Product Design Parameters Research Articles

Project‐management of diversified product design parameters for concurrent engineering

It is a clear trend for the product development process to move towards concurrent engineering (CE), which is an essential approach for developing high quality products of lower cost and in significantly shorter time for the competitive global market. In the product development process, effective communication and coordination between each functional department are crucial to a successful implementation of CE. In order to meet the challenges in innovative markets, it is necessary to consolidate the product design parameters which integrate all design aspects with perspectives of related functional departments for all production resources in the company. In light of the above concerns, this work presents a methodology for diversified product design parameters which are function‐based and project‐oriented for an implementation of the CE technology. While developing product design parameters, cross‐functional problems attributed to the conflicts should be resolved by the project‐management with heavyweight team structure in the organization. The proposed diversified product design parameters form the basis of parallelization, standardization and integration for the CE implementation.

An options view of robot performance parameters in a dynamic environment

A potential robot user is faced with a large number of robots to select from. The selection decision is complex because robot performance is specified by a large number of time-varying parameters. Product design parameters are changing over time, robot technology is improving, and demand is uncertain. Existing selection models do not take into account trends in product design such as the tightening of product tolerances, and trends in robot technology such as improvements in repeatability. We propose using an options model for robot selection, which in turn gives the decision-maker the option of replacing the selected robot with a better one during the life of products with uncertain demand. This replacement option is important when the pace of technological improvement is fast. The model takes into account the tightening of product tolerances and the interaction of these tolerances with robot specifications to determine product quality. The model is illustrated using an actual set of robots and the options model is shown to result in a different selection from the traditional net present value criteria advocated in previous work.

INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN PRE-LAYOUT DESIGN OPTIMIZATION FOR PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS

Product design for environment (DfE) has been an area of emerging interest for electronics manufacturers in recent years. An important aspect of DfE is the linkage of manufacturing process waste emissions and energy consumption with parameters in product design. In this paper, a linkage is developed between the process wastes generated in printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and board specifications. A set of process models for estimating waste mass quantities is combined with a multi-criteria health hazard evaluation scheme. A waste minimization formulation is presented for pre-layout board analysis. The emphasis of this formulation is on tiling of the boards on a panel and its impact on the waste stream generation, but a special feature of the formulation is that it respects the functional requirements for the board design by incorporating them as constraints of the waste optimization problem. A PCB design for a multi-layer board is presented to show the implementation of the procedure.

Integrated product and process design through feedback of manufacturing experience

Computer Integrated Manufacturing tools are used extensively in the electronics industry, yet in this industry manufacturing experience impacts design rules which lie outside the CIM system. Typically, changes or additions to design rules, when they result from manufacturing experience, are determined in an ad hoc way by committee. In this paper we propose a way to capture quantitative relationships between product defects during manufacturing and the product and process design parameters. We describe the integration of logistic regression models with a relational database that permits new design rules to be created in a formal prescribed way, and that takes advantage of the increasing availability of complete part design and processing histories. The method and data structures are illustrated using a solder bridging problem.

Interdepartmental Interdependence and Coordination: The Case of the Design/Manufacturing Interface

In contrast with the relative stability of interdepartmental coordination mechanisms in ongoing operations, coordination tasks and mechanisms typically change over the course of the product development project’s life cycle. This article presents a taxonomy of these project coordination mechanisms. The taxonomy is based on an inductive analysis of development projects in nine printed circuit board operations and four aircraft hydraulic tubing operations. It distinguishes four modes of interdepartmental interaction—standards, schedules, mutual adaptation and teams (as in Thompson [Thompson, J. D. 1967. Organizations in Action. McGraw-Hill, New York.] and Van de Ven et al. [Van de Ven, A. H., A. L. Delbecq, R. Koenig, Jr. 1976. Determinants of coordination modes within organizations. Amer. Sociological Rev. 41322–338.])—in each of three temporal phases: pre-project, product and process design, and manufacturing. Each of the resulting twelve matrix cells represents a distinct coordination mechanism. Since the objective of coordinating design and manufacturing departments is to ensure an acceptable fit between product design and manufacturing process parameters, the most efficient interdepartmental coordination mechanism is that which is able to deal with the uncertainty of this product/process fit at least cost to the organization. Extending Perrow’s (Perrow, C. 1967. A framework for the comparative analysis of organizations. Amer. Sociological Rev. 32 194–208.) analysis of the two dimensions of uncertainty to the case of product/process fit, the choice of interaction mode within each project phase is hypothesized to depend on the novelty of the product/process fit problem, and the relative importance of coordination effort across the three project phases is hypothesized to depend on the analyzability of the product/process fit problem.

USE OF DESIRABILITY FUNCTIONS TO DETERMINE OPERATING WINDOWS FOR NEW PRODUCT DESIGNS

A method is introduced to determine product design parameters using statistical techniques like design of experiments with multiresponse and simultaneous optimization of these responses with desirability functions. A desirable product design incorporate..

The Utilization of Hypermedia-Based Information Systems for Developing Recyclable Products and for Disassembly Planning

When products are considered in the context of their overall life-cycle, there is an increased requirement for information on the various life-phases involved. Information on disposal options determines the product design concept, and conversely the product design parameters affect the degree of rationalization achievable in disassembly. The resultant need to provide ecologically relevant product data both for development engineers and for disassembly planners in the context of the specific requirements concerned entails the necessity of using computer-aided information systems. This paper presents an information concept of this kind for supporting development engineers in implementing recyclable product designs, plus a procedure for planning and supporting manual disassembly. In methodological terms, systematized approaches are employed for design evaluation and procedures for qualification-oriented disassembly planning. Initial software developments are indicated for practical applications based on Hypermedia.

Tolerance analysis and synthesis for cam mechanisms

Tolerance is one of the most important parameters in product and process design, so tolerancing plays a key role in design and manufacturing. Tolerance synthesis is in a period of extensive study due both to increased demands for quality products and to increasing automation of machining and assembly. Optimum tolerance design and synthesis ensures good quality product at low cost. This paper presents an analytical methodology for tolerance analysis and synthesis for a disk cam-translating follower system. Both dimensional ( size) and geometric tolerances ( position and profile ) on the components are considered. Tolerance analysis is performed on individual tolerances as well as on total tolerance accumulation. With the lowest manufacturing cost as its objective function a nonlinear optimization model is formulated for tolerance synthesis and solved by a sequential quadratic programming ( SQP) algorithm. An example is provided to illustrate the optimization model and solution procedure.

Performance Measures Independent of Adjustment: An Explanation and Extension of Taguchi's Signal-to-Noise Ratios

Parameter design is a method, popularized by Japanese quality expert G. Taguchi, for designing products and manufacturing processes that are robust to uncontrollable variations. In parameter design, Taguchi's stated objective is to find the settings of product or process design parameters that minimize average quadratic loss—that is, the average squared deviation of the response from its target value. Yet, in practice, to choose the settings of design parameters he maximizes a set of measures called signal-to-noise ratios. In general, he gives no connection between these two optimization problems. In this article, we show that for certain underlying models for the product or process response maximization of the signal-to-noise ratio leads to minimization of average quadratic loss. The signal-to-noise ratios take advantage of the existence of special design parameters called adjustment parameters. When these parameters exist, use of the signal-to-noise ratio allows the parameter design optimization procedure to be conveniently decomposed into two smaller optimization steps, the first being maximization of the signal-to-noise ratio. We show, however, that under different models (or loss functions) other performance measures give convenient two-step procedures, but the signal-to-noise ratios do not.

Product Reliability through Integrated Packaging and Handling

Space Scientists and Engineers are under continuing pressure to establish increasingly rigid performance parameters in product design. The ever changing technical state of the art of space products dictates companion changes in the state of the art of supporting technical endeavors such as industrial engineering. One vital area in which industrial engineering must react in close concert with technical changes is material handling and packaging engineering. Material handling and packaging engineers must devise techniques, devices and systems to protect product performance parameters. In many instances, elements of the space industry have used a piecemeal approach to solve protective packaging and handling problems - with piecemeal results. A practical concept is needed to enable application of optimum industrial engineering to problems related to protection of space product reliability. This concept embraces recognition that space product manufacturers are part of a vast invention complex - and that this complex, in turn, is nothing more or less than an involved material flow. Accordingly, to enhance chances of space products to reliably perform; thoroughly integrated, cradle-to-grave protective packaging and handling systems and programs must be devised to cover every segment of the material flow - from raw materials to consumption. The manner of adoption of this concept by Lockheed's Missiles and Space Company and its efforts to bring to fruition practical results is presented.