Set-based Concurrent Engineering Research Articles

Understanding collaboration in sub-structured teams through a computational model of set-based concurrent engineering

Coordinating the collaboration within sub-structured teams created for large engineering projects presents several challenges. Set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE), by maintaining several candidate designs for each subproblem throughout the process, may alter the best ways to coordinate subteams in these projects, compared to point-based concurrent engineering (PBCE) processes in which only one candidate design is maintained for each subproblem. Previous studies have introduced SBCE to industry with positive results and have corroborated its stated benefits through computational study, but researchers have yet to systematically study how SBCE interacts with sub-structured teams. This work augments a multi-agent model developed to simulate and study SBCE, the Point/Set-Organized Research Teams (PSORT) platform, to model sub-structured teams with different forms of intra-subteam collaboration, including joint iteration, design sharing, or no collaboration at all. Design projects are then simulated using these collaboration methods with PBCE and SBCE conditions to investigate how SBCE affects team performance under different modes of intra-subteam collaboration. These studies find that SBCE enables nominal subteams to combine the efforts of multiple designers on individual subproblems with minimal losses, while high levels of collaboration during development are found to assist designers in overcoming design barriers, which SBCE facilitates by maintaining many design options.

Delimiting design: expanding the limits of concurrency through set-based concurrent engineering

Engineering design problems are often decomposed and distributed among design teams so that their components may be developed concurrently in a project. Set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE) details a development process that reduces the need for communication and rework, often considered limiting factors to concurrency, by maintaining many candidate designs for each subproblem throughout the design process. This ensures that candidates have some compatible options to combine with as the project progresses rather than needing constant coordination and adaptation. Previous studies of SBCE found positive results in industry and corroborated its claimed benefits with computational models but have yet to study how it interacts with problem decomposition. This work uses the Point/Set-Organised Research Teams (PSORT) platform, a computational model developed to simulate and study SBCE, to investigate how SBCE interacts with a problem decomposed to different degrees to understand its impact on the limits of concurrency. Problem decompositions are also formulated with varying amounts of coupling to further test the interactions of SBCE and concurrency in different situations. Simulations with PSORT find that SBCE becomes more beneficial as problem decomposition increases, suggesting that SBCE expands the limits of concurrency; however small teams may prefer not to use SBCE.

Model-based trade-off curves to support the set-based concurrent engineering of highly innovative projects

The literature acknowledges the advantages of Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE), but there is a lack of models for its adoption and documented cases of its implementation, mostly on products with consolidated technology, which raises the possibility of expanding SBCE for highly innovative products. These projects often have extensive resource limitations, leading to computational tools and mathematical modelling as fundamental sources of information. This paper proposes a method for model-based Trade-off Curves (ToC) generation to support SBCE. We adopted it to develop a magnetic air conditioner. The use of model-based ToC enabled the narrowing of the design space and monitoring of the design parameters and performance metrics and enabled SBCE adoption in the design process. The main contributions of this research are presenting the state-of-the-art in ToC generation and application, proposing the model, and demonstrating SBCE in highly innovative projects, while its importance lies in the opportunity to further disseminate SBCE to different development environments.

Exploring the impact of set-based concurrent engineering through multi-agent system simulation

Abstract Set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE), a process that develops sets of many design candidates for each subproblem throughout a design project, proposes several benefits compared to point-based processes, where only one design candidate for each subproblem is chosen for further development. These benefits include reduced rework, improved design quality, and retention of knowledge to use in future projects. Previous studies that introduce SBCE in practice achieved success and had very positive future outlooks, but SBCE encounters opposition because its core procedures appear wasteful as designers must divide their time among many designs throughout the process, most of which are ultimately not used. The impacts of these procedures can be explored in detail through open-source computational tools, but currently few exist to do this. This work introduces the Point/Set-Organized Research Teams (PSORT) modeling platform to simulate and analyze a set-based design process. The approach is used to verify statements made about SBCE and investigate its effects on project quality. Such an SBCE platform enables process exploration without needing to commit many projects and resources to any given design.

Data-Driven Set Based Concurrent Engineering Method for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In the development of multi-disciplinary systems, many experts in different discipline fields need to collaborate with each other to identify a feasible design where all multidisciplinary constraints are satisfied. This paper proposes a novel data-driven set-based concurrent engineering method for multidisciplinary design optimization problems by using machine learning techniques. The proposed set-based concurrent engineering method has two advantages in the concurrent engineering process. The first advantage is the decoupling ability of multidisciplinary design optimization problems. By introducing the probabilistic representation of multidisciplinary constraint functions, feasible regions of each discipline sub-problem can be decoupled by the rule of product. The second advantage is an efficient concurrent study to explore feasible regions. A batch sampling strategy is introduced to find feasible regions based on Bayesian Active Learning (BAL). In the batch BAL, Gaussian Process models of each multi-disciplinary constraint are trained. Based on the posterior distributions of trained Gaussian Process models, an acquisition functions that combine Probability of Feasibility and Entropy Search are evaluated. In order to generate new sampling points in and around feasible regions, optimization problems to maximize the acquisition function are solved by assuming that the constraint function is Lipschitz continuous. To show the effectiveness of the proposed method, a practical numerical example of a multi-disciplinary vehicle design problem is demonstrated.</div></div>

Set-Based Concurrent Engineering Process Model and Systematic Application on an Electronic Card Reader

Set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE), also known as set-based design, is a state-of-the-art approach to the new product development process. SBCE, simply, provides an environment where designers explore a wide range of alternative solutions in the early stages of product development. After gaining knowledge, solutions are narrowed down until the optimal solution is ensured. Such an environment saves considerable amount of cost and time while reaching innovation and high quality in the products. However, industrial practitioners seek a clear and systematic application throughout an SBCE process. This paper demonstrates a well-structured SBCE process model and its step-by-step application on a product called “electronic card reader”. Real data is used in the industrial case study. Results showed the benefits of applying SBCE in both the product, and the process of new product development.

The Effect of Developing the Lean Product on the Lean Supply Chain: A Field Study for the Light Industries Company

The Industrial companies are facing many challenges like shortening the product lifecycle, reducing production costs, responding to the customers' various needs, the markets' globalization, the competition's increase and swift developments in the environment of the business. These challenges forced the industrial companies to look for lean practices and tools to develop their products leading to create a lean supply chain that eliminates the waste of time, the cost, and inventory along with the supply chain. The research problem was formulated by introducing several questions on the impact of developing the practices and tools of the lean product for the lean supply chain, whereas the research hypotheses were subjected to several tests to ensure their validity. Moreover, a questionnaire included (48) questions was used as a main tool of collecting the necessary data about the sample in order to achieve the objectives of the research. The Light Industries Company was chosen as a sample of applying the research, and the statistical program (STATA- MP V15.1) was used to analyze the data. One of the important results which the research was concluded is that when the dimensions of the variable of developing the lean product (the value stream mapping and set-based concurrent engineering, the visual management and quality improvement, the computer-aided design and modular design) are separated and gathered again, they will have a significant effect on the lean supply chain's variable (the suppliers and procurement, the over production and warehousing, the transportation and customer).

Physics-based trade-off curves to develop a control access product in set-based concurrent engineering environment

PurposeThis paper aims to present a process to generate physics-based trade-off curves (ToCs) to facilitate lean product development processes by enabling two key activities of set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE) process model that are comparing alternative design solutions and narrowing down the design set. The developed process of generating physics-based ToCs has been demonstrated via an industrial case study which is a research project.Design/methodology/approachThe adapted research approach for this paper consists of three phases: a review of the related literature, developing the process of generating physics-based ToCs in the concept of lean product development, implementing the developed process in an industrial case study for validation through the SBCE process model.FindingsFindings of this application showed that physics-based ToC is an effective tool to enable SBCE activities, as well as to save time and provide the required knowledge environment for the designers to support their decision-making.Practical implicationsAuthors expect that this paper will guide companies, which are implementing SBCE processes throughout their lean product development journey. Physics-based ToCs will facilitate accurate decision-making in comparing and narrowing down the design-set through the provision of the right knowledge environment.Originality/valueSBCE is a useful approach to develop a new product. It is essential to provide the right knowledge environment in a quick and visual manner which has been addressed by demonstrating physics knowledge in ToCs. Therefore, a systematic process has been developed and presented in this paper. The research found that physics-based ToCs could help to identify different physics characteristics of the product in the form of design parameters and visualise in a single graph for all stakeholders to understand without a need for an extensive engineering background and for designers to make a decision faster.

Lean Product and Process Development and Set-Based Concurrent Engineering in the Dining Industry: the experience of an American-Asian fusion restaurant

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications of a culinary innovation process when adopting manufacturing industry concepts such as LPPD: Lean Product and Process Development. The action research structured in five steps (semi-structured interviews, process mapping, training, and implementation of a new process, process observation, and compilation/feedback of results) allowed the introduction of the LPPD in the culinary innovation process. Results showed that despite the innovation process of a restaurant being based on tacit knowledge, concepts from the manufacturing innovation process could be adopted. Findings can contribute to the multidisciplinary studies involving innovation, the hospitality industry, and the action research application on operations management.

Applying Trade-off Curve to Support Set-Based Design application at an Aerospace Company

Companies compete greatly with each other today, so they need to focus on innovation to develop their products and make them competitive. Lean product development is the ideal way to develop product, foster innovation, maximize value, and reduce time. Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) is an approved lean product improvement mechanism that builds on the creation of a number of alternative designs at the subsystem level. These designs are simultaneously improved and tested, and the weaker choices are removed gradually until the optimum solution is reached finally. SBCE implementations have been extensively performed in the automotive industry and there are a few case studies in the aerospace industry. This research describe the use of trade-off curve as a lean tool to support SBCE process model in CONGA project, using NASA simulation software version 1.7c and CONGA demonstration program (DEMO program) to help designers and engineers to extract the design solution where it exists according to the customer requirement and to extract alternative nearest solutions from the previous project that meet customer requirement to achieve low noise engine at an aerospace company and also extract the infeasible region where the designers cannot make any prototype in this region before manufacturing process begin, that will lead to reducing rework, time and cost.

Dynamic platform modeling for concurrent product-production reconfiguration

To meet a wide range of customer needs, a variety of product concepts can be modeled employing a platform approach. Whereas frequent market changes can be accommodated by dynamically modifying product concepts in iterations, capabilities in production are seldom well incorporated as part of design iterations. In this paper, a dynamic platform modeling approach that supports concurrent product-production reconfiguration is presented. The approach builds on Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) processes and a function modeling technique is used to represent product-production variety streams inherent in a production operation model. To demonstrate the approach, a comprehensive case from the aerospace industry is presented. Conceptual representations of a set of aero engine sub-systems and a variety of welding configurations, including their inherent constraints, are mutually modeled and assessed. The results show that a set of product-production alternatives can be dynamically controlled by integrating product-production constraints using a production operation model. Following SBCE processes, inferior alternatives can be put aside until new information becomes available and a new set of alternatives can be reconfigured. The dynamics and concurrency of the approach can potentially reduce the risk of late and costly modifications that propagate from design to production.

Set-based design: a review and new directions

Set-based design (SBD), sometimes referred to as set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE), has emerged as an important component of lean product development (LPD) with all researchers describing it as a core enabler of LPD. Research has explored the principles underlying LPD and SBCE, but methodologies for the practical implementation need to be better understood. A review of SBD is performed in this article in order to discover and analyse the key aspects to consider when developing a model and methodology to transition to SBCE. The publications are classified according to a new framework, which allows us to map the topology of the relevant SBD literature from two perspectives: the research paradigms and the coverage of the generic creative design process (Formulation–Synthesis–Analysis–Evaluation–Documentation–Reformulation). It is found that SBD has a relatively low theoretical development, but there is a steady increase in the diversity of contributions. The literature abounds with methods, guidelines and tools to implement SBCE, but they rarely rely on a model that is in the continuum of a design process model, product model or knowledge-based model with the aim of federating the three Ps (People–Product–Process) towards SBCE and LPD in traditional industrial contexts.

Creating Knowledge Environment during Lean Product Development Process of Jet Engine

Organizations invest intense resources in their product development processes. This paper aims to create a knowledge environment using trade-off curves during the early stages of the set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE) process of an aircraft jet engine for a reduced noise level at takeoff. Data is collected from a range of products in the same family as the jet engine. Knowledge-based trade-off curves are used as a methodology to create and visualize knowledge from the collected data. Findings showed that this method provides designers with enough confidence to identify a set of design solutions during the SBCE applications.

The development of knowledge-shelf to enable an effective set-based concurrent engineering application

This paper presents the development of knowledge-shelf (K-shelf) concept to enable set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE) application via knowledge provision. Three main outcomes are presented: 1) concept of the K-shelf in supporting designers throughout SBCE process; 2) demonstrates the concept via web-based software; 3) an industrial case study of surface jet pump (SJP) is also presented to validate the K-shelf concept and its software demonstrator. The K-shelf capabilities of capturing and storing design rationale in a well-structured manner and to support the comparisons among set of design solutions are the main focus of this paper.

Supporting Early Stage Set-Based Concurrent Engineering with Value Driven Design

AbstractSet-Based Concurrent Engineering is commonly adopted to drive the development of complex products and systems. However, its application requires design information about a future product that is often not mature enough in the early design stages, and that it is not encompassing a service and lifecycle- oriented perspective. There is a need for manufacturers to understand, since the early design stages, how customer value is created along the lifecycle of a product from a hardware and service perspective, and how to use such information to screen radically new technologies, trade-off promising design configurations and commit to a design concept. The paper presents an approach for the multidisciplinary value assessment of design concepts in sub-systems design, encompassing the high-level concept screening and the trade-off of different design concepts, and enabling the integration of value models results into a Set-based Concurrent Engineering process. The approach is described through its application in the case study of the development of a subsystem component for a commercial aircraft engine.

Narrowing the set of complex systems’ possible design solutions derived from the set-based concurrent engineering approach

Nowadays, complex systems are dominating our contemporary as well as professional lives. These modern technical products are considered as mechatronic systems which incorporate mechanics with electronics, software, and control in various domains mainly transport, medicine, and robotics. The development of these modern technical products is thus so tough. Hence, mechatronics’ critical challenges are to be not only well understood but also supported by practical models and tools in order to overcome this difficulty. Moreover, using the traditional design method which is point based is inefficient as it leads to a huge decrease in the innovation potential through limiting the design space to few solutions, an important increase in the cost of the product as well as production delay due to the great number of iterations. Some product development practices have shifted from using the “fixed-point design” approach to the “set-based design” one. Indeed, the set-based concurrent engineering widely considers a set of possible solutions and then shrinks the number of possibilities in order to converge toward a final solution. Yet, since this approach is too difficult to be put into action, a small number of industries in the field of mechatronics use the set-based concurrent engineering concept. Accordingly, this work aims to develop a novel method for the purpose of facilitating the development of a complex product based on the set-based concurrent engineering method and its implementation in an industrial setting by developing an algorithm to find the set of possible solutions to the design problem and narrow this set to merge toward the final solution. Finally, this algorithm is implemented using “Python” language.

Investigating the Use of Set-Based Concurrent Engineering in Product Manufacturing Companies

Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) was first introduced as a concept in studies of Toyota’s Product Development (PD) system in the mid-nineties. SBCE represents one of the basic principles of Lean PD and is claimed to be one of main operational practices explaining Toyota’s success in the auto industry, despite its inherent paradoxes. However, research studies documenting the successful use of SBCE in other companies are still scarce. We, therefore, ask ‘what are the PD capabilities associated with the SBCE concept in a real-world operation?’ and ‘which of these capabilities, if any, are more ripe than others in product design and manufacturing companies’? To answer these two research questions, we performed semi-structured interview in 29 global Norwegian-based companies operating in different industries. This paper presents the main findings related to SBCE capabilities along with a categorization into maturity levels. Finally, we discuss the characteristics of the different maturity levels in relation to for the use of SBCE. The main contribution of the work include the identification of a set of capabilities essential to SBCE, and the associated practices in 29 companies operating in different industries.

Application of Set-Based Concurrent Engineering Principles in R&D Project Prioritization

This paper aims to analyze the application of Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) principles in a two-staged R&D project selection process based on alternative technology routes for grant allocation. A case study approach is applied in the field of sustainable solutions. The SBCE process occurred in two stages. First, six proposals were selected for concept development. Results were assessed to select the two most promising concepts for detailed development. The four projects that were deprioritized consumed 19% of the grant budget. In the case study, applying SBCE principles allowed the assessment of technology routes, supporting the identification of most promising alternatives.

Using set-based design for developing a 3D metal forming process

Industry is continuously searching for solutions to increase flexibility and quality in parallel with cost reductions. This paper presents a case study of using set-based design method to develop a gripping system for an innovative three-dimensional bending and forming technology of extruded aluminium profiles. Traditionally, profiles are formed by mandrel-based stretch-bending to improve cross-sectional stability and spring-back, sometimes combined with subsequent calibration e.g. by hydroforming. However, in the highly competitive automotive industry, where light-weighting is high on the agenda, design and process flexibility, tooling cost and dimensional accuracy are important factors to increase value at a reasonable cost. In this paper, a set-based concurrent engineering approach is used to identify, evaluate and prioritize gripping methods to enable three-dimensional bending meeting automotive requirements for dimensional accuracy. The results demonstrate a multitude of options, providing trade-offs between flexibility and function. Further work will be to build a physical demonstrator to validate output from the set-based method used to systematically narrow down the solution space.

Integrating model-based system engineering with set-based concurrent engineering principles for reliability and manufacturability analysis of mechatronic products

The point-based approach consists of committing a set of requirements and a single design solution from the design space. This approach is time-consuming and often leads to deadline excess when developing a new complex system such as mechatronic systems. In fact, this approach could generate iterative loops between engineers in the downstream design stage to evaluate the manufacturability and the quality of the developed system. To overcome this issue, introducing a model-based system engineering (MBSE) approach in the upstream design stage hinged on set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE) principles is a good solution to diminish the exchange loops between engineers and to enhance efficiency in the design process. This approach consists in evaluating a large set of system solutions, then gradually narrowing these solutions until converging to a limited set of optimized solutions. In this article, a novel approach entitled “Model based for reliability and manufacturability analysis (MBRMA)” and based on model-based system engineering and set-based concurrent engineering in the preliminary design phases is used to filter out weak or costly solutions over time and to assess system engineer when adopting trade-off analysis. First, customer requirements, functional and structural aspect of the system are defined using SysML diagrams. Next, the application of the algorithm allows narrowing the design space, and finally, a trade-off analysis is carried out to select the best system architecture. The first contribution of this article is the creation of novel stereotypes of composition and allocation flows in a profile diagram between functions and alternative solutions. The second contribution is the implementation of an algorithm to analyze system robustness and to converge on the final set of optimized solutions. To test this newly developed model “model based for reliability and manufacturability analysis (MBRMA),” a case study of an air conditioning electrical compressor is considered to illustrate the various stages of this concurrent engineering approach.