Success factors of product development
Companies that manufacture or develop their own products know that this process is characterized by different objectives. There are specific requirements for the product and certain cost and time targets that must be coordinated. In an increasingly complex environment with increasing quality requirements, high time and cost pressures and tougher competition, there are different factors for successful product development. Methodic procedure The later during product development errors occur and must be corrected, the higher the costs. A systematic approach can avoid errors that suddenly occur and is therefore necessary in a development project. A possible procedure can look like this: Entry of the order / delimitationDetermination and weighting of the main functions to be implemented and definition of the requirement. Search for alternative solutionsRecording of several, also novel solution variants, breakdown into sub-goals, Feedback assessment of the solution stepsSystematic and accompanying evaluation of the solutions during the entire process of realization. Interdisciplinary collaboration A company can only successfully implement the required features of a new product if the areas of development, design, production, marketing, sales, purchasing and controlling work together. Magic triangle of product development In addition to these areas, which must be represented in an interdisciplinary team, it can make sense to also involve customers and suppliers in the development team. The customers thus participate directly in the design of the product. The integration of suppliers can be used to define corresponding supplier components directly. The cooperation essentially concentrates on the selection of suitable components. However, the involvement can go so far that the supplier is given responsibility for the development of individual parts or assemblies and develops them independently. This inevitably results in a close involvement in the company’s development process, since the interfaces to other assemblies or parts must be defined and implemented here. Tight project management Guided project management in product development is an important factor in reconciling the methodological approach, the interdisciplinary cooperation and the cost, material, and time targets. Product development is a project in the classic sense, which is characterized by the following features: Time-limited task Limited resources One-time task Defined framework and goals Proper project planning and ongoing project controlling are intended to ensure the successful course of the project. The project planning can include the following points: Goal definition Work breakdown structure Milestone planning with target and time planning Cost planning Resource planning Incorrect project planning can quickly lead to failure in a development project. Common examples of this are incorrect schedules, insufficient resources, or undefined work packages. Furthermore, strictly managed project controlling helps to achieve material, time, and cost targets. Since external service providers and suppliers are often involved in product development, ongoing monitoring and control of progress is even more important. A functioning project management allows companies to develop and implement their products in the right time, with sufficient quality and according to customer needs.
When does 3d printing make sense?
When does 3d printing make sense? Crucial applications for a sensible and economical production of 3D printed parts are: Production parts in small to medium quantities Specifically adapted small parts Production parts in small to medium quantities If standard parts cannot be used, individual production parts are used in plant, machine, or vehicle construction. They are designed specifically for the respective area of application. Since there are often still optimizations or change loops to be done, especially with new parts, additive manufacturing offers great advantages here. Changes are implemented within a few days and new parts are available at low cost. The possibility of small batches or individual parts as well as the fast delivery time also optimize your own storage costs. The classic injection molding process cannot keep up here. Even with very complex geometries, which are expensive to implement in an injection molding tool (slides, drop cores, core pulls, bore tools, etc.), these can be achieved comparatively easily using additive manufacturing. Only with increasing and recurring quantities (over 5000 parts per year) does the injection molding process come out on top again. An interim solution is rapid tooling, in which additive manufacturing is used to produce shaping inserts for an injection molding tool. Depending on the number of pieces required, the shaping parts are made of plastic or metal. This makes it easy to produce functional prototypes and small series in series material, which can be tested directly in the application. Figure: 3D printing Specifically adapted small parts In dental and medical technology, components are known in small and large quantities that are specifically adapted to the customer (e.g., dental, and auditory prostheses). Custom-fit implants can now be produced using medical 3D printing. 3D printing optimally meets the individual requirements of each patient. Organs are also printed for practice purposes to discuss the procedure of an operation. The aim here is to reduce medical errors during an intervention. part.solutions GmbH will be happy to support you in selecting the right manufacturing process and in procuring your components. Let’s tackle your project together. Simple · Competent · Reliable With these three properties, we fulfill the varied wishes of our customers.
Outsourcing decision criteria
Outsourcing decision criteria The trend is towards reducing your own vertical integration. This means that procurement management is of additional importance – also regarding the selection of suitable partners for the external procurement of products and services that were previously created in-house. In a make-or-buy decision, it is determined whether the service is to be manufactured in-house or purchased externally. If activities are permanently outsourced to a supplier, this is referred to as outsourcing. Reasons for make-or-buy decisions can be: Additional demand beyond own capacity Changes in the cost structure Shortage of capital for own investments Concentration on your own core competence Quality arguments Improving delivery reliability and flexibility Availability of technical or logistical know-how If the company is in a weak competence position relative to the environment, this speaks for outsourcing. On the other hand, a strong position relative to the environment speaks for in-house production. The following principle should apply when considering: Everything that a supplier handles better than its own company can be the subject of outsourcing – except for the processes that make up the company’s the core competence. When selecting the outsourcing partner, points such as framework agreements on order volumes and agreements on quality assurance and confidentiality must be considered. They guarantee the long-term relationship and the expansion into a value-added partnership. Outsourcing or in-house production Often a portfolio examines the strategic importance of different parts and their market availability. From the positioning of the products, a classification can then be made according to in-house production, outsourcing and individual piece decisions. Figure: Classification of products according to external or in-house performance in the context of strategic importance and market availability
Product development is teamwork
Interdisciplinary teamwork in product development The task of product development is to create the best possible products with the most varied of features. Due to the wide range of product features, this is not the task of just one department in the company but should be realized in interdisciplinary cooperation. A company can only successfully implement the required features of a new product if the areas of development, design, production, marketing, sales, purchasing and controlling work together. In addition to these areas, which must be represented in an interdisciplinary team, it can make sense to also involve customers and suppliers in the development team. The customers thus participate directly in the design of the product. The integration of suppliers can be used to define corresponding supplier components directly. The cooperation essentially concentrates on the selection of suitable components. However, the involvement can go so far that the supplier is given responsibility for the development of individual parts or assemblies and develops them independently. This inevitably results in a close involvement in the company’s development process, since the interfaces to other assemblies or parts must be defined and implemented here. It’s now common in many companies for larger projects to involve external service providers who then develop individual parts or modules. For your own company, this results in greater flexibility in development capacity, but also in know-how growth. The involvement of different areas in the development process also leads to different ideas of how the new product should ultimately look due to the different perspectives of the employees. Product development as team work
Protect your data
Digitization isn’t a thing of the future; it’s already here. From now on, product creation and service must be thought of together so that sustainable and economic management is possible. Start-ups have great opportunities in this field because they can deal with data quickly and flexibly and transfer them to the market’s needs. Anyone who manufactures a good product today or wants to improve an already established product can no longer do without data when selling now and securing the company’s future. Data help to manufacture and sell the right products correctly. They also help to use fewer resources. Because if you specifically order a required product and have it manufactured, you don’t have to worry about overproduction or mountains of waste. Perhaps the greatest challenge for companies is data analysis and transmission. Every employee in the company should know and be able to interpret all important data – even beyond their department. At the same time, data analysis can of course eat up valuable time – for example, if highly qualified employees spend too long searching for solutions to problems with their data. With the help of qualified service providers such as part.solutions, who use the transmitted data to search for and manufacture the required products, employees can be relieved and can devote themselves to other tasks. At the same time, service providers can initiate new business relationships and create new connections that not only improve the order situation, but also show how data can be used effectively and quickly.
Cloud Manufacturing
Cloud Manufacturing A cloud is the Internet-based provision of storage space, computing power and application software. It can be used at home and at work to make information available and shareable anytime, anywhere. Data and information are no longer stored locally, but on web servers. The word manufacturing is mainly used in professional circles and is synonymous with the industrial or manual production process. Cloud manufacturing transfers the cloud computing approach to the manufacturing process. This enables access to production capacities at any time and as required. The cloud combines all production facilities into a single digital factory. The customer thus receives all the necessary information about production processes, procurement times and conditions via a single interface. With this bundling of all information, the procurement effort can be significantly reduced. Cloud Computing The goal of a cloud manufacturing platform is to combine all the different services, to evaluate and convey information. With the help of artificial intelligence, the optimal offer can be found for every need. In the background, the respective decisions are influenced by various factors such as reducing environmental pollution, variable cost units and capacity utilization. This enables resource-saving work. Various platforms already exist today that offer such services for 3D printing, sheet metal production or CNC machining. What are the advantages of cloud manufacturing? Consistent quality of the components Quality is extremely important to customers. However, it’s not always easy to find the right supplier who can deliver the required quality. Manufacturing platforms use a standard procedure to check potential manufacturers before they are added to the network. One possibility is doing test orders with comprehensive quality documentation or standardized certifications. For the customer, this guarantees high production quality without having to carry out costly pre-audit processes on the part of the supplier. Flexibility Cloud manufacturing thrives on the large selection of manufacturing processes and manufacturing capacities. The production of the required components is assigned to the nearest manufacturer with the necessary skills and capacities. Immediate Offers Another added value is that the customer immediately receives an offer after uploading the data (in 3D or 2D). As a result, professionals need to communicate less time-consuming and have more time for other tasks. They can also process an increased order volume. Real-time-information With cloud manufacturing, everyone involved can see the flow of information. Through real-time data collection and access via the manufacturing platform, the customer or supplier can inquire about the progress of the order at any time. This simplifies working together. In addition, any changes or adjustments can be easily adapted along the entire value chain. Feasibility study If the customer is to receive an offer in real time, the uploaded data must be evaluated by a complex system. The feasibility is checked based on the geometric data. This means that errors in component design can be detected right from the start. Faulty productions are thus excluded. Optimum utilization by splitting up the order volume Orders can be split among several suitable suppliers. An example: A customer orders 5000 parts. Supplier A can produce these with its manufacturing skills. However, he has a fully utilized production and no free capacities. The order is now passed on to suppliers B and C, who are part of the cloud manufacturing network and have the same competencies. Neither of the two suppliers has enough capacity to produce the entire order. Together, however, the volume can be managed. The production of the 5000 parts is automatically divided between suppliers B and C. It is therefore not necessary to wait until supplier A has free capacities. The order is carried out in-time. The cloud controls these processes automatically. Principle of a production platform with an online portal for requesting production parts Service Oriented Manufacturing Manufacturing companies are fixated on production and concentrate on their own core competence. However, this competence only represents a sub-process in the entire value chain. By connecting cloud and manufacturing, resources from the entire value chain can be offered in one place. This creates a comprehensive service for the customer. Bigger amounts Cloud Manufacturing platforms can combine several orders from different customers. You can make bundled inquiries to the supplier and negotiate better conditions. The resulting price reductions are passed on to the customer. Larger quantities therefore mean better prices for the customer. Different manufacturing processes – one contact person A selected network of different competencies offers the customer the opportunity to produce parts with different manufacturing processes. The platform’s data analysis ensures that the right manufacturers receive the right orders. With this concept of cloud manufacturing, the customer has one contact person from the offer to delivery. This includes all support and any complaints that may arise. Concentration on core competencies SMEs often do not have their own procurement department. Developers or designers take care of the search for suitable suppliers. With the help of a manufacturing platform, this work can be outsourced and there is more time for the core tasks. Linking of different manufacturing processes and customers via a manufacturing platform Who is cloud manufacturing aimed at? Pursue Large companies already receive attractive prices due to the large quantities and their own procurement department. The production volumes of SMEs, on the other hand, are usually smaller. By using the manufacturing platform, they can reduce prices by combining multiple orders. Startups Even without knowledge of the industrial environment or contacts to manufacturers, a startup can quickly implement new ideas with the help of manufacturing platforms. The manufacturing platform serves as an experienced partner with a network of suitable manufacturers. So, global sales of a new product are possible quickly and easily. Manufacturers can be found close to the end customer via the manufacturing platform. Also, storage and delivery costs can be saved, which minimizes the risk when starting a new business. Process professionals The manufacturing platform also relieves specialists who have to take care of outsourcing production or optimizing processes in
Surface texture
Choosing the right surface As a product developer, engineer, or designer, you know how much time it takes to choose the right surface texture. You determine how your product should look, feel, and function. The mechanical properties and functions of a plastic or metal component play an important role here. For example, surface finish affects friction, corrosion, heat transfer, wear and tear, and other factors. However, surfaces are often used to imitate other materials, to hide the manufacturing process or to provide a clean basis for post-processing. In this way, dividing lines of injection-molded plastic housings can be hidden, plastics can be transformed into imitation wood, or the component can be optimally prepared for post-processing. Therefore, choice of surface finish is essential. The technical description of a surface and the technical terms used have an impact on the efficiency of communication between the manufacturer or production and the customer. It’s therefore important that both sides master and understand the technical vocabulary. Some essential components of the surface texture are described below. The direction and undulation of the surface The general direction of a surface pattern describes a large-area or uniform overall pattern that is produced by the different manufacturing processes and processing steps, for example by forging, sawing, milling or grinding. Roughness (Ra) The desired roughness and its description cause most misunderstandings between customer and manufacturer. In colloquial language, country-specific designations such as Ra, Rt or Rz are mostly used. Physically, there is no such thing as a perfectly smooth surface. From a manufacturing perspective, roughness is therefore referred to as a solid’s the three-dimensional topography. Different levels of roughness can occur on a component using cutting tools or surface effects. There are different calculation methods for the quantitative characterization of the roughness. These consider various peculiarities of the respective surface. Surface roughness can be affected by polishing, roller burnishing, grinding, lapping, honing, pickling, sandblasting, etching or corrosion. Interpretation of the surface finish in relation to the manufacturing costs When choosing surface texture, a balance must be struck between quality and quantity. The value should therefore be set in such a way that the optical quality requirements do not impair the component’s functionality. The following questions are important here: What is the area of application of the component? How should the component look optically? Does the interface affect functionality? Who sets the requirements for the surface? Did I specify my interface? A rule of thumb: “The finer the surface and the more complex the manufacturing process, the higher the manufacturing costs.” International comparison table (without guarantee) Some country-specific roughness depths of surfaces are listed below. The values assigned to one another are not mathematically related to one another. The table serves as a guide.