Chpter-2

Product designFrequency of Decision Changes

Process SelectionAutomation

Process Flow Design

PRODUCT DESIGN

#Meaning and definition of Product:

Product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. There Is two concepts of product-narrow concept and wide concept. • In narrow concept, a product is a bundle of physical or chemical properties

which has some utility. Product means an object which satisfies the need of the customer. Thus fan, table, pen, cooler, chair etc. are the products.

• In its wider concept, all the brands, all the colors, all the packaging or all the designs of a product is taken to be different products. Example if a tooth paste is produced in three different sizes, these are thee products because they satisfy needs of different customers. Thus, if there is a change in the size or color or brand or packaging, it produces a new product.

• According to W. Alderson,” A product is a bundle of utilities consisting of various features and accompanying services.”

• According to Phillip Kotler,” A product is a bundle of physical services and symbolic particulars expected to yield satisfaction or benefits to the buyer.”

#Meaning and definition of product design

• Product design is the process of creating a new product to be sold by a business to its customer. A very broad concept, it is essentially the efficient and effective generation and development of ideas through a process that leads to new product.

• According to C.S. Deverell, “ Product design in its broadest sense includes the whole development of the product through all the preliminary stages until actual manufacturing begins”.

# Product development Process • Need identification : New product of advancement of existing product

should be able to satisfy customer needs, requirements and expectations.

• Feasibility study (product planning): in this stage; market analysis, creating alternative concepts of products, clarifying the operational requirements, establishing design criteria and their priorities, logistic requirement are accomplished.

• Advance design: in this stage, product concept or design concept obtained from feasibility study are examined technically. It is concerned with developing and evaluating the design alternative if necessary.

• Product development and engineering: several engineering activities are carried out to analyze experiment and collect data for product development.

• Process design and development: working with the detailed product design , engineers and manufacturing specialists prepare plans for materials acquisitions, productions, warehousing , transportation and distributions for designed product.

• Product evaluation and improvement: most products are continually re-evaluated for improvement possibilities throughout their lives.

• Product use and support: The ultimate stage of product design and

development is to fulfill the customer needs and expectation about the products. Educating people, providing warranty, repairs, guarantee after sales services.

# QFD (Quality Function Deployment)

• QFD theory was first defined by Yoji Akao in 1966 and its initial application was at the Kobe shipyard of mitsubishi in 1972.

• QFD is a system for translating customer requirements into appropriate company requirements at every stage, from research through product design and development, to manufacture, distribution, installation and marketing, sales and services.

• QFD is a way that defines wining business by helping in creation of conquering business model, Products/services.

According to Dr. Yoji Akao, QFD is a “method to transform user demands into design quality, to deploy the functions forming quality, and to deploy methods for achieving the design quality into sub system and component parts, and ultimately to specific elements of the manufacturing process.”

According to Sullivan, QFD is “the main objectives of any manufacturing company to bring new product to market sooner than the competition with lower cost and improved quality.”

Features of QFD It captures the customer voice: customer’s voice is captured in order to define product

or service specifications. It Ensures Strong Cross-Functional Teamwork: Teamwork is ensured between the

various functions involved with the design, such as marketing, R&D, and manufacturing.

It links the main phases of product development: A more thorough use of QFD ensures the generation of four matrices for a company’s success. I. Product planning II. Product design III. Process planning IV. Process control (production planning)

The three main goals in implementing QFD are: Prioritize spoken and unspoken customer wants and needs. Translate these needs into technical characteristics and specifications. Build and deliver a quality product or services by focusing everybody toward

customer satisfaction.

House of Quality (HoQ)• House of Quality Diagram is a graphic tool analyzing the relationship

between customer desires and the firm/product capabilities. It is a part of the Quality Function Deployment and it utilizes a planning matrix to relate what the customer wants to how a firm is going to meet those wants.

• Some companies that uses house of quality concept are: Ford, General Motors, HP, P&G, Jaguar etc. In Japan its design application include public services, retail outlets, and apartment layout.

• The primary tool for QFD is House of Quality. It is an excellent quality planning tool and consists of six major building blocks as shown in figure below.

Figure: simplified HoQ

3.Inter-relationship matrix

between wants and hows.

1.What? Or Customer

requirements or voice of the customer

2.How? Technical requirements or voice of the organizations

5 Planning matrix/

customer perception

6.Prioritized Technical

requirements

Technical correction matrix

or inter-relationship

between hows

4

Technical/Design requirementsCustomer

requirements

# Modular Functions DeploymentIt is a support for good product structure creation. It uses QFD to establish customer requirements and to identify important design requirement with a special emphasis on modularity. MFD consists of 5 steps.

• Clarify product specification• Analyze functions and select technical solutions• Identify possible modules• Evaluate concepts• Improve each models

# Frequency of Decision Changes

Manufacturing environment is dynamic and product decisions do change often in every manufacturing company to cope high competition. The various reasons that lead to the change are:

• Changing demand of customer• Product failure• Accident or injuries• Low demand• Change in technology and innovation

The major techniques that are used in minimizing the frequency of decision change are given below:

• FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis): it analyzes the cause and effects of product failures.

• FTA (Fault Tree Analysis): it analyzes interrelationship among failures.

• VA (Value Analysis): elimination of unnecessary features and functions of product design.

#Process Selection• Process basically is sequence of activities that are carried

out with intention to achieve a desired level of result. In manufacturing or service firms process converts inputs like raw materials, labour, capital, information etc. into desired output through the help of conversion system(machines and equipment).

• Process design: means the complete delineation and description of specific steps in the production process and the linkages among steps that will enable the production system to produce products of the desired quality, quantity, at right time, estimated cost to fulfill the customers need.

#Manufacturing process technology/ types of conversion processThe conversion process can be divided into five types:• Project technology: is suitable for producing similar kind of

products of unique character like buildings, bridges, dams, roads etc. it requires highly skilled-large number of labour.

• Job shop technology: small batches of different products are produces after receiving customer orders, so it is hard for materials resources planning, scheduling of operations and controlling activities. Example tailor, printing shop etc.

• Batch technology: it is one step ahead the job shop technology i.e. product are produced in larger quantity than job shop after customer order or for immediate stock. Skilled labour are required. Example heavy equipment manufacturing and electronic device manufacturing etc.

• Assembly line technology: when the products are relatively stable, high volume with limited variety, assembly line technology is suitable. More mechanized and automation requiring less labour. Example production of goods like TV, Radio, Automobile etc.

• Continuous flow technology: it is suitable when the products are highly specialized/ standardized and large volume of products are produced for stock. More mechanized and automation requiring less labour. Example soap, noodles, cold drinks, biscuits etc.

# Process technology life cycle and selection of appropriate technoloy

#Process technology life cycle………Azaya Sthatip page 61 #Product process mix matrix

VERY LOW VOLUMES VERY HIGH VOLUMES

LOW STANDARDIZATION LOW VOLUMES HIGH VOLUMES HIGH STANDARDIZATION

One-of-a-kind Products Many Products Few Products Commodity Products

JUMBLED FLOW(Job Shop)

DISCONNECTED LINE FLOW(Batch Flow)

CONNECTED LINE FLOW(Machine or Worker paced)

CONTINUOUS FLOW

STRUCTUREPROCESS

Automation• Automation is a system, process or piece of equipment that is

self-acting and self-regulating. Automation is the use of computers to control a particular process in order to increase reliability and efficiency, often through the replacement of employees. For a manufacturer, this could entail using robotic assembly lines to manufacture a product.

• Although automation is often thought to be necessary to gain competitive advantages, manufacturers use two type of automation:

@Fixed automation: when demand volume are high, product designs are stable, and product life cycle are long fixed automation become appropriate. example chemical processing plant, oil refineries etc

@Flexible (programmable) automation: The automation which can be handle and change easily for various products is called flexible automation for example cold drinks production

#Advantages of automation• Increased output and higher productivity• Improved and uniform quality• Reduced cost• Reduced numbers of accident• Better production control• Dangerous and unpleasant task

#Disadvantages of automation• Displacement of labour• Heavy capital investment• Benefit of employee suggestion cost.

#Process Flow design

Process flow design typically uses process flowcharts to illustrate processes used within a company. These charts show relationships between process components and to improve processes within an organization.

In simple terms process flow design can be defined as a mapping of specific processes that raw materials, parts and sub assembles follows as the move through a plant.

The most common tools to conduct a process flow design are:• Assembly drawing: it is a presentation of the product or

structure put together, that shows all parts in their operational positions. It is an explained view of the product.

• Assembly chart: assembly chart shows the sequence of operations in putting together the product. Assembly charts are extremely useful for making preliminary plans regarding subassemblies.

• Operation and route sheet: it specifies operations and process routing or showcases types of equipment requirements. It shows everything about the operation.

#Process flow diagramA process flow diagram (PFD) is a diagram commonly used I chemical and process engineering to indicate the general flow of plant processes and equipment. A PFD is a visual tool which describes the sequence of flow of product or procedure.

Symbols used in process chart: (refer Azaya sthapit page-66)Example: High-level flowchart for an order-filling process

#Emerging issues in product design

• Design for Manufacturing and Assembly: design of assembly focuses on optimization of parts system assembly. Design of manufacturing selects the most cost effective materials and process to be used in the production in the early stage of product design.

• Design for disassembly: in this design the products would be designed in such a way that they never become waste as these products would be inputs for other products at the end of their lives.

• Design for reliability (DFR): in this design product development team works together with design engineers to design reliable products with low overall life cycle cost.

• Design for six sigma (DFSS): DFSS follows- DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and Verify) framework. A product said to be of six sigma quality if there are no more than 3.4 non-conformities per million opportunities at the part and process step level.

• Design of Experiments (DOE): it take into consideration of statistical tools to build the quality into the product an process. It helps product development team for running a series of experiments so as to build model of processes.

• Designing for Customers: it helps to design the ideal product/service taking into consideration of there principles: Quality Function Deployment (QFD), House of Quality (HoQ), and Value Analysis.