An Integrated Engineering-Computation Framework for Collaborative Engineering: An Application in Project Management

Today\u27s engineering applications suffer from a severe integration problem. Engineering, the entire process, consists of a myriad of individual, often complex, tasks. Most computer tools support particular tasks in engineering, but the output of one tool is different from the others\u27. Thus, the users must re-enter the relevant information in the format required by another tool. Moreover, usually in the development process of a new product/process, several teams of engineers with different backgrounds/responsibilities are involved, for example mechanical engineers, cost estimators, manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, and project manager. Engineers need a tool(s) to share technical and managerial information and to be able to instantly access the latest changes made by one member, or more, in the teams to determine right away the impacts of these changes in all disciplines (cost, time, resources, etc.). In other words, engineers need to participate in a truly collaborative environment for the achievement of a common objective, which is the completion of the product/process design project in a timely, cost effective, and optimal manner. In this thesis, a new framework that integrates the capabilities of four commercial software, Microsoft Excel™ (spreadsheet), Microsoft Project™ (project management), What\u27s Best! (an optimization add-in), and Visual Basic™ (programming language), with a state-of-the-art object-oriented database (knowledge medium), InnerCircle2000™ is being presented and applied to handle the Cost-Time Trade-Off problem in project networks. The result was a vastly superior solution over the conventional solution from the viewpoint of data handling, completeness of solution space, and in the context of a collaborative engineering-computation environment

A methodology to computerise QFD’s application and enhance its integrity purpose and acceptance with in the European Automotive Industry

Companies are increasingly looking up to QFD as a key to capture the customers voice and to encourage team members to communicate more effectively with each other. QFD is a complex and very time consuming process therefore difficult to implement. Owing to the complexity of this technique in the European Automotive Industries, its implementation generally relies upon specialists and consultants. A lack of clear understanding between the industrial participants results in a somewhat disrupted implementation. Moreover individual competitiveness and an increasing need for recognition will prevent them from putting faith in the mechanics of the technique and from reaching a team consensus. Under these circumstances the QFD implementation will not be pure. There is a great deal of QFD work which is available for all those with time to analyze and argue its particular points. But there is an increasing desire in some places i.e. the Automotive industry for practical information and applied knowledge about QFD. Moreover a lot of automotive business like the idea of implementing the technique but they don’t know how. Obviously there are places that people can learn about QFD and there are consultants who can help them implement it. The problem which arises by this approach is the lack of understanding within the business. That means consultants may not understand a company and its needs when implementing QFD but they will propose solutions. More important they have no reason to argue with any of the company’s members therefore they can easily agree for a look alike implementation of the technique. Considering the above statements the purpose of this project is to eliminate any misunderstanding of the technique, by describing the technique in a simple manner recommending its implementation to the product development process using fuzzy logic and a typical spreadsheet PC software. Finally an enhancement in the communication between the members of the product development team and the acceptance of the technique can be achieved representing the team member’s preferences in a fuzzy manner and calculating the group decision using a methodology proposed in this project. Therefore QFD will be available to industry as a user friendly tool which can be applied to vital decision making during the product development stage, ensuring that the end product is a good result, taking the technique from the papers and putting it into practice.MPhi