Concurrent Engineering Principles Research Articles

Concurrent engineering and enterprise modelling

Summarizes the most important principles of concurrent engineering [CE] and computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]. Discusses system data flow and IDEFo diagrams used as graphical descriptions of the engineering process. Introduces a software package called CIMpgr. Concludes that CIM addresses the total information requirements and management of a company from the development of a business plan through to the shipment of a product and the follow‐up support.

Concurrent engineering in a high variety label printing environment

Here an attempt is made to use the principles of concurrent engineering in high variety label printing industry. The existing approach to label printing in the company is basically what is known as serial engineering approach. This approach leads to serious problems of high levels of work-in-process and increased requirements of cutter capacity. We attempt to make a case for the application of concurrent engineering by introducing the multifunctional team concept at the design stage which helps reduce WIP inventory as well as the cutting capacity requirements. For this purpose we develop a heuristic algorithm. The concurrent engineering approach and the algorithm are illustrated by an example.

Debunking the myth: Concurrent engineering for composites as a reality and not a management philosophy

Stimulated by increasing competition over the past decade, industries have begun to adopt new management and operational styles by rethinking their approach to product development and manufacturing. Strategic planning and product cycle time have assumed great importance, with the resultant choices determining key success factors, dictating program continuation, and shaping expectations for growth. Yet these plans, although based on the clearest strategic thinking and economic indicators, are more often than not thwarted by functional conflict. The use of multi–functional teams and approaches termed concurrent engineering or simultaneous engineering are fast becoming the norm, in many cases with no clear understanding of what they entail beyond mere management strategies. The application of the principles of concurrent engineering is essential to the successful development of composites and their structures. The adoption of an approach that integrates existing knowledge in the areas of processing, materials science, nondestructive evaluation, mechanics, and engineering design is the key to resolving the coupling among the decision areas of materials, configuration, and processes. This entails more than mere management philosophies and changes in paradigms. In this paper, we develop the idea of concurrent engineering being intrinsic to composites development and present examples to show its use in three areas: nondestructive evaluation of composites, joining of composites, and resin transfer moulding. It stresses that only through concurrent engineering – as the integration of skills and knowledge in mechanics, processing, fabrication, and testing – can we develop a true 'materials–by–design' approach and avail ourselves of the full advantages of composites.

Concurrent engineering of 3-D textile preforms for composites

Three–dimensional textile preforms are finding wide applications in the composites engineering community. Yet, while they offer some significant mechanical advantages over traditional laminated preforms, there is evidence that principles of concurrent engineering have not been implemented during the development of some of the technologies. This paper addresses some of the attributes and deficiencies of various 3–D technologies and suggests where implementation of concurrent engineering principles might have been helpful during the design development process.

Getting started: Concurrent engineering for a medium-sized manufacturer

Abstract Concurrent engineering replaces the traditional sequential new product development process with one where tasks proceed in parallel whenever possible and where there is early consideration of all aspects of a product's lifecycle. Concurrent engineering shortens new product lead times, improves quality, and reduces manufacturing costs. The first step in implementing concurrent engineering requires developing an appropriate company structure and culture to support cooperation among departments, including design, manufacturing, marketing, purchasing departments, and so on. The second step is developing effective computer communication and analysis tools to yield in-depth benefits. This case study describes our efforts to improve new product development at a medium-sized cable manufacturer. Few concurrent engineering principles were currently being used. But our efforts with 14 individuals on the company's relatively simple product resulted in implementation of the first steps of concurrent engineering within three months. Team members from various departments discussed each new product using a checklist for early input and consideration of details, a new method for scheduling trial runs was implemented, and a system was built to track individual projects and monitor the process itself, identifying causes for delay. Our early experiences lead us to conclude that concurrent engineering can benefit many large and small companies, those who are industry leaders and followers and those with highly technical, complex products or relatively simple products.

The Development of Virtual Concurrent Engineering and its Application to Design for Producibility

It is well known that so-called concurrent engineering is a desirable alternative to the largely sequential methods which tend to dominate most product-development methods However, the proper implementation of a concurrent engineering method is still relatively rare, due in part to unreliable guesswork, poor knowledge structuring and utilization, and the lack of integrated, global decision making. Thus, to remedy the current shortcomings, we propose an initial, straightforward theory for product development, which is based on properly-defined concurrent engineering principles. After establishing the overall goal for product development, we formulate an objective that a product- development method must meet. This objective then leads to three fundamental criteria, which basically govern where concurrent engineering must be implemented, how consistent communication between different domains must be carried out, and how to structure and network the vast amount of expert knowledge in an effective, feasible manner The product-development objective and the three criteria guide the establishment of a feasible computer-based implementation of concurrent engineering, called virtual concurrent engineering (VCE) The effectiveness of VCE is demonstrated by applying it to refine a method, called design for producibility (DFP), that integrates the design and manufacturing stages of product development. Two elements that are crucial to the success of DFP are the producibility cost function network, and the software package AUTOPROD (Automated Producibility) The refined DFP method has been successfully applied to concurrent product and process design in three domains: stamping, forming, and machining

Complexity reduction during interruption analysis in a flexible manufacturing system using knowledge-based on-line simulation

To meet the competitive demands of modern manufacturing, it is necessary to reduce design times and enrich decision making by integrating process planning into the design activity using Concurrent Engineering principles. Although this is traditionally done through the interaction between designers and process planners, it is perhaps more desirable for a CAD system to have the functionality necessary to automatically advise the designer of the shop floor implications of design decisions. Cutting tool selection is an essential thread linking feature-based design of machined parts to process planning. Thus, the implementation of tooling considerations into design is an important requirement for an integrated CAD/CAPP system. This paper defines an architecture to enable the vertical integration of tooling considerations from early design to process planning and scheduling. The architecture is based on a five-level tool selection procedure which is mapped to a time-phased aggregate, management and detailed process planning framework. This paper draws on literature and the results of an industrial survey to identify the tooling methods suitable for integration within a CAD system and categorises them into the five levels of tool selection. The functions are then placed on a time-dependent framework that covers the progression of a product from design to process planning. The new functionality is being implemented as an object-oriented application called VITool, which is being developed so that it can be fully integrated within an existing CAD system.

An integrated project planning environment

The life-cycle of complex engineering products involves many disciplines, each of which is responsible for a stage, or phase, in the design-to-production process. Concurrent engineering principles are capable of bringing together the traditionally disparate groups involved. However, in order to facilitate the essential sharing of product and process information, there is a need to provide a common environment capable of supporting the various requirements of designers, production workers and managers while ensuring that communication and appropriate support is maintained. This paper describes model-based planning research in the construction industry. At the heart of the system are a central generic computer model of a certain type of construction and a knowledge-based system able to apply engineering knowledge in the constraint satisfaction process, leading to a planned sequence of construction activities. The environment comprises the central representation and reasoning mechanism, a symbolic computer-aided design facility, and a commercial project planning and management system. The paper details our experiences in developing and applying the environment in the planning of ‘real-life’ construction projects.

Concurrent Engineering

The term Concurrent Engineering, also called Simultaneous Engineering, was used the first time in the US in 1989. It is primarily an expression for the ambition to increase the competitiveness by decreasing the lead-time and still improving quality and cost. The main methodology is to integrate the product development and the development of the design- and production processes. In this way Concurrent Engineering is a label for a development era of the manufacturing technology. To be successful Concurrent Engineering must be based on relevant theories, use efficient tools and be lead by dedicated management. Education and the ability for team work is essential for the success. Many companies are reporting good results from their use of Concurrent Engineering principles. More efficient software tools and manufacturing systems principles are being developed in research projects.

Concurrent engineering: The manufacturing philosophy for the 90's

Concurrent Engineering (CE) has recently been recognized as a more integrated approach to develope high quality products and bringing them to highly competitive global market at lower price and in significantly less time. In the past few years, an increasing effort has been made to understand and implement the principles of CE. However, there has been insufficient attempt to document these principles systematically. This paper examines the subject of CE and the ongoing studies which emphasize its various functions. A summary is presented and the projection of possible future research is discussed.