SUBARU accelerates every stage of design and production with CADDi

Responding to the Greatest Transformation in the Automotive Industry in 100 Years: The Urgent Need for Increased Productivity

The automotive industry is currently experiencing a once-in-a-century transformation, driven by the convergence of the CASE (Connected, Autonomous/Automated, Shared, Electric) paradigm: a new mentality towards consumer demands for cars. This period demands not only product innovation but a total revolution of manufacturing processes. In response, SUBARU Corporation has announced a new management strategy, the "One SUBARU" initiative. This strategy emphasizes returning to a flexible and agile organizational culture, closely integrating manufacturing, development, and the supply chain to enhance productivity.

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Within this context, the Cost Innovation Promotion Department was established to address cost-related challenges and formulate strategies across the organization. SUBARU aims to be at the forefront of "Manufacturing Innovation" and "Value Creation" under its new management system. One significant goal in "Manufacturing Innovation" is to halve the number of processes, components, and steps involved in production, starting with the reduction of non-productive work.

The existing system at SUBARU required specific information such as part numbers or design notification numbers to search for drawings. This often necessitated inquiries to the busy design department, with responses taking up to one or two weeks, causing delays in operations. Even within the design department, finding drawings was challenging for those working in different areas or with less experience.

Achieving Hundreds of Hours per Month in Non-Productive Work Reduction by Visualizing and Utilizing Drawing Data Across Departments‍

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SUBARU sought ways to leverage its accumulated drawing assets to reduce non-productive tasks. The company identified CADDi Drawer, a cloud-based manufacturing data AI platform, as a potential solution.

"I have about 20 years of experience in design," says Kei Matsumura, EP Planning, Cost Innovation Promotion Department. “In the design work, searching for drawings took up a significant amount of time. I always felt that if I had more time, I could engage in work that added more value.”

When Matsumura learned about CADDi, it resonated with him, as he knew that it could reduce the tedious searching and unlock valuable additional time to do meaningful work.

Following the introduction of CADDi, SUBARU succeeded in reducing the time spent on drawing searches and inquiries across the company by several hundred hours per month. As use of CADDi expands across departments, these time savings are expected to multiply even further.

Masateru Ido, from the Cost Innovation Promotion Department, also found CADDi revolutionary:

"Many data management solutions focus on merely accumulating information, but CADDi allows us to analyze and utilize the data within the same system.”

Finding cost reduction opportunities requires quick and consistent access to data. For example, you have two similar designs with different costs, and you want to understand where the cost differences come from to ensure cost-effective future designs. Before CADDi, Ito would have to request this sort of information from the design team, often waiting over a week for a response. With CADDi, he could immediately find the information he needed himself.

Promoting "One SUBARU" with Company-Wide Use of CADDi Drawer to Achieve World-Leading Manufacturing‍

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The introduction of CADDi has also contributed to talent development. Previously, new employees needed to be guided to specific drawing numbers to search for the right documents. Now, they can search for drawings by product name or material using keywords, making it easier to find the information they need without involving senior employees and taking them away from valuable tasks.

"Before, if you didn’t know the drawing number, you couldn’t search for a drawing. Even if you wanted to inquire, you’d first need to figure out who to ask. Now, even without the drawing number, you can search by part name. For example, typing 'bumper' will immediately bring up the relevant drawing, making information much more accessible. The amount of information that can be referenced for decision-making has increased dramatically since CADDi Drawer was introduced. Moreover, the cycle of researching and obtaining information by oneself enhances learning, and those using CADDi Drawer are undoubtedly becoming more skilled. The new value creation, evolution in creativity, and the impact on human resource development are immeasurable. Moving forward, I hope CADDi Drawer will further energize communication, serving as a starting point for projects from planning through after-sales, involving the entire supply chain. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone uses it." - Kei Matsumura

The Cost Innovation Promotion Department is now spreading the good word of CADDi across the rest of SUBARU. As a result, the number of proactive users across departments is steadily increasing. Yuji Otani, another member of the Cost Innovation Promotion Department, summed it up:

"When we talk to users, they tell us they can’t imagine working without CADDi anymore.” - Yuji Otani, Cost Innovation

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SUBARU’s "One SUBARU" initiative aims to standardize CADDi Drawer across the company. They envision a future where CADDi Drawer is the first tool employees turn to, not only in design and manufacturing departments but also in subsidiaries, overseas affiliates, and suppliers. Through this comprehensive adoption, SUBARU strives to achieve world-leading manufacturing through revolutionary improvement in data access, insightful analysis, and onboarding.