Computer-Aided Process Engineering and transformation of the process design activity in automotive industry

This paper concerns recent changes in process engineering at Renault, due to a new generation of Computer-Aided Process Engineering tools. The use of this kind of tool is motivated, on the one hand, by recent software developments in the Process Engineering field and, on the other, as far as Renault is concerned, by the integration of a production system from Nissan. The latter imposes strong industrial standardization which should result in reduced use of CAPE tools. This situation leads as to discuss the possibility of effective Implementation of the new production system, given that Renault his a development policy strongly oriented towards product Innovation, whereas its Japanese partner Is more oriented towards process standardization. Finally, we propose an approach articulating these new principles of the RPS (Renault Production System), implemented in the detailed design process phase, to a reinforced use of the CAPE in preliminary projects.