Product Development Methodology Research Articles

Developing a universal numerical control machine based on an enterprise multilevel framework and its IPPMD reference map and methodology

Nowadays more manufacturing enterprises are requiring the adoption of a structured process to improve their practices in a product development project. Using an enterprise multilevel framework, this paper introduces an integrated product, process and manufacturing system development ( IPPMD) reference map and methodology to create a particular product development model and setting-up based on it a successful concurrent product development process that is independent of the enterprise industrial sector and focuses on specific issues such as: market opportunities, technological constraints, stakeholders’ interrelations and declared goals related to the enterprise strategies. Furthermore, a study case is presented following the IPPMD methodology, which is supported by a reference map as part of the enterprise multilevel framework, and starts with a project scope definition and moves forward to the establishment of a particular product development model for a specific project, in this case: the development of a universal numerical control (UNC) machine.

Knowledge-Based Integration Between Virtual and Physical Prototyping for Identifying Behavioral Constraints of Embedded Real-Time Systems

Rapid prototyping methods are in need of autonomous decision making and analysis during the product development stages so that the ldquotime-to-marketrdquo can be reduced faster than traditional product development methodologies. Therefore, new methods of prototyping are inevitably essential. This paper proposes an approach to utilize the benefits of virtual prototyping (VP) and physical prototyping (PP) methodologies by integrating them into knowledge-based systems (KBSs) by providing seamless connection. This approach is termed autonomous integrated prototyping. The main contribution of this paper is the development of an intelligent system architecture to facilitate and guide the product development autonomously and simultaneously in both VP and PP environments. The seamless connection between VP and PP, along with KBSs, enables the exploration of new behaviors of developing systems and analyzing different behaviors. The architecture is applicable to embedded real-time systems (ERTSs), sensor applications, robotics, and ubiquitous applications where system interaction with the external environment is necessary.

Approximating Cartography to the Customer's Expectations: Applying the “House of Quality” to Map Design

The design of a map and guide for a Spanish natural park has been guided by the application of a product-development methodology known as quality function deployment (QFD). QFD is a tool for bringing the voice of the customer into the product-development process, from conceptual design to manufacturing. In order to develop a high-quality product whose design meets customers’ needs, market research has been developed to discover customers’ expectations and the strengths and weaknesses of competitors’ products. Sixteen main customer expectations (WHATs) were considered in relation to product comfort, content, and portrayal. In order to take into account the aforementioned expectations, 24 technical descriptors (HOWs) were considered. The product was finally specified by all the technical descriptors and their target values (HOW MUCHs). Results of the methodology are expressed using a set of matrices that depicts a house, the “House of Quality,” that concentrates the most important aspects of a product plan. Applying this methodology is an enriching experience, but somewhat difficult and time consuming.

A dominance-based rough set approach to Kansei Engineering in product development

Keen competitions in the global market have led product development to a more knowledge-intensive activity than ever, which requires not only tremendous expert knowledge but also effective analysis of design information. Kansei Engineering as a customer-oriented methodology for product development, often has to analyse imprecise design information inherent with nonlinearity and uncertainty. This paper proposes a systematic approach to Kansei Engineering based on the dominance-based rough set theory. Two novel concepts known as category score and partition quality have been developed and incorporated into the proposed approach. The new approach proposed is able to identify and analyse two types of inconsistencies caused by indiscernibility relations and dominance principles respectively. The result of an illustrative case study shows that the proposed approach can effectively extract Kansei knowledge from imprecise design information, and it can be easily integrated into an expert system for customer-oriented product development.

Knowledge transfer in product development processes: A case study in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of the metal-mechanic sector from São Paulo, Brazil

This paper reports a research that evaluated the product development methodologies used in Brazilian small and medium-sized metal-mechanic enterprises (SMEs), in a specific region of São Paulo. The tool used for collecting the data was a questionnaire, which was developed and applied through interviews conducted by the researchers in 32 companies. The main focus of this paper can be condensed in the synthesis-question “Is only the company responsible for the development?” which was analyzed thoroughly. The results obtained from this analysis were evaluated directly (through the respective percentages of answers) and statistically (through the search of an index which demonstrates if two questions are related). The results point to a degree of maturity in SMEs, which allows product development to be conducted in cooperation networks.

China‐related POM research: a literature review and suggestions for future research

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the stream of China‐related POM research over 25 years (1980‐2005) to determine trends in quantity, topical coverage, research contribution, and data sources.Design/methodology/approachFrom 31 POM‐relevant journals, 144 articles were identified and classified across the four parameters. The data was also segregated into three time periods to facilitate comparison and analysis. Descriptive statistics were then generated to identify trends.FindingsChina‐related POM research has grown rapidly in the past 25 years. The topical coverage has expanded from an initial focus on strategy and policy issues to include quality, technology, and logistics management topics. The focus of articles has matured from a base of descriptive articles to include a growing emphasis on novel applications of POM techniques and new frameworks. Finally, the data sources tapped for the growing body of China‐related POM research has trended toward case studies and survey data.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to examine a body of literature related to one of the world's fastest growing, large economies. Based upon the findings, several areas worthy of future research related to operational risk, environmental issues, supply chain management, cultural issues, product and process development, technology transfer, service operations, and research methodology are identified.

11.1.1 An Approach to a Network Centric Product Development System

AbstractCurrent product development architectures range from vertically stove‐piped organizational structure to dispersed organizational entities working in a collaborative manner. Various product development methodologies have been developed to speed the communication between product team members including co‐location of the development team, email, scheduled telecom and video‐com meetings, Internet Web casting to keep all team members in contact with one another. No company has implemented a network centric product development system that links all users in the product development process together in a single system where real time communication or shared databases are used or exist. This would require a company to change it business model as a network centric product development system requires closer cooperation between and within itself, subcontractors and suppliers. As an example, both Wal‐Mart and Deutsche Morgan Grenfell have incorporated network centric systems into their business model with great success. Can the product development process be used on a network centric system? A Network Centric Product Development System requires a system configured and optimized to speed team communication and share product databases regardless of team member location or organizational affiliation.

Design by functional synonyms and antonyms: A structured creative technique based on functional analysis

The present paper describes a technique based on functional analysis aimed at the development of creative ideas and breakthroughs in product design. Such an approach can also be used as a new structured brainstorming methodology for product development. New technical solutions can be generated and evaluated in the early design/redesign phases, influencing the whole product architecture and helping to identify critical ideas as well as weak points. The hypothesis is that functional description of products can be the foundation of a completely new design method based on lexical analysis and more precisely on the analysis of functional synonyms and antonyms. Functional analysis becomes the driving tool for specific design suggestions and improvements. Being highly structured, the method provides good grounds for problem solving: it guides creativity through codified steps and suggests directions of investigation.

Integrated green and quality function deployment

Using the 'Matrix Approach' of simplified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) together with Enhanced Quality Function Deployment (EQFD), a new product development and improvement methodology termed 'Integrated Green and Quality Function Deployment' (IGQFD) is proposed. The focus on quality and eco-efficiency needs results in greater and more interactive integration of these areas, thus reducing the arbitrary assumptions in a coherent product strategy. The most innovative aspects are essentially the introduction of two new design tools in the product development process. In particular, the lack of effective integration in Green Quality Function Deployment-II (GQFD-II) Zhang et al., (1999) is overcome in IGQFD by means of the 'Green and Quality House' (GQH); this tool allows not only the joint optimisation of requirements in product development but also the continual integration of objectives. The second innovative tool is the 'Concept Selection Matrix' (CSM), which identifies the design alternative that best combines the needs of the stakeholders, the direction in which the company wishes to move. The methodology has been applied in a case study of the design of an engine oil filter.

A Tandem Evolutionary Algorithm for Platform Product Customization

The increasing demand for reduction in time to market has led to new product development methodologies focusing on reuse. Platform product customization emerges as a basic idea for avoiding designing a new product completely from scratch, but reusing a product platform instead. Key dimensions of some modules of the platform can be stretched or shrunk while modules themselves can be swapped to formulate multiple product variants in a family according to specific customer requirements. This paper formulates such a problem of platform product customization as an optimization problem consistent with the manufacturer’s goal in the design of product variant(s) while satisfying customer requirements and design constraints. Optimal customization takes place at the levels of product structure and module parameters. A tandem evolutionary algorithm is proposed for identifying the optimal structural composition and the optimal parameters of the corresponding structure. The encoding schemes and genetic operators for structure and parameter optimization are designed, respectively. A case study of gantry crane customization is given to illustrate how the proposed evolutionary customization design method is used. The effectiveness of the method is also evaluated through a series of sensitivity analyses.

A structured method for analysing product specification in product planning for machine tools

In the product planning procedure of a machine tool, mature designers consider various kinds of customers’ requirements, while simultaneously conducting the necessary information processing, so as to finally determine the most suitable product specifications. In order to systematize this procedure, it is necessary and indispensable to clarify the decision-making process as well as knowledge of a mature designer in detail, and to analyse design information used in the product planning. In this study, to establish a product development methodology for machine tools, characteristics of design information related to the product specification have been analysed using a simple mathematical method. Actual design information used in this analysis is obtained from focused interviews and questionnaire investigations with mature designers within the leading machine tool manufacturers in Japan. Furthermore, the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method have been verified using the results of these investigations.

1208 大阪大学大学院工学研究科PBL型設計教育科目における宇宙システム設計プロジェクト(OS17 設計教育と人材開発,未来社会を支えるものづくりとひとづくり(設計・システムから))

This paper is concerned with a graduate course on product design and development methodology under the Project-Based Learning (PBL) system conducted in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University. The course, called Product Design, is composed of a series of lectures on design-for-X methodologies and projects on product design problems sponsored by industrial partners. In this paper, we first give a general description about Product Design such as its position within the whole curriculum and course schedule. Next, we present the content and progress of our project which is related to space system design undertaken in this course. Finally, we discuss about our experience gained through this unique course and its effectiveness from the perspective of graduate students.

Accelerating and optimizing global product launches: Using enterprise collaboration technologies to aid project management and market development process

So they tell you that you need to get all of the global project team “on board” as soon as possible knowing that collaboration is critical to the success of the project. But the team is scattered around the globe and is responsible for generating a mountain of documentation, assigned a long list of activities and tasks and must deliver the new product to market on time and on budget. The focus of this paper is the effective use of a software tool to encourage project team collaboration. It discusses the need for a solid new product development methodology and demonstrates the ability to see a fairly quick return on investment (ROI) while assisting in the overall project success.

8.3.3 Renovate WBS Planning with Technology Roadmap for New Product Development

AbstractThe new product development (NPD) project has been considered a challenging task in the management practice. In project planning, the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is one of the fundamental tools, but the terms “product” and “activity” are frequently confused and results in inefficiency in the support of project management tasks. By clarifying the nature of project planning and execution, an integrated method for WBS planning has been developed in this research. It includes the product‐oriented WBS (P‐WBS), the activity‐oriented WBS (A‐WBS), and the contract‐out WBS (C‐WBS). The technology roadmap is used to transform the P‐WBS into the A‐WBS. Using the proposed integrated WBS planning method as the basis, an integrated methodology for new product development has been given to align strategic management to project management. Finally, the successful application of this methodology to develop a project for the re‐host of a full scope training simulator of a nuclear power plant in Taiwan is illustrated.

2116 設計方法論の展開と教育における産学連携(OS6 製品開発と設計)

This paper reports the backgrounds, contents, and some experiences in establishing a graduate course on product design and development methodology at Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University. While product design and development are the key factors for success in manufacturing industry, the methodologies for enhancing their performance are not well known or utilized systematically among Japanese companies. On the other hand, engineering education at universities is now under the pressure for renovation, and a part of requirements focuses on integration of design or synthesis activities into education systems by means of the project-based learning paradigm. Under these factors, our department initiates a new graduate design course in the first semester of 2005. The course is composed of a series of lectures on design-for-X methodologies and projects on product design problems sponsored by industrial partners. Since this course has just started, it is not possible to evaluate its outcomes, but this paper reports the motivations, its position within the whole curriculum, course schedule, responses from manufacturing industry, issues on intellectual properties, etc.

Vehicle and powertrain modelling in the hole development process

The rapidly growing complexity and the highly interdisciplinary structure of the vehicle and its powertrain are the two major drivers for an increasingly simulation-centric development process. Therefore, simulation models of the vehicle and all its components are used not only during the very early phases but they rather play central roles throughout the whole development process. The following article shows how AVL List GmbH is implementing simulation models and tools and how it introduces effective methodologies for virtual product development. A dual clutch transmission serves as an example to show how the development process can be supported, accelerated and verified from the concept phase to SOP by simulation.

Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Tooling Applied in Product Development of Ceramic Components

In Portugal, product development in decorative ceramic industry is usually done using traditional methodologies. In most of the cases use manual modelling, that is very slow, highly inaccurate and demands skilled persons, which are difficult to find and too much time consuming to train. These methodologies, highly misadjusted to the new marketing demands, tend to decrease companies competitiveness. This paper explains some of the work that has been done at INEGI, seeking the introduction of new methodologies for product development of decorative ceramic components, using CAD 3D design or engineering tools. Traditionally in the Portuguese ceramic industry, only few products are developed using CAD 3D tools. Considering that CAD 3D files are used since the beginning of the project, it is possible to accelerate the optimization of the geometry, producing, by different rapid prototyping technologies, solid models, like the ones obtained with SLA, SLS and LOM processes. However, more important than this first stage, is the prototype production tools based on LOM rapid prototyping models, which offer important time and money savings. On future mass production, the prototype files used for RP tools generation, can also be used in a more accurate and high quality CNC tools production.

Participatory methodologies and the product development process: the experience of Mixtec craftswomen in Mexico

This paper presents a product development methodology for use with indigenous rural workers. It is based on the revival of cultural and social values, with a focus on the conservation of natural resources. Illustrated by the case of Mixtec craftswomen in Mexico, this paper shows how poor groups can improve their living conditions through innovation and the diversification of their products. The process combines techniques of product development based on marketing, with a participatory focus and continuous improvement, in order to develop a unique and high‐quality product that can be more successfully marketed. The craftswomen are now able to plan their production and can evaluate and commercialise their products.

Teaching Corporate Culture – an Engineer's Survival Guide

AbstractThe transition from new engineering graduate to successful member of corporate America is a difficult journey. Often the skills required are not part of a student's traditional undergraduate education. At Cal Poly, we have integrated a new course into our existing Senior Project curriculum which enables students to develop the professional skills necessary to become an effective member of any corporation. Key skills such as communication, problem solving and project management are practiced through active learning techniques. These as well as other topics studied are required for ABET certification.The new course investigates the mission and values that are at the foundation of any corporation's culture. It challenges students to evaluate their own personal leadership potential. Organization structures along with the roles and responsibilities of Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance and Executive management are studied along with the interdisciplinary nature of engineering and technology. The rigors and metrics of a typical product development methodology are explored along with the concepts of program management and the protection of intellectual property. Business models are studied which enable students to evaluate the impact engineering can have on a company's financial success. Moreover, the students learn that they are members of a global community with environmental and social responsibilities. The impact of technology on society can be profound and students are challenged to consider difficult ethical issues as well as exciting career opportunities.

Product Development Methodology for Machine Tools (A Framework for Evaluating Core Competance in Machine Tools Manufacturer)

The strategic importance of new product development is steadily increasing and machine tools manufacturers require effective new product development methodology to achieve sustainable competitive advantages. New product development strategy is an essential element of the overall corporate strategy and especially the decision of selecting optimal resource has significant effects on customers' satisfaction and product quality. However, most of the current available methodologies remain limited performance. In this study, the key capabilities of some machine tools manufacture have been summarized based on the results of the interview investigations with top managements in Japanese machine tools manufactures. Furthermore, a structured method for identifying and evaluating the core competence in machine tools manufacturers can be proposed using pairwise comparison matrices. By using the proposed method, the core competence in an objective machine tools manufacturer can be evaluated from both qualitative and quantitative evaluations.