Gestione del ciclo di vita

Enrico Vezzetti
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

 Once defined the technical specifications and the values

that have to be reached by the product development it is
necessary to focus the attention on the product
architecture
 In order to generate valid concepts it is necessary to
analyze the problem and decompose it in more simple
problems
 Then the solutions of each sub-problems will be found
involving lead users, experts, patents, technical
literature, competitors solutions
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT problem
decomposition
 Normally the decomposition is supported by the use of a
schematic approach using a black box:

Energy Energy
Hand-Held
Material Material
Nailer
(nails) (driven nails)
Signal Signal

 At this stage it is necessary to describe the functional

elements of the product
 In order to support the creation of the functional
diagram, it is possible to create a functional diagram of
an existing product
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT problem
decomposition – Hand Held Nailer

Energy Store or accept Convert energy to

energy translation energy

Nail Driven
Apply
nails
Store nails Isolate nail translation
energy to nail

Signal
Receive the Activate the
signal tool
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
problem decomposition
 Once obtained the problem decomposition it is
necessary to understand which are the most critical
problems for the product development success
 For instance in the Hand Held Nailer the focus group has
focused its main attention on following problems:
Energy Store, Apply Energy to Nail, Convert Energy to
Translation Energy.
 This choice comes from the idea that the selection of the
technology to employ could influence the shape, nails
management,…
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions
 In order to solve the sub-problems till identified
normally the identifications of possible solutions
happen involving simultaneously an external and an
internal search
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions
 During the product development the first approach is to
find an existing solution for those problems less critical
where no solutions are at present available (it is more
efficient find innovative solutions for more critical
problems).
 Normally it is possible to use an existing solution for one
sub problem and one new for another sub problem
proving an improved product
 When we find existing solution, it means that we have to
found solution of also different products but with similar
sub functions/sub problems
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions
 For identifying existing solutions it is possible to involve
experts, as for instance technicians coming from
companies that produce similar products.
 Normally suppliers are involved directly or it is possible
to ask them for other experts available
 For instance in the nailer example the design group
involved in the design process people working on
electrical engines and gas springs.
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions - PATENTS
 For identifying existing solutions it is possible to work on
patents database, where it is possible to find detailed
drawing and technical specifications and explanation of
how the product works
 It is possible to use Delphion, Dialog, Questel-Orbit,
commercial ones, or free one Esp@cenet. While the
commercial ones allow to implement full text search,
while the free one only on keywords. They have also
alerts functions that send an email if some new about a
specific topic is uploaded. US patent
http://patft.uspto.gov/
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions - PATENTS
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions - PATENTS
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions - PATENTS
 One search made on nailer patent context shows many
interesting concepts: one machine moved by a double
flywheel. This solution store kinetic energy by the use of
the flywheel that immediately converted in translation
energy by the use of a friction clutch
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions - LITERATURE

 It is possible also to find solution in the technical

literature. There are many search engine, sciencedirect,
springer, …. that allow different search typologies
 For instance the nailer group found many papers on
energy storage by the use of batteries and flywheel
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions – SIMILAR PROD

 It is possible also to find, by benchmarking, product with

similar functionalities to the new product. They could be
found in the Thomas register of American
Manufacturers. It is directory of products manufactures
organized by product types
 For the nailer project it has been possible to find a single
shot gunpowder-actuator tool for nailing into concrete,
an electrical solenoid-actuated tracker, a pneumatic
nailer
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions – SIMILAR PROD
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying solutions – SIMILAR PROD
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
internal search – refining process

 While all the steps just cited may part of the EXTERNAL
SEARCH process, that is only an INVESTIGATION process,
it is possible to make internal search.
 Once understood which are the possible solutions it is
necessary to make internal discussion with the support
of sketches
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
internal search – refining process

During the design group meeting it is possible to follow

these suggestion for supporting the concept developments:
Make analogies: asking if exists an analogy in nature,
asking if the problem exists on different dimensional scale, if
there other products that do similar things in different
contexts. For instance: the nailer group understood that the
construction pile drivers are similar to nailers. Following this
idea they develop a multi blow tool.
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions
Another method for solving problem is TRIZ (Theory of
inventive problem solving) based on the conflict matrix 39 x
39 features. Each cell contain an inventive principle that
could solve the conflict

In the Nailer development process was: increasing power

(desirable feature) cause increasing weight (undesirable
feature). Between the inventive principle there is (periodic
action – that means replace continuous action with periodic
as impulse) . For the nailer team employed the solution of
repeating smaller impacts
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions

TRIZ
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions
example Packaging

TRIZ

The engineering parameters in conflict for the container material are ‘‘#32, ease to
manufacture’’ and ‘‘#36, device complexity’’. 51 The feature to improve is the material
eco-compatibility in row #32: ‘‘Ease to manufacture’’ and the undesirable secondary
effect is polylaminate material in column #36, ‘‘Device complexity’’.

The solution could be obtained by dividing the container into two independent parts:
an external paperboard box and an internal bag. The external paperboard guarantees
the required strength for the package handling while the internal bag guarantees the
correct preservation of the content
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions
Example – packaging
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Classification tree
 The classification tree help the design group to analyze
in a systematic way the possible solutions to each sub
problem
 Taking a look of the solutions obtained for the energy
storage problem in the nailer development it is possible
to create an organized list of possible solutions
 It is necessary to build the classification tree for those
more critical sub problems that represent constraints
for the solution of the remaining sub problems (with the
Classification Tree it is possible make the first cut of the
non efficient solutions)
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Systematic exploration

 Once completed the external and internal search it is

possible to have many solutions for solving the problems.
 At this stage it is interesting to combine the solutions
available for solving the different sub problems. For
supporting this step it is possible to use the classification
tree and the combination table
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Identifying sub problems solutions

List of possible
solutions for Nailer
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT problem
decomposition – Hand Held Nailer

Energy Store or accept Convert energy to

energy translation energy

Nail Driven
Apply
nails
Store nails Isolate nail translation
energy to nail

Signal
Receive the Activate the
signal tool
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Classification tree - Nailer
Fuel-Air Systems
Chemical
Explosive System

Pneumatic

Store
energy
Wall Plug

Electrical
Battery

Fuel Cell

Hydraulic
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Classification tree

 For instance in the Nailer the decision about the

typology of energy imposes the selection of the engine
 If we work with the use of electric energy, that is
converted in translation energy, there is a new problem
correlated with the necessity to store translation
energy, before applying it to the nail.

Elect Energy Convert energy to Store translation Apply translation

translation energy energy energy to nail
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Classification tree - Nailer
Rotary Motor with transmission

Linear motor

Convert
energy

Solenoid

Rail Gun
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Classification tree - Nailer

Spring

Accumulate
translation
energy

Moving Mass
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Classification tree - Nailer
Simple Impact

Multiple Impact

Apply
Energy to
Nail

Push Nail
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Combination Table

 As a consequence of the classification tree it is possible

to use the combination table for combining different
possible solutions of each sub problems for defining the
concept
 Starting from one of the more critical problem, for
instance the energy typology in the nailer project, the
combination table show the possible combination of the
correlated sub problems
 For instance if for the nailer the design group decide to
use Electric energy it is ncessary to understand how
accumulate translation energy
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Combination Table
 How apply the energy to the nail
 At this stage it is necessary to understand which
combinations are really possible.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Combination Table
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Combination Table
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Combination Table
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Combination Table