Analysis and Improvement of Assembly Instructions Management: A Production Engineering Study at Pagani Automobili S.p.A.

This thesis investigates the management of Assembly Instructions within a complex automotive manufacturing environment and proposes a structured approach aimed at improving the maturity and reliability of production documentation. The study was conducted during a 720-hour curricular internship at Pagani Automobili S.p.A., an Italian manufacturer of high-performance hypercars characterized by low production volumes, high levels of customization and advanced engineering solutions. In such a context, the correct translation of design information into manufacturing operations represents a critical aspect for ensuring production stability and maintaining the quality standards required for highly specialized vehicles. The work begins with an analysis of the current state of Assembly Instructions management (AS-IS), examining how instructions are created, approved, distributed and used within the production environment. Particular attention is devoted to the role of technical documentation as an interface between design and production, supporting operators during vehicle assembly and contributing to the correct execution of installation activities. The analysis also considers the structure of the documentation, the revision process and the existing tools used to monitor the status of Assembly Instructions. Building on this assessment, the thesis proposes an improvement framework aimed at engineering the documentation flow within the vehicle development process. The proposed approach introduces a gate-based model designed to progressively increase the maturity of Assembly Instructions throughout the different development phases, with the objective of reaching the start of customer production with validated and coherent documentation. To monitor this evolution, a system of measurable indicators is introduced. Two Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are defined. The first KPI measures documentation significance, representing the maturity of the Assembly Instructions and evaluating their effectiveness in supporting assembly activities. The second KPI measures documentation availability, defined as the percentage of Assembly Instructions formally released and accessible for production. In addition, a Key Activity Indicator (KAI) is introduced to monitor the responsiveness of the documentation process through the release lead time, defined as the number of days required to release updated instructions following identified modifications. The methodology is applied within the development environment of the Huayra R Evo Roadster, a track-focused pre-series, characterized by high engineering complexity. Within this context, monitoring activities and coordination between technical departments were introduced to improve documentation visibility and strengthen the alignment between design and production. The results show how a more structured approach to Assembly Instructions management can improve process transparency, reduce reactive documentation updates and support a more stable transition from development to production. Overall, the study highlights how technical documentation can become a strategic element within production engineering for supporting complex and highly customized manufacturing systems such as those adopted by Pagani Automobili S.p.A.