Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

B. N.M. Institute of Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Question Bank with Answers
Module 2- Product design
Subject: Product Life Cycle Management (15ME835) Semester: VIII

What is Product Design? Explain why the engineering design process cannot easily be assigned as a
1
common scheme to product design.

Product design is a process where an organizational structure defines a problem and

translates it into a feasible solution, making a series of design choices that each depend on the
preceding choices and on a set of variables that collectively define the product, how it is made, and
how it functions.

Due to great variety of possible design situations, the engineering design process cannot
easily be assigned to a common scheme. To explain this variety, product design process is
distinguished with the principal categories of design intervention as follows.
 Creative design — This typology only includes design studies constrained by specific
requirements such as functionality, performance and producibility with no specifications
regarding the transformation of the idea into product or the realm of possible solutions.
Sol  Innovative design — In this case, the overall design problem and its possible decomposition
into simpler sub problems is already known. Intervention then consists of synthesizing the
possible alternatives for each constructional sub unit, and can be reduced to a simple
originative combination of pre existing components.
 Redesign — This category includes interventions altering and improving pre existing designs.
This is necessary when a product does not fully meet the prescribed requirements or when
changes in the environmental context for which the product was destined produce new on the
market.
 Routine design — In this case, different characteristic design factors such as the form of the
product, the method of design approach, and the production system are all known before the
design process begins.
 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

2 Explain the process of Engineering Design.

The process of engineering design is also characterized by certain aspects. Foremost among all of
these is the evolutionary nature of the process, which is generally characterized as: An underlying
pattern or paradigm consisting of the three phases: analysis–synthesis–evaluation.
 Analysis allows the definition and comprehension of the problem and its translation into

Sol design requirements.

 Synthesis operates in the selection of the best solutions from all the feasible alternatives.
 Finally, evaluation compares the best solutions with the specifications and requisites
demanded in order to evaluate their validity based on iterative feedback assessments and
corrections.

3 Explain the importance of organizing and decomposition in the Design Process.

 The phase of development process planning consists of the decomposition, planning, and
distribution of all the activities, resources, and information involved in the entire process
under consideration.
 Figure graphically depicts the relationship of problem decomposition and system
integration.

Sol

 In order to develop a complex product or large engineering system, it is common practice to

decompose the design problem into smaller sub-problems which can be handled more easily. If
any of the sub-problems are still too complex, they may in turn be further decomposed.
Development teams are assigned to each design problem which may represent a component or
sub-system of the larger system.
 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

 One important level of integration takes place within each development team. This is the now
common practice of concurrent engineering, in which a cross-functional team addresses the
many design and production concerns simultaneously. However, to assure that the entire
system works together, the many sub-system development teams must work together. This
latter form of integration is often called system engineering.

4. Describe product design process with a neat sketch.

The product design process involves transforming information from the state where it
describes and characterizes a product demand (needs, constraints, consumer requirements,
market conditions, available technology) to a state where it fully describes the technical systems
able to satisfy the initial demand.

This process of transformation is achieved through the use of various types of resources
(cognitive, human, economic and material) that fuel the main phases of the design process.

Sol

Figure: Product Design Process

As summarized in Figure, these phases consist of:

 A preliminary phase of specifying the problem and defining the product requirements

 Phases of design at different levels (concept, system, detail) and of assessment, making up
 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

the iterative cycles of analysis–synthesis– evaluation.

In particular, it is worth considering the first four phases, in greater detail:

 Problem Specification— In this phase all the information relative to the project in question is
elaborated to develop and define the requisites that must characterize the product.
Information describing the needs to be satisfied, the consumer requirements, the market
conditions, and the company strategies must be clarified (and integrated, if necessary) and
used to generate the specifications that will guide the subsequent design phases.

 Conceptual Design— Having defined the project specifications, it is necessary to develop

ideas that will allow the creation of a product with the desired requisites. In this phase,
“product” is understood in the abstract sense, as a set of attributes that must be embodied
in the product concept. This is achieved through a first step of generating ideas (concept
generation) and a second step of assessment and selection (concept evaluation).

 Embodiment Design— Having identified the most appropriate concept, the next phase is the
preliminary interpretation of the design idea in a physical system. The concepts formulated in
the previous phases are developed, their feasibility is verified, and finally they are translated
into a general product layout that defines subsystems and functional components. This phase
also includes a preliminary study of the shape of the components and a first selection of
materials.

 Detail Design—The layout developed in the previous phases must be translated into
geometric models and detailed designs. This requires the application of methods and tools
aiding a correct definition of the design details. The choice of materials, study of the shapes,
definition of the geometry of components and assemblies, and the development of the
assembly sequences and definition of the junction systems must all be guided by the entire
range of product requirements (performance, economic, environmental, etc.)

{Note: To complete this phase, some authors provide for the comprehensive planning of the production process
(Ulrich and Eppinger, 2000), while others suggest including instructions for production, assembly, shipping, and
use in the final documentation (Pahl and Beitz)}
 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

Figure shows the importance of the evaluation phase at the base of each iteration of the
design process. This phase evaluates the degree to which the proposed solution corresponds to the
design specifications defined in the problem specification phase, and guides modifications and
improvements that can make the process evolve toward the definitive solution (i.e., the product
that best satisfies the desired requisites).

With this aim, it is necessary to analyze the critical aspects of the design in order to predict
how the chosen solution will behave over time in relation to environmental factors (socioeconomic
conditions, consumer tastes, competing offers, availability of raw materials).
Technological factors (technological progress, deterioration in performance) and
verification programs (modeling, initial prototyping) must also be incorporated. Among the
verification techniques, modeling to evaluate product performance assumes a particularly
important role.
This usually consists of the simplest method (analytical, physical, and graphical) to compare
the detailed solution with the engineering targets, generally on the basis of numerical values. A
high-quality solution must be as robust as possible (i.e., such that its performance is not affected
by disturbance factors).

5 State the limitations of sequential design process.

The consequent increase in the level of complexity of the design problem, have revealed the
inadequacy of the sequential it is, in fact, limited by two types of disadvantages:

Sol  Prolonged development times due to the sequential nature of the different functions.

 Limited capacity for product improvement because of the poor communication between the
various functions and the consequently reduced and fragmentary information flows.

6. Explain simultaneous/integrated model of product development process stating its importance.

The product design and development models described above, initially characterized by rigidly
Sol sequential structures, must therefore be inserted in new methodological contexts that provide for

design actions of analysis and synthesis that are simultaneous and in close interaction, in relation
 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

to all the phases of product development.

The sequential model thus evolves into the simultaneous/integrated product development
model shown in Figure. In this model, the phases of process development planning, product design,
production–consumption cycle planning, and results evaluation are fused in a single, simultaneous
intervention that draws information from a shared source and takes into account a wide variety of
aspects (functionality, producibility, reliability, and cost).

Figure: 2.3 Product development process: Simultaneous/integrated model.

In the context of this new, simultaneous/integrated statement, three approaches are

currently the subject of much of the research regarding design methodologies:

 Concurrent Engineering (CE) — Aims at a full harmonization between the increase in

product quality and the reduction of development times and costs through a structuring of
product development that involves a large design team conducting simultaneous and
interconnected analysis and synthesis actions, in relation to all the phases of development.

 Design for X (DFX) — involves a flexible system of design methodologies and tools, each
directed at the attainment of a particular product requirement.

 Life Cycle Design (LCD) — extends the field of design analysis to the entire life cycle of the
product, from the production and use of materials to disposal.

7. Explain concurrent Engineering stating its importance.

 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

Importance

The ever-shorter useful life of products, a phenomenon characteristic of current market

dynamics, demands a constant reduction in the time and costs required for the product
development process. Conflicting with this necessity, in recent years development times have
increased due to the growing complexity of design problems and the need to involve specialists
from different disciplines. It is precisely this second aspect that requires the decomposition of
design. Efficient and competitive industrial production must produce products of high performance
and quality, at low cost, in a short time.

Sol
Concurrent Engineering, also called Simultaneous Engineering, developed in response to
this need. It is directed at reconciling an increase in product quality with a reduction in
development times and costs.

It can be defined as a systematic approach to the integrated and simultaneous design of

products and processes that includes production problems and user support. The aim of this
approach is to have, from the very beginning; the product development team simultaneously
consider all the determinant factors operating on the product’s life cycle, from concept
development to retirement, including the requisites of quality, cost, and production planning,
together with the exigencies and requests of the user.

8 Explain the principles and characteristics features of concurrent Engineering.

Principles:
The foundations of Concurrent Engineering CE are frequently represented by several
essential principles, which can be summarized in the following points:

 Highlighting the role of production process planning and its influence on the decisions of
the product design process.
Sol
 Emphasizing the multidisciplinary dimension of the design team engaged in the product
development process.

 Paying greater attention to customer demands and satisfaction and

 Considering the reduction of development times and of time to market as factors of

product success and competitiveness.
 Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C

Characteristic Features of Concurrent Engineering (CE)

Reducing product development times is one of the primary objectives of CE. It is easy to
imagine that one positive effect resulting from the simultaneous approach to design intervention is
precisely that of shorter times as shown in figure.

Figure Compares the structure of the traditional process of product development (sequential in
nature) with that of a simultaneous or concurrent development process.

 It should be noted, however, that the integrated approach leads to an increase in the complexity
of the design problem, which may itself prolong development times. The primary objective of CE
is, therefore, to reconcile this increased complexity, due to the level of integration between
design and other company functions (principally that of manufacturing) with the control and
reduction of the times and costs of development and production.

 As well as through simultaneous design and development activities, shorter development times
can also be obtained through a more efficient design intervention, with a consequent reduction in
the number of corrective iterations necessary for the design process to converge on the optimal
solution.

 The need to eliminate the barriers separating the main company functions, the principle of
integrating design and production is one of the fundamental precepts of CE. In practice, this is
achieved through the creation of multidisciplinary teams whose members are experts in different
company functions; for this reason they are called cross-functional teams.
Product Life Cycle Management: Module 2 Hemanth Kumar C