Alessandro Bertoni

Knowledge-Sharing Network for Product-Service System Development: Is it atypical?

The move towards offering Product-Service Systems (PSS) requires the involvement of stakeholders from different companies, possessing knowledge about the different product lifecycle phases. This setting poses unique challenges for traditional product manufacturers, which need to rearrange transaction-based relationships into long-term relationships of co-development. Knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries is, therefore, considered as a key enabler for the development of profitable PSS. The paper is based on a social network tie perspective, and its purpose is to describe and exemplify knowledge-sharing network for PSS development—in order to describe the impact of the shift toward PSS development on companies’ relationships and responsibilities. Based on the findings from two research projects involving various partners from the aerospace industry, the paper concludes that the development of profitable PSS relies on the development of strong and weak ties across the supply network. Finally, a five stages model of the evolution of tie strength is proposed for classifying relationships within the PSS knowledge-sharing network.

Communicating the Value of PSS Design Alternatives using Color-Coded CAD Models

The paper proposes an approach to increase the decision makers’ awareness at the gate, when evaluating PSS design alternatives from a lifecycle and value oriented perspective. The paper illustrates a lightweight value visualization tool, running on top of existing CAD systems, supporting value visualization of a given part or assembly, thanks to color coding. Information from value assessment is in this way translated into visual features of the CAD 3D model. Despite the approach is still on a start-up phase, an early mock-up of the tool has been developed and applied to a real aircraft engine component, in order to verify the feasibility of the approach.

Performance measurement framework for product-service systems development: a balanced scorecard approach

The paper proposes a framework for analysing the performances of product-service systems (PSSs) development processes using a balanced scorecard (BSC) as an instrument to guide the implementation and the evaluation of new methods and tools. Emerging from a case study in the aerospace industry, the paper discusses the main challenges in PSS development and proposes a performance measurement framework for PSS development based on multi-criteria indicators. Finally, the benefits of a framework for PSS development performance measurement are discussed.

Using 3D CAD models for value visualization : an approach with SIEMENS NX HD3D Visual Reporting

Recent literature in Systems Engineering has suggested the use of “value” to drive decision-making activities during preliminary design, in particular when choosing technologies and components for a complex system. However, to correctly evaluate design trade-offs, a visual link has to be established between the results of the value model and a product shape/geometry. This paper proposes the use of color-coded 3D CAD models to support the visualization of value analysis results in a Stage-Gate® process. The approach has been developed and exemplified within a case study related to the design of an aero-engine component, and has been demonstrated using SIEMENS NX HD3D Visual Reporting. The results of verification activities conducted in a laboratory setting show that the use of color-coded 3D CAD models increases the decision makers’ awareness of value-related information in a Stage-Gate process.

Assessing the Value of Sub-System Technologies including Life Cycle Alternatives

Emerging from an industrial case study in the aerospace industry, the paper proposes an approach to evaluate subsystem technology concepts from a life cycle perspective. The approach is composed by 5 main phases that aims to drive product designers towards more value-oriented design decisions. It is shown how different life cycle alternatives, such as the selling of a Product-Service-System instead of a traditional product, deeply impact the value of design alternatives. The described approach has been developed in collaboration with industrial partners and represents a potential instrument to enhance value-driven product design.

Assessing the Value of Product Service Systems Alternatives

The paper proposes a conceptual framework, linking value-oriented criteria, simulation approaches and knowledge sources, to support the value-driven assessment of Product/Service Systems in the pre ...

Knowledge-enabled Engineering

Knowledge Enabled Engineering Practices for engineering knowledge management are changing to meet higher demands on cross-functional knowledge sharing, particularly evident when targeting the developm...

Effectiveness of Color-Coded CAD Models Value Visualization in PSS Conceptual Design

The paper presents the results of testing activities aiming to verify the effectiveness of an approach that uses color-coded 3D CAD models to visualize value in the conceptual design stage of PSS. The paper describes setting and findings of a series of PSS Design Experiments involving 8 design teams composed by students participating to the Master Programme in Product Development. Through the application of protocol analysis to the recorded design sessions, the paper compares the behavior of those teams using color-coded CAD models, against those using color-coded numerical tables. The design teams using color-coded models have been found to dedicate significantly more time in the analysis of the value information provided, and to follow a more structured approach in problem analysis and solving.