Product development projects need to be managed in a timely and efficient manner in the present competitive business environment. The authors of this work argue that the commonly used product development models do not fully meet this demand, and the decision-making process needs to be made explicit. This work mainly focuses on the product development process. Two companies were studied using case study research. The aim of the case study was to identify key factors affecting the decision-making process in product development. The type of collaboration used in these two companies was also investigated in order to identify the influence it had on the decision-making process of each. The two companies had different views of the decision-making process which were related to their level of development process knowledge. Common factors affecting the decision-making process in product development were divided into ten categories: (1) Handling of requirements, (2) Experience of projects, (3) Organizational aspects, (4) Project management, (5) Top management, (6) Knowledge, (7) Risk management, (8) Information systems, (9) Communication, and (10) Change management.
This paper presents the results of a case study aimed at investigating how decisions are made on managing deviations in complex product development projects. The results are based on the analysis of data collected from participant observations, as well as interviews with project managers from seven large manufacturing companies. The data is analysed according to four types of sensemaking processes. This research examines why these processes are used in different situations and further explore their characteristics and at their relationship with the different roles decisions play in organizations. The factors driving controlled and uncontrolled sensemaking are also examined. This research contributes to knowledge of how project managers use different praxes to manage deviations in complex, socially and politically sensitive environments. The results can be used by decision makers within complex product development in order to assist them in managing deviations, proactively as well as reactively.
Many sub-suppliers are interested in closer integration with main suppliers for product development. However, main suppliers have much work that needs to be coordinated, and close integration with suppliers is used only when it is required, and when additional value is created through integration. The main objective of this paper, is therefore, to discuss different supplier roles and increase the understanding of how suppliers can be integrated with the main supplier. The result is based on a case study with one main supplier and nine of its sub-suppliers, where the main supplier develops, assembles, and delivers a complete, complex product to the customer, and the sub-suppliers develop and manufacture sub-systems for the main supplier. The results give new insights into what the sub-suppliers could do in order to improve integration with the main supplier.
Today, an increasing amount of main suppliers are using sub-suppliers to perform different tasks in the product development process. As a result, the knowledge needed to develop a new product is distributed among many actors. Knowledge management is a comprehensive term for providing the right piece of knowledge to the right people at the right time. This paper deals mainly with the question of how knowledge is managed in collaborative product development between main and subsuppliers (system level). The results are based on a case study with one main supplier and ten of their subsuppliers, in which the main suppler develops, assembles, and delivers a whole, complex product to the customer. The study shows that the subsuppliers' knowledge and experiences are not fully utilized in their relationship with the main supplier. Finally, some different ways of working are discussed in the paper's recommendation section, to improve the knowledge exchange between main and sub-suppliers.
In order to develop a well-balanced product, it is necessary to consider not only the customers, but also all the other stakeholders throughout the product's life cycle. A holistic view is needed in order to manage all criteria, considering as many perspectives and interests as possible. This paper presents a model that provides a common understanding for stakeholders involved, together with the requirements, functions and sub-systems of the product being developed. The model supports the decision-making process, and supports the designer to balance the interests of different stakeholders and the related functions. This results in a product developed according to all known demands from various stakeholders. This, in turn, will enhance the possibility of success in the market. The model has been applied in an industrial case study.
There is a strong interest in the scope of human-industrial robot collaboration (HIRC) in manufacturing industry for greater flexibility and productivity. However, HIRC in manufacturing is still in its infancy; industrial practitioners have many apprehensions and uncertainties concerning the system's performance and human operators' safety. Therefore, there is a need for investigations into design processes and methods to make sure the designed HIRC workstations successfully meet design guidelines on system performance, human safety and ergonomics for practical industrial applications. This research proposes a HIRC workstation design process. The novelty of this design process is the methodology to evaluate the HIRC workstation design alternatives by considering both performance and safety characteristics through computer-based simulations. As a proof of concept, the proposed HIRC design process is applied on an industrial manufacturing case from a heavy-vehicle manufacturing company.
Turbine blades have complex geometries with free form surface. Blades have different thickness at the trailing and leading edges as well as sharp bends at the chord-tip shroud junction and sharp fins at the tip shroud. In investment casting of blades, shrinkage at the tip-shroud and cord junction is a common casting problem. Because of high temperature applications, grain structure is also critical in these castings in order to avoid creep. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of different process parameters, such as, shell thickness, insulation and casting temperature on shrinkage porosity and grain size. The test geometry used in this study was a thin-walled air-foil structure which is representative of a typical hot-gas-path rotating turbine component. It was observed that, in thin sections, increased shell thickness helps to increase the feeding distance and thus avoid interdendritic shrinkage. It was also observed that grain size is not significantly affected by shell thickness in thin sections. Slower cooling rate due to the added insulation and steeper thermal gradient at metal mold interface induced by the thicker shell not only helps to avoid shrinkage porosity but also increases fill-ability in thinner sections.
Castability of thin-walled castings is sensitive to variation in casting parameters. Variation in casting parameters can lead to undesired casting conditions which result in defect formation. Variation in rejection rate due to casting defects from one batch to another is a common problem in foundries and the cause of this variation is usually not well understood due to the complexity of the process. In this work, variation in casting parameters resulting from human involvement in the process is investigated. Casting practices of different groups of operators were evaluated and resulting variations in casting parameters were observed and analyzed. The effect of these variations was evaluated by comparing the rejection statistics for each group. In order to minimize process variation, optimized casting practices were implemented by developing specific process instructions for the operators. The significance of variation in casting parameters in terms of their impact on foundry rejections was evaluated by comparing the number of rejected components before and after implementation of optimized casting practices. It was concluded that variation in casting parameters due to differences in casting practices of various groups of operators has significant impact on casting quality. Variation in mould temperature, melt temperature and pouring rate due to differences in handling time and operator practice resulted in varying quality of components between batches. By implementing an optimized standard casting instruction, both quality and process reliability were improved significantly.
Due to the ability to produce net shape parts that maintain tight dimensional tolerances, investment casting has been widely used to manufacture components used in the hot gas path in gas turbines since 1950s.1 In the power generation and aerospace industries, the overall weight reduction of engineering systems is much sought after, especially for turbines. Weight reduction of an engineering system can be achieved by using integrated multifunction components or by reducing component weight either by improving component design or using lightweight materials. Increased demands have been put on investment casting foundries by the turbine industry to produce complex thin-walled components.2 Weight reduction of components is essential to lower fuel consumption and reduce environmental impact.3 Casting of thin-sections is challenging due to premature solidification in thin-walled sections and long feeding distances often resulting in incomplete filling, cold shuts and shrinkage porosity.4 A number of studies have been performed to investigate important aspects of investment casting of thin-walled geometries. Flemings5 demonstrated that superheat and metal head had greater effect on fluidity than melt viscosity and surface tension for thicker sections. Flemings5 also concluded that for thin sections surface tension became important, limiting mold filling. For the nickel base superalloys (IN100 alloy), Chandraseckariah and Seshan6 concluded that the pouring temperature and mold temperature had greater effect on fluidity than other casting variables, such as, vacuum level and shell thickness. In an attempt to address the additional challenges imposed by thin-walled castings, Campbell and Oliff7 established mould filling criteria for thin walled castings. It was shown that at low heat content in a vertical mould set-up fluidity was limited by solidification which they termed flowability, a dynamic aspect, whereas at high heat content of a vertical mould system, fluidity was limited by surface tension which they termed as fillabillity, a static aspect. Campbell8 also performed investigations on the effect of capillary repulsion in thin-section moulds and surface tension on the filling pattern in the mould cavity. It was suggested that the surface oxide films formed during filling were pinned to the mould wall blocking the melt flow, resulting in decreased fluidity. These films also caused cold shuts and other internal defects in castings. Campbell9 established gating design requirements for thin-walled castings by investigating the effect of different gating methods and their effect on fillability in thin-walled castings. Bottom-gating was concluded superior to top-gated systems and bottom-gating reduced the filling instabilities. The prediction by simulation has become a vital step in the development of efficient manufacturing processes. The reliability of simulation is significantly dependent upon material properties, metallurgical models as well as accuracy in defining boundary condition.10 The boundary conditions are influenced by equipment and operation related variations arising from mould handling and melt pouring.11 Other parameters such as the mould filling sequence in casting of multi-cavity moulds are related to cluster design and equipment related limitation in process control tolerances. The degree of variation in critical process parameters is also highly dependent on the degree of automation. The relative importance of these process uncertainties on casting quality is not well understood. Although the physical principles governing fill and solidification are well established,12 it is difficult to account for uncertainties in process parameters when defining boundary conditions for simulations. As concluded in a related study,13 there is a lack of literature available that addresses the effect of variation in process parameters on the accuracy of simulation. This suggests a need for further investigation of how to define boundary conditions that more accurately describe the conditions in the foundry. The aim of this research is to investigate how the uncertainty in variation of foundry parameters can be accounted for when defining initial boundry conditions in order to improve accuracy of simulation. Characterization measurement has been performed on mould and alloy materials to eliminate uncertainties that can potentially be introduced in simulation from inaccurate material data. The discrepancy between experiments and simulations were analyzed and discussed to identify how variation in foundry parameters influence accuracy in simulation of the filling of a thin-walled mould.
The following are errors in the original article. All are corrected as reflected.
Weight reduction of engineering systems, especially for turbines is desirable due to global requirements for lower fuel consumption and emissions. The resulting design modifications by system manufacturers place demands on foundries to be able to cast thin-walled and complex hot-gas-path components with consistent quality and shorter lead times. The ability to cast components in thinner sections can result in overall weight reduction of turbines. Casting of thin-sections is challenging due to faster solidification and is sensitive to variation in critical process parameters in the foundry. The aim of this work is to develop a framework using design of experiments and simulation to develop a robust casting process as an alternative to costly trial and error that are frequently applied. The Distance based response surface method (RSM) is used to make a Design of experiments (DoE). By using a simulation tool that replicates the process conditions, the test iterations were simulated and regression analysis of the shrinkage and misrun values predicted by the model was performed to determine the effect of casting conditions on defect formation. The optimization of the process conditions was done by adjusting ranges and targets for the response and optimal conditions were proposed for casting.
In this research, a novel impact simulation model based on compliant contact force (CCF) modelling approach is presented. This model can simulate the physical impact between non-homogeneous and layered elastic bodies representing the robot and human body parts. The proposed CCF model is intended to be used by the robot designers to execute safety evaluation tasks during the design and development of collaborative robot systems. The main theoretical contribution from this CCF impact model is related to the formulations, which can account for the contact behavior due to the non-homogeneous nature of the impacting bodies. The relevance of the proposed impact simulation is evaluated based on a comparative analysis with other available relevant models from the literature as well as with Finite element based simulation model. Finally, the influence of various robot design parameters on the impact severity is analyzed for different impact scenarios by adopting the proposed CCF model.
The purpose of this research was to investigate the engineering change management process in engineering-to-order projects while comparing the same process in traditional manufacturing. A single-case study at a engineering-to-order – engineering review office was performed and results were analysed in conjuction with literature covering the engineering change process in traditional manufacturing. Engineering-to-order projects and tradional manufacturing are different in many ways but share the need for a reliant engineering change process. This study found that engineering change management post-change analysis could benefit future projects in the form of quantifiable lessons learned from previous project’s engineering change data.
The research presented in this paper aim at identifying research commonalities between shipbuilding, offshore fabrication practices and manufacturing. As part of an exploratory effort a literature review and a case study of two offshore structures projects were performed. Research concerning shipbuilding and offshore fabrication, together with literature from other industries in construction, larger engineering projects and traditional manufacturing was reviewed. The two offshore structures projects were analyzed by means of interviews and complemented by direct observations and document reviews. The study concludes that there are gaps in the research concerned with holistic perspectives on the fabrication and installation phases of shipbuilding and offshore projects. The number of actors involved in any project of this magnitude increase barriers and communication interfaces. The dynamic nature of these types of projects was also observed and the changeability should always be a accounted factor when dealing with projects of this sort. The interviews held as part of the verification of observed phenomena in literature was limited to two projects and a single company and actors perceptions. However the collected data served well in being complementary to the literature review. It could be the task of academia to patch the gaps for overall project success, in the cases where single industry actors simply cannot see the benefit or do not have the recourses to fill them themselves. This study combines findings from traditional manufacturing industries, shipbuilding, offshore structures fabrication and large engineering projects in general.
This research investigates the subject of current shipbuilding practices and two offshore structures projects, focusing on information transfer between project process phases. Large construction projects, as offshore structures, are often subjected to substantial economic and environmental risks. A holistic approach to the project execution could help mitigate some of the problems that yards, engineering firms and marine contractors face today. Research has been conducted into the area of EPC offshore structures projects and the need for predictability, shortened lead times and increased flexibility. The literature study performed as background to this research, shows that there are few studies covering information management between offshore structures project phases. A case study was performed to further explore and enrich the empirical findings. Concluding that information is insufficient between project phases, looking ahead, the question is raised: In what way can information be improved between project phases?
Prior research in the field of offshore platform project execution has mainly focused on early project phases and planning, as a means to increase project reliability for offshore installations. Later phases, however, as fabrication, transport and installation have not been given the same attention. Projects of this kind frequently suffer both large and small deviations and as projects progress deviations accumulate. Deviations then have to be resolved in a timely manner not to impair quality and scheduling of an overall project. Empirical data was gathered from two offshore platform projects in the form of archival data, observations and interviews. The findings revealed that engineering change, as a tool, should preferably be used sparingly in early phases and as necessary in later phases. This research also suggests that engineering change can be organized around change carriers. In this way, it is predicted that the processes of change can become more stable and predictable.
The aim of this research is to present the result from a case study comparing a semi-submersible gravity based hybrid structure and a jacket topside structure for two offshore wind farm converter station projects. The cases are analyzed from a transportation and installation perspective. Converter stations enable the conversion from alternating to direct current, more efficiently bringing generated wind energy to shore. Out of the project process phases e.g. planning, engineering, fabrication, transport, installation and commissioning; transportation and installation are two of the most demanding during offshore platform projects. The weight and size of an offshore platform require specialized equipment, vessels and marine contractors’ expertise to be transported and installed. The risks associated with transportation and installation (T&I) operations are related to health, safety and environment, and T&I operations are also sensitive to any disturbance e.g. accidents and delays. Many interdependencies between disciplines in the project execution process may result in consequential and immediate impact, should an activity not follow the plan and thus the risk of cost overruns increases. In an attempt to circumvent risks related to heavy lifts offshore and consequently mitigate the corresponding risks, a new platform concept has been developed a Norwegian EPC –company and a Swiss converter station manufacturer, a semi-submersible gravity based hybrid, SSGBH. The subjects presented in this paper include the general principles of the SSGBH concept and in what way risk associated with T&I operations are reduced. This paper present the platform concepts, data gathered from interviews, archival data and direct observations. Their pros and cons are presented in an objective way, while concluding that platform concepts of this kind are and should be highly customized, as should the concept selection.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how emergent changes are handled in research and development (R&D) projects. R&D projects' business potential lies in their exploration of the unknown; conversely, this makes them uncertain endeavours, prone to emergent changes. Design/methodology/approach Uses a single-case-study design, based on a projects-as-practice perspective and a soft systems methodology (SSM) analysis, to map how ad hoc R&D teams handle emergent changes, specifically the solution identification and assessment phase and the implementation plan. An R&D project in the power industry, involving over 250 engineers, was analysed. Findings This paper shows how emergent changes are handled differently from initiated changes during the decision-making phase. The system analysis shows that the most critical factors for managing these changes are: collective reflection between project parties; and including experienced engineers in implementation-plan reviews. Practical implications The results are of relevance both to R&D managers aiming to improve team performance and to general project management. Informal notions of emergent changes can be formalised in the change request process. Weaknesses in the project team's organisation are highlighted, and details of how of how to mitigate these are provided. Originality/value Combines engineering-design and project-management research on emergent changes, adding to the former regarding people-organisational and strategic issues. Furthers understanding of the projects-as-practice approach and emergent change (deviations) handling by ad hoc teams in a project environment. SSM has not previously been used to explore aspects of projects-as-practice, and this is a novel way of adding to the body of knowledge on project praxis and practise.
When a change request is raised in an engineering project an ad hoc team often forms to manage the request. Prior research shows that practitioners often view engineering changes in a risk-averse manner. As a project progresses the cost of changes increases. Therefore, avoiding changes is reasonable. However, a risk-averse perspective fails to recognize that changes might harbor discoverable and exploitable opportunities. In this research, we investigated how practitioners of ad hoc teams used practices and praxes aimed at discovering and exploiting opportunities in engineering change requests. A single case study design was employed using change request records and practitioner interviews from an engineering project. 87 engineering change requests were analyzed with regards to change triggers, time-to-decision and rejection rate. In total, 25 opportunities were discovered and then 17 exploited. Three practices and six praxes were identified, used by practitioners to discover and exploit opportunities. Our findings emphasize the importance of the informal structure of ad hoc teams, to aid in opportunity discovery. The informal structure enables cross-hierarchal discussions and draws on the proven experience of the team members. Thus, this research guides project managers and presumptive ad hoc teams in turning engineering changes into successful opportunities.
In this research, we analyze practitioner practices and praxes associated with discovering and exploiting opportunities in project-based change requests. Change requests are the aggregation of engineering changes and are considered in a redesign process. Raising a change request initiates the formation of an ad hoc team to manage it. A single case study design was employed using change request records and practitioner interviews from an engineering project. Additionally, the collected data was used to analyze discovered and exploited opportunities from a projects-as-practice perspective. Prior research on change requests has shown that practitioners often view changes in a risk-averse manner. However, a risk-averse mindset does not encompass opportunities. Our findings emphasize the importance of the informal structure of ad hoc teams, as opposed to formal structures, to aid in opportunity discovery. The informal structure enables cross-hierarchal discussions among team members and draws on the proven experience of the team members. Finally, the dynamic, dual structure of ad hoc teams (engineering and on-site teams) is an essential part of opportunity discovery. Adding to the existing knowledge in the field of engineering change management, we present a framework that supports practitioners in identifying how to turn engineering changes into successful opportunities.
As the demand for customized products increases, manufacturing industries are forced to adapt to rapid changing requirements in product demand by continuously developing new innovative and changeable production systems. In the early phases of production development, there are uncertainty aspects that needs to be managed until freeze of product design and development of a suitable production system. This front end is commonly considered as fuzzy since there is a lack of a structured production development process that supports the uncertain and iterative work that is required to develop feasible production systems in early phases. By identifying these challenges in the fuzzy front end of production development it is possible to inhibit future disturbances in the rest of the process and to increase future production system performance. In the literature, challenges in the latter part of the production development process has been thoroughly examined. However, few empirical investigations have explored the fuzzy front end in production development. The purpose of this study is to investigate challenges in the fuzzy front end of the production development process, focusing on new or comprehensive production system changes. To study these challenges, a multiple case study with 4 cases has been conducted. The empirical investigation consists of 5 semi-structured interviews and 5 participant observations. The findings show multiple challenges closely connected to project pre-conditions and organization structure related factors. Various project uncertainties in this early phase entails challenges to determine valid project objectives, scope and KPIs. Moreover, estimating the right amount of time and resources needed. Complex organization structures may have a significant influence on the way of working resulting in slowness in decision making. Furthermore, various communication challenges are identified which are mainly connected with the incapacity of including all stakeholders early in the development process.