Papers by Keyword: Concurrent Engineering

Abstract: This research aims to investigate the role of concurrent engineering (CE) towards managing design changes (DCs) during the architectural design process (ADP). To achieve this aim, a mixed research approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods was designed to accomplish four objectives. Firstly, the literature review investigated ADP, causes and impacts of DCs and CE. Secondly, three case studies of construction projects from Finland, China and Indonesia were collected and analysed to validate the identified causes and impacts of DCs and examine the role of CE towards managing DCs during ADP. Thirdly, a survey questionnaire was conducted with a representative sample of Architectural Design Firms (ADFs) in Egypt to assess their perception and application of CE as an approach for managing DCs during ADP. Based on the above, the research developed and validated a framework to manage DCs by integrating CE into ADP. Data analysis showed that the “Inability of clients and end-users to comprehend and explain the project requirements due to lack of technical knowledge” and “Inability of clients and end-users to accept advice and guidance” were ranked the highest influential causes of design changes (CDCs). In addition, the “Nature of the traditional procurement approach” and “Insufficient support from the senior management” were ranked the highest challenges of integrating CE in ADFs. These findings informed the research and helped in the development of the proposed framework, which represents a novel and creative synthesis that adds value to knowledge in a way that has not previously occurred.

Abstract: The world is experiencing constant changes due to emerging technologies and business globalization. Industry 4.0 is causing paradigms to change at an industrial level, which, together with the technological advance of communication networks and the internet, will allow for achieving complete digitization of manufacturing processes. Digitization solutions implementation is hampered by the lack of adequate management procedures and methodologies to simplify the requirements analysis and the incorporation of improvements using I4.0.There are several methodologies for managing and controlling projects, but they need to adapt according to the required migration of systems from Industry 3.0 to Industry 4.0. A literature review has allowed identifying the most important characteristics of industry 4.0 based on the main digital enablers. Nowadays, any migration of technological systems also requires using an appropriate management methodology, replacing or complementing the traditional waterfall methodology, that can be easily controlled and where errors can be predicted and corrected in the shortest possible time. These new tools are important to facilitate the implementation of I4.0, especially in regions and companies with a low tradition of adaptation to technological changes.In this work, a novel concurrent methodology framework based on engineering and adapted Scrum work is proposed to implement I4.0 technology migration, using technology enablers. It was designed to provide several advantages, namely: feedback provided every certain period of time to correct errors, the use of multidisciplinary teams, and its easy implementation. This adapted Scrum & concurrent methodology framework will offer a new management approach to the I4.0 transition projects, which we expect can be applied at the industrial level, especially in developing countries.

Abstract: Material selection of natural fiber for composite based products is an essential process in product design development especially in application of automotive components. Several factors need to be considered concurrently and dependency among the factors should be evaluated during the judgement. Therefore, a proposed approach is presented in this study by using Analytic Hierarchy Process/Analytic Network Process (AHP/ANP) to prioritize the criteria for material selection of natural fiber composites automotive components. AHP computes the priority values from pairwise comparison basis and ANP derives the global priority values based on the inner dependency of the criteria. As in a case study, flax fibers obtained the highest value (19%) and rank as number one fibers in the selection where tensile strength is the most significant criteria. Thus, application of AHP/ANP would derive a more reliable and accurate judgement in material selection and their flexibility allows integration with other decision making tools.

Abstract: The modern tools of today's concurrent engineering (CE) based management are a wide array of instruments, plans, software, technical skills, human capabilities and resources. This paper aims to emphasize the benefits of such a system implementation in a business environment based on case studies retrieved from scientific literature and author's personal experience in a private working environment. Constant team sessions, briefs, workshops and brainstorming sessions proved to be very powerful tools for the management teams subjected to these studies in order for them to develop fully stable concurrent teams. The paper also highlights the fact that even from the implementation phase the workflow within the CE offers excellent opportunities for continuous improvements of the system and fine tunings of tools that are correspondent to it. As result, CE proves to be one of the best systems around in terms of efficiency, scalability and of course, results.

Abstract: Concurrent Engineering has been accepted as an integrated development concept offering significant benefits regarding to cost and development time. Despite of this agreement and the fact that shortened product lifecycles increase the necessity for stronger interaction between all stakeholders involved in product development, benefits are not achieved to the predicted extend. While reasons are manifold, a lack in structured and efficient communication between different departments can be identified as a key obstacle. Recent research activities had addressed requirements management processes outside the limited domain of software and product development and allowed for an integration of production requirements. This paper presents an approach which allows for a continuous requirements process within the production departments. Thus ensuring the integration of up-to-date requirements in all development activities.

Abstract: Rising cost pressure and the trend of extensive product customization lead to a situation in which the management of interfaces between different areas of process chains is a substantial strategic success factor. Since tooling is commonly placed as an element on the critical path between product development and serial production, the design and management of this interface has a significant impact on the key factors time-to-market, quality and costs. Based on the presented motivation, this paper provides a methodology to estimate the effects of product design decisions on the necessary tools regarding time, quality and costs. It is based on a systematic approach for the interaction of product and tool parameters and focuses on the effect and handling of external restrictions on product features.

Abstract: Concurrent Engineering (CE) has been discussed as a tool to reduce time to market in one company. In other words, CE was only discussed from the viewpoint of production time. But if we introduce the same idea of sharing knowledge not only across different processes in one company, but also to across different industries, i.e., if we develop cross-industry CE, we can not only reduce time and cost, but we can also make our production system more flexible. This paper describes the basic idea of cross-industry CE and its usefulness.

Abstract: In the business world today, organizations must be able to respond promptly and efficiently to the changing market needs. Therefore, the flaw in the conventional approach such as inefficiency and time consumption can contribute to product failure in the marketplace. This hinders organizations to provide the performance required and should be improved to respond to the current situation. Concurrent engineering should be adopted to overcome the problems associated with the conventional approach. This paper focuses on minimizing the conventional method by implementing concurrent engineering tools and techniques. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to reduce the wastage of time and costs, as well as labor during packaging process, by identifying the failure of the existing process and choosing a new concept for the packaging process using the integration of FMECA and AHP approach. Failures in the current procedure of packaging process were identified by using FMECA analysis, and 4 new concepts were proposed to improve the packaging process. To select the best concept, AHP was used due to the variety aspects to be considered, such as performance, maintenance, time of development, cost of development and potential cause of failure, in the selection of new concepts. The result shows that the proposed new concept for the packaging process can reduce the time, costs, and labor, in addition to the various aspects considered in the selection of a new concept. This paper presents the importance of considering the concurrent engineering tools in the manufacturing industry.

Abstract: In this paper a study of concurrent engineering in the development of product from natural fibre composites is presented. As far as the natural fibre composites are concerned, concurrent engineering is strongly linked to the design for sustainability because the design of natural fibre composite products fulfils the requirement of the design for sustainability, i.e. design for well-being of future generation. A study of the development of food packaging materials has been conducted. This study involved the development of sugar palm starch bio-polymer, selection of the most suitable bio-polymer, development of sugar palm fibre reinforced bio-polymer composites and design for food packaging of sugar palm fibre, specifically the sugar palm polymer composites.

Abstract: concurrent engineering product development from the beginning of the design requirements, it must consider the various factors in the product life cycle, to shorten product development cycle, improve product quality, reduce the green characteristics of product cost, product realization, enhancing the competition ability of the enterprise purpose. Because in the whole process of product lifecycle highly concurrent engineering station, effect that participants work together, reconstruction of product development process and using advanced design methods, contributes to the technical information, economic information, environmental information, energy and resource information and insurance information of organic integration of each stage in the life cycle of product green design, the realization of green products from a life-cycle perspective. Therefore, the concurrent engineering is the core of the design and development of green products.