Integrated Product Development Best Practices

The product definition process consists of both product design and manufacturing process design. The main organizational functions responsible for the product development process are product engineering, and manufacturing engineering. The ultimate deliverable from the product development process are Bills of material , Routings, engineering drawings/models, and engineering information. At the heart of the product development process redesign is the application of the concurrent engineering approach, and the design for manufacturability / assembleability tools. Typical business processes in product definition consist of :-

  • Develop Conceptual Definition
  • Develop Preliminary Definition
  • Develop Advanced Definition
  • Develop Detail Definition
  • Qualify Design
  • Conduct Value Engineering

The service area is organized under various topic headings. Each bullet point identifies a separate information service.

1. Concurrent Engineering & the Design for Manufacturability (DFM) Philosophy

  • Comparing design philosophies
  • DFM as a preventative tool
  • The DFM / marketing interface
  • Organizing and implementing a Virtual Product Development initiative
  • Comparing concurrent product definition using DFM with traditional sequential product development.
  • Approach to improving and streamlining the product development process.
  • Organizing product development teams.
  • How to involve the supplier and gain certification.

2. Performing Team Building and Training

  • – Getting an IPT team started
  • – Establishing guidelines for evaluating DFM tools.
  • – Selecting an appropriate product for a pilot project.
  • – Defining quantifiable IPD/DFM objectives consistent with corporate goals.
  • – Developing an approach to training cross functional IPD teams
  • – Selling top management on the benefits of DFM.
  • – The relationship of human factors to DFM.

3. Justification of DFM

  • – Defining the impact of DFM on costs other than labour and materials
  • – How to establish a relationship between cost and product volume.
  • – Methods to determine relevant costs.

4. Management Involvement in DFM / IPD

  • – Defining a framework for DFM management architecture.
  • – Conducting best practice analysis.
  • – Management information required for concurrent engineering.

5. Quality Tools for DFM

  • – The Demming process management cycle
  • – Incorporating customer requirements during design.
  • – Structuring process plans and production plans for quality.
  • – The role of Quality function deployment.
  • – Techniques for quality problem solving and decision making.
  • – Cost of quality calculations.
  • – The relationship of DFM and experimental design.
  • – Identifying key performance measures.
  • – Design for reliability.
  • – Risk assessment and management.

6. Computer Aided Technologies Applied To DFM

  • – Using standard parts and components.
  • – Applying group technology to DFM.
  • – Minimizing part variation.
  • – Designing for minimum number of parts.
  • – Designing multifunctional parts.
  • – Developing modular designs.
  • – Minimizing models and mockups.
  • – Minimizing component handling.
  • – CAD/ CAM / DFM integration.
  • – DFM / ERP information requirements for mechanical products.
  • – Applying artificial intelligence in DFM.

7. Design for Assembly

  • – The relationship between DFA and concurrent engineering
  • – Reducing the number of parts in an assembly.
  • – Creative thinking in DFA
  • – Design for serviceability and end use.

8. Applying DFM / Concurrent Engineering at the Conceptual and Preliminary Design Phase

  • – Impact of initial design concepts.
  • – Evaluating the manufacturability of conceptual designs.
  • – DFM and producibility assessment tools.
  • – Human factors issues for product design.
  • – Geometric tolerancing structure for concurrent engineering.

9. Applying DFM to Specific Manufacturing Processes

  • – Machining.
  • – Forming.
  • – Finishing and coating.
  • – Fastening and joining.
  • – Materials selection and characteristics.
  • – Electronics assembly.