Importance of design management in general engineering

Abstract: Although Design Management per se is not a new concept, the renewed interest and application as a trending discipline in itself combines traditional systems engineering principles with design and business principles to find the most suitable solution to a specified problem. Although the “new” interest focuses more towards strategic management and problem solving, the generic nature of the principles is visible in the increased application to and success achieved in both traditional engineering as well as non-engineering fields. It is even predicted that good design management practices will become the distinguishing factor between highly competitive businesses i.e. leaders or followers

Three key elements of physical asset management

Abstract: Physical asset management is commonly associated with the benefit created by managing mechanical equipment during operation more effectively to reduce life cycle cost. It is therefore often associated with the potential of condition monitoring and maintenance engineering for reducing maintenance cost due to the success that these engineering disciplines have had in doing so. However, physical asset management has much more to it than simply managing maintenance activities or even reducing maintenance cost. It is about balancing performance, risk and cost associated with an asset over its whole life to achieve an optimum solution to the business opportunity at hand

A framework for optimizing the functions of engineers working in the SA didactic market

Abstract: Didactic Solutions Engineers are those engineers who are involved in providing sales, marketing, training, and customer solutions of learning systems in an organization. These complexities attached to the nature of Didactic Solutions Engineering functions within an organization often create a sense of exhaustion, thus reducing productivity and efficiency. Applying knowledge of systems engineering methods and tools with systems thinking have been used effectively to optimize complex problems. This paper discusses using these methodologies in developing a framework for optimizing the function of a Solutions Engineer in the didactic market with specific application to Festo South Africa (SA)