Capturing the Industrial Requirements of Set-Based Design for the CONGA Framework

The Configuration Optimisation of Next-Generation Aircraft (CONGA) is a proposed framework in a response to industrial need to enhance the aerospace capability in the UK. In order to successfully address this challenge, a need to develop a true multi-disciplinary Set-Based Design (SBD) capability that could deploy new technologies on novel configurations more quickly and with greater confidence was identified. This paper presents the first step towards the development of the SBD capabilities which is to elicit the industrial requirement of the SBD process for the key aerospace industrial partners involved in this CONGA approach

Capturing the industrial requirements of set-based design for CONGA framework

The Configuration Optimisation of Next-Generation Aircraft (CONGA) is a proposed framework in a response industrial need to enhance the aerospace capability in the UK. In order to successfully address this challenge, a need to develop a true multi-disciplinary Set-Based Design (SBD) capability that could deploy new technologies on novel configurations more quickly and with greater confidence was identified. This paper presents the first step towards the development of the SBD capabilities which is to elicit the industrial requirement of the SBD process for the key aerospace industrial partners involved in this CONGA approach

An analysis of methods to achieve robustness towards a lean product development process

Since Taguchi’s introduction to robustness much has been researched about it, particularly into the field of new product development. Despite the attention given to the subject by academia, recent research has found that industry has yet to fully grasp its benefits. Among the main attributed factors, lie the complexity of the proposed statistical tools and a general misconception of the concept and its implementation. Based on Toyota’s Product Development System, the term Conceptual Robustness is broadly defined based on three forms of variation: physical, design and market. Parting from the this definition and as part of the LeanPPD Project, the objective of this paper’s contribution is threefold: 1), to present the state of the art on research in the area of robustness, 2) propose a taxonomy in order to understand the different scopes of available resources and 3) finally identifying the possibilities to achieve conceptual robustness (that of Sobek et al., 1999) with the available resources presented to the industry by academic research

Knowledge creation and visualisation by using trade-off curves to enable set-based concurrent engineering

The increased international competition forces companies to sustain and improve market share through the production of a high quality product in a cost effective manner and in a shorter time. Set‑based concurrent engineering (SBCE), which is a core element of lean product development approach, has got the potential to decrease time‑to‑market as well as enhance product innovation to be produced in good quality and cost effective manner. A knowledge‑based environment is one of the important requ irements for a successful SBCE implementation. One way to provide this environment is the use of trade‑off curves (ToC). ToC is a tool to create and visualise knowledge in the way to understand the relationships between various conflicting design parame ters to each other. This paper presents an overview of different types of ToCs and the role of knowledge‑based ToCs in SBCE by employing an extensive literature review and industrial field study. It then proposes a process of generating and using knowledg e‑based ToCs in order to create and visualise knowledge to enable the following key SBCE activities: (1) Identify the feasible design space, (2) Generate set of conceptual design solutions, (3) Compare design solutions, (4) Narrow down the design sets, (5) Achieve final optimal design solution. Finally a hypothetical example of a car seat structure is presented in order to provide a better understanding of using ToCs. This example shows that ToCs are effective tools to be used as a knowledge sou rce at the early stages of product development process

The application of set-based concurrent engineering to enhance the design performance of surface jet pump

Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) is an approach that has the capability to improve the efficiencies of the product development process. SBCE provides an environment where design space is explored thoroughly which lead to enhance innovation. This is achieved by considering an alternative set of solutions after gaining the right knowledge to support decision to narrow down the set of solutions until the single optimal design solution is reached. This paper presents a novel application SBCE in order to generate alternative design to enhance the efficiency of the Surface Jet Pump (SJP) in term of its productivity and performance of producing the oil and gas in oil and gas well

Preliminary design enhancement by incorporating set- based design principles and a navigator

The need for improvement of Product Development (PD) processes has been demonstrated by a high demand for the aerospace products to be developed quicker and cheaper. Set-Based Design (SBD) can improve the ability to respond faster to customers’ requirements by developing a set of design solutions for possible future product orders in parallel. In SBD participants practise SBCE (Set-Based Concurrent Engineering) by reasoning, developing and communicating about sets of solutions in parallel. As the design progresses, they gradually narrow their respective sets of solutions based on the knowledge gained. As they narrow, they commit to staying within the sets so that others can rely on their communication (Sobek et al, 1999). This research aims to develop logical guidelines for the selection of the PD tools and methods to enable the effective application of the SBD process model guided by a computerized tool, called ‘SBD Navigator’. An integration of the SBD good practices into the collaborator’s PD processes is believed to reduce the possibility of the negative design iteration and to reduce PD time thus providing financial benefits. Understanding the selection of PD methods and tools within manufacturing companies is a starting point of this research. It reveals main causes of poor incorporation of PD methods and tools in the preliminary design phase that might stop businesses from gaining a full range of benefits out of the SBD process model. As time goes on, PD becomes more difficult to manage due to the necessity of the collaboration among business participants in order to create complex and well integrated products. This research project has employed one of the deliverables from the CONGA (Concept Optimisation of Next Generation Aircraft) project which is the SBD process model customized by the collaborating company – Rolls-Royce plc. The RR-SBD process model is presented in chapter 3. [cont.

Development of a lean design framework for enhancing the application of product design

Substantial benefits can be achieved through the adoption of lean type thinking earlier at the design stage to create more viable products. A complex design cannot be easily leaned out in production; therefore, the production of affordable and sustainable products requires effective lean design considerations at the conceptual level. The research presented in this thesis investigates and demonstrates the application of lean design for product enhancement. The aim of the research was to develop a novel lean design framework that would support the generation of product design with attributes such as maximise value, manufacturable, and operable with minimum waste and resources ensuring avoidable harm is eliminated. The framework consists of a systemised process which is organised in to phases and activities that provides a unique practical manner to lean out a design. The construction of the framework initiated with an extensive literature review and proceeded with an industrial field study which consisted of 34 interviews with 11 manufacturing companies in Europe. The findings were amalgamated to generate a lean design definition and principles which would form the foundations of the framework. A real-life industrial case study of an offshore oil/water separator was used to validate the framework. In conclusion, the lean design framework provides the necessary means by which a lean design can be achieved. As a result a functionally viable and enhanced design that is cheaper to manufacture through controlling waste and eliminating avoidable harm occurrence can be realised with minimal effort. The research makes the following contributions: (1) identification of essential elements in lean design, (2) generation of a lean design definition and principles, (3) Lean Design Framework development and (4) illustrative guidelines based on the framework to be used by designers in realising a lean product design

The set-based concurrent engineering application: a process of identifying the potential benefits in the surface jet pump case study

The Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) is the methodology that can improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of product development. It is found that the SBCE approach provided a suitable knowledge environment to support decision making throughout the development process. This paper presents the potential tangible benefits gained from the application of the SBCE in an industrial case study of a Surface Jet Pump (SJP) that is used to revive the production of oil/gas from the dead wells. The well-structured SBCE process model and the process of identifying the potential benefits proposed in this paper will clarify the gap in the development of the SBCE in the company. The potential tangible benefits are established in a few key areas such as product innovation, product performance, manufacturing cost, and project success rate

Trade-off curves applications to support set-based design of a surface jet pump

Knowledge has become the most important asset of companies, especially in improving their product development processes. The set-based design approach is an efficient way of designing high quality, optimised designs. However, it requires a proven knowledge environment. Trade-off curves (ToCs) have the capability of providing the right knowledge and displaying it in a visual form. Although there are a few applications of ToCs that have recently been published in the literature, none of them demonstrates an integrated implementation of ToCs throughout the SBCE process. This paper presents the integrated use of ToCs, based on both physics-knowledge and proven knowledge, in order to compare and narrow down the design-set and to achieve an optimal design solution. These are key activities of the SBCE process model. Since an accurate, documented and visual knowledge environment is created by the use of ToCs within SBCE, the integrated approach proposed in this paper plays a vital role in eliminating the need for prototyping and testing at the early stages of product development. The integrated approach was implemented in an industrial case study for a surface jet pump. Surface jet pumps are used to increase the production rate of low-pressure oil/gas wells. It has been found that through ToCs, the conflicting relationships between the characteristics of the product can be understood and communicated effectively among the designers. This facilitated the decision-making on an optimal design solution in a remarkably short period of time. Furthermore, the surface jet pump resulting from the case study achieved an increase of the oil/gas production by nearly 60%

The development of Knowledge-Shelf to support the generation of a set-based design of Surface Jet Pump

Set-based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) is advocated in order to provide an environment where design space is explored thoroughly leading to enhanced innovation. This is achieved by considering an alternative set of solutions after gaining knowledge to narrow down the solutions until the optimal solution is reached. Knowledge provision is essential in SBCE application. Hence there is a need for a tool that provides appropriate knowledge environment to enable SBCE and supports it in taking right decisions. At the same time there is a need to capture the rationale of the alternative design decisions taken during the process of narrowing down the set of the design in the SBCE environment. These decision rationales constitute important knowledge to be re-used in developing new products. In this research the tool designed to address this research rationale is called Knowledge-Shelf (K-Shelf). This paper and its outcome serve the groundwork for the development of K-Shelf software that captures knowledge and in generating the first design set in SBCE environment based on previous knowledge documented. This paper is a collaborative work from a case study of Surface Jet Pump (SJP) between the LeanPPD research group in Cranfield University and Caltec Ltd, a company that provides engineering solutions to the oil and gas industry. The K-Shelf was developed using rapid web application development tool - Oracle APE