Abstract
This chapter discusses the evolution of product development approaches through time. It reviews the serial or sequential approach that was adopted by the companies under the influence of Industrial Revolution and Fordism. Then the Integrated Product Development (IPD) approach is presented and discussed. It’s worth mentioning that IPD was influenced by the Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) proposal that emerged in the 80s as an evolution of the Ford manufacturing system. IPD keeps the benefits from the former approach (shorten price, shorten timeto- market, augmented quality) while fixes its shortcoming such as reworks, lack of communication amongst technical areas etc. IPD prescribes the structuring of two main pillars, namely, multifunctional or IPD teams and DFX (Design for eXcellence) design tools. After presenting some practical examples of the usage of DFX design tools, this chapter introduces the novel concept of integrative design variables (IDV): there is a target value associate to them; they are affected and affect most of the design decisions and their meaning is easy to grasp. Cost, weight, center of gravity are IDV examples. The IPD concept goes far beyond standard products such as cars, aircrafts and washing machines. At the end of the chapter you’ll find the IPD applied to academic or technical assessment.
Published Version
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