments
• 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.
• Provide contract services to sourcing and engineering teams for urgent cost reduction projects via the Product Cost Service Bureau.

aPriori can also custom design a consulting program for any unique product costing requirements your company may have.

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.

Product Cost Service Bureau

aPriori's Professional Services Team is available as an outsource contractor to help you with your product costing requirements. aPriori currently offers two distinct services as part of it's Product Cost Service Bureau:

• Outlier Analysis service will help sourcing teams quickly identify which current quotes for direct spend items are significantly overpriced by batch analyzing hundreds or even thousands of parts for should cost and weight-to-cost outliers.
• Should Cost Service Bureau will provide manufacturers with benchmark should costs for new product designs to use in supply chain planning, quote validation, and fact-based price negotiations.

For More Information...