Platform Lifecycle Support using Set-Based Concurrent Engineering
Doctoral thesis, 2014

Product development companies strive to provide their customers with high quality products, more quickly than their competitors, using as few resources as possible. One way of managing all three aspects at the same time is to reuse old, quality assured designs and knowledge in new products. A common way to do that is to create a platform with designs that are reusable in many different products. Traditionally, research on platforms has focused on finding ways to provide manufacturing with a low number of parts to be able to increase utilization of expensive production equipment. However, reuse of parts does not benefit all businesses, especially those where customer requirements continuously change. To cut development lead-time, other types of reuse are necessary. The use of platforms based on core technologies and re-configurable systems as platform elements may provide the necessary support. They enable reuse on a more abstract level, reusing technologies, requirements and concepts rather than ready designed parts. This thesis elaborates on support for working with the type of platforms that are integrated across the lifecycle of a product. The studies in this thesis show that platform approaches in literature today do not cover the need to support holistic platform development across all stages of a lifecycle. As a solution, configurable system elements are used to model platforms and the links between the lifecycles. The development processes and models may be further infused with set-based concurrent engineering to provide a framework for efficient development. These principles are integrated into the models and the processes to enhance the ability to manage the complex relationships within and between parts of the platform throughout the lifecycle. Further, development platforms may be supported by a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) architecture for engineering-to-order configuration, but it can also serve as a tool to learn about the knowledge gaps that need to be filled to get a product that meets requirements.

platform-based development

configurable components

product lifecycle management

set-based concurrent engineering

product development

Virtual Development Laboratory
Opponent: Professor John Clarkson

Author

Christoffer E Levandowski

Chalmers, Product and Production Development, Product Development

Set-Based Development Using an Integrated Product and Manufacturing System Platform

Concurrent Engineering Research and Applications,; Vol. 22(2014)p. 234-252

Journal article

Using PLM and Trade-Off Curves to Support Set-Based Convergence of Product Platforms

19th International Conference on Engineering Design – ICED 2013,; (2013)

Paper in proceeding

Set-Based Concurrent Engineering for Early Phases in Platform Development

The 21st ISPE International Conference on Concurrent Engineering - CE2014,; (2014)

Paper in proceeding

PLM Architecture for Optimization of Geometrical Interfaces in a Product Platform

Proceedings of the ASME 2011; International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (Volume 2: 31st Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Parts A and B ),; (2011)p. 1237-1244

Paper in proceeding

Set-Based Concurrent Engineering for Preserving Design Bandwidth in Product and Manufacturing System Platforms

ASME 2013 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2013; San Diego, CA; United States; 15 November 2013 through 21 November 2013,; Vol. 12(2014)p. Paper No. 63624-

Paper in proceeding

An Integrated Approach to Technology Platform and Product Platform Development

Concurrent Engineering Research and Applications,; Vol. 21(2013)p. 65-83

Journal article

Platform Strategies from a PLM Perspective - Theory and Practice for the Aerospace Industry

53rd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference 2012; Honolulu, HI; United States; 23 April 2012 through 26 April 2012,; (2012)

Paper in proceeding

The products that surround us are the result of immense efforts by the people working at manufacturing companies. To be able to develop complex products like jet engines, cars and computers, the designers need efficient procedures and appropriate tools. These tools and procedures need to support the everyday work, such as collaborating between different departments, possible spread out across the world. A big challange is to produce a design that is of high quality, yet cheap, that hits the market before the competitor’s product. Traditionally, these three goals are hard to maximize simultaneously. If you want a low cost product, you may have to settle for a low quality solution. However, there are ways of working that makes it possible to manage all three goals. By developing platforms rather than developing single products, it is possible to reuse design knowledge in many products. A platform can be viewed as a box of LEGO where the pieces can be put together to form different products. A more intriguing view is to see the platform as a collection of ideas and solutions to functions requested by the customer. These solutions can then be reused through a family of products. Thereby, each family member does not have to be designed individually. This type of development may be combined with set-based concurrent engineering, which allows the developer to explore many different solutions to a problem while still keeping development time and cost down and the quality high.

The products that surround us are the result of immense efforts by the people working at manufacturing companies. To be able to develop complex products like jet engines, cars and computers, the designers need efficient procedures and appropriate tools. These tools and procedures need to support the everyday work, such as collaborating between different departments, possible spread out across the world. A big challange is to produce a design that is of high quality, yet cheap, that hits the market before the competitor’s product. Traditionally, these three goals are hard to maximize simultaneously. If you want a low cost product, you may have to settle for a low quality solution. However, there are ways of working that makes it possible to manage all three goals. By developing platforms rather than developing single products, it is possible to reuse design knowledge in many products. A platform can be viewed as a box of LEGO where the pieces can be put together to form different products. A more intriguing view is to see the platform as a collection of ideas and solutions to functions requested by the customer. These solutions can then be reused through a family of products. Thereby, each family member does not have to be designed individually. This type of development may be combined with set-based concurrent engineering, which allows the developer to explore many different solutions to a problem while still keeping development time and cost down and the quality high.

Subject Categories

Mechanical Engineering

Areas of Advance

Production

ISBN

978-91-7597-084-4

Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 3765

Virtual Development Laboratory

Opponent: Professor John Clarkson

More information

Created

10/7/2017