8/8/2019 [Advanced Factory Automation] a Methodology for
Structuring the New Product Development Process
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A METHODOLOGY FOR This is achieved through innovation.
TheSTRUCTURING THE NEW need to innovate is universal, it is in
noPRODUCT DEVELOPMENT relationship to the size or type of
companyand applies equally in design, manufacturingPROCESS and
services. It is the foundation of a
successful economy. It is common sense!(DTIICBI Report,
1993)Paul G. RankyProfessor of Innovative Manufacturing andSystem
DesignUniversity of East LondonDepartment of Manufacturing
Engineering&DesignLondon, United Kingdom
AB S T RACTA methodology is presented for describingand
supporting the product design andinnovation process for engineers
andmanagers. The methodology is generic, inother words generally
applicable to anyproduct, anywhere in the world. The heart ofthe
methodology is a structured, objectoriented functional analysis
using the CIMpgrmethod, developed by the author.Following this
structured framework eachcomponent or sub-assembly of the
productdesign is analysed and valued in terms offunction, quality,
cost and other aspects.Having done the analysis, the losers
becomethe target for innovation guided by astructured framework.The
method summarised in the paper hasalready been successfully applied
in the areaof electro-mechanical and automobileindustries and
further work is progressing inthe area of creating an integrated
researchtoolset for product innovation.I N T R O D U C T I O N A N
DREQUIREMENTS ANALYSISThe design and manufacturing industry isfaced
with competitive pressures. Thedemand for customised solutions,
highquality and fast delivery, soundenvironmental performance and
low cost isgrowing rapidly. To ensure survival andcontinued
prosperity, business must meetthese challenges by providing a
constantstream of new and improved products,processes and
services.
Innovation is a people problem. It is the artand science of
motivating people, engineers,product designers, manufacturers and
thetechnological and ~Financial/organisationalinfrastructure around
them to change and tocreate wealth.What is product innovation and
whyis innovation important for a society?What are the
cultural/social climateaspects of innovation?The fundamental
problem is how to changemotivation and create a positive drive
towardsinnovation in the society. In other words howto change the
culture and the infrastructure tomake people more adaptable and
flexible sothat they become open to change! As one cansee this is a
multifaceted problem and thusneeds a multifaceted, or rather
structuredapproach.Resistance to innovate and change is a
socialscience and management problem. It requiresknowledge of the
s'ocial processes and therewarding mechanisms that are
inhibitingchange both in terms of individuals as well asfirms and
the society as a whole.In a free society in tlhe process of
innovationmany structures and firms are destroyed andnew ones are
created in their place. This is anatural developmen~t rocess and at
large isaccepted by everyone. Those firms which fallbehind the race
to innovate go out of businessand those which are keen to work
harder andbe smarter become winners. Despite, thatmany firms are
destroyed in this process theoverall outcome for the economic
system as awhole is creative and is a success for thesociety as a
whole.SOME METHODS, A STRUCTUREDF R A M E W O R K A N D E X A M P L
E SF O R P R O D U C T D E S I G NINNOVATIONIt is a well known and
accepted fact thatinnovation can lead to commercial success,can
create wealth in its broadest sense, can
1 Factory 2000 Adv ance d Factory Automation, 3-5October 1994,
Conference Publication No 398,O IEE 1994
