Kai Lindow

Decision-making support for sustainable product creation

A satisfactory multiobjective design that incorporates physical performance as well as sustainability is necessary from a global environmental protection perspective. For obtaining sustainable lifecycles, decision making in the early phases of the design process, considering multiple sources of uncertainty, is important. Previously, we proposed a preference set-based design (PSD) by Inoue et al. (2010) [16] method, which enables a flexible and robust design under various sources of uncertainty while capturing the designers preference based on his/her knowledge or experience. The present study focuses on a decision-making support for sustainable product creation in the early phases of the design process considering the various design uncertainties. We investigate different officially accepted sustainability indicators and identify the ones that are related to the product development process by considering the physical performance and sustainability of the products concurrently. Thereafter, the proposed method is applied to a multiobjective design problem. This paper discusses the applicability of PSD as a decision-making support method for sustainable development using the design of an alternator as an example.

A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Engineering Design

The paper describes a framework for the implementation of sustainable aspects into engineering design. The focus is on qualifying and enabling engineers in order to develop sustainable products thus a bottom-up approach is presented. The approach describes how the engineer can get aware of sustainable product design. So-called contextual sustainability behaviors are suggested. Since a product cannot meet all sustainable demands at a time, the proposed contextual sustainability areas will help to trade-off the over-constraint design solution space. A case study shows how the contextual sustainability areas are applied to a specific product. Additionally, an IT supported approach is introduced. The framework was developed for research community and is now heading towards industrial testing.

A transdisciplinary perspective on prototyping

New societal challenges influence product development on different levels, from business strategies of companies to engineering activities. For instance, the extension of product centered development to Product-Service Systems including products, services, infrastructure, business models etc. demand specialists of different domains regarding the development of such solutions. Therefore, transdisciplinary team work is not an academic concept, but a necessity in practice. Besides classical challenges regarding team work, transdisciplinary teams have to face differences in the mutual understanding of development concepts, thus, resulting in misunderstandings. The research group Rethinking Prototyping focusses on prototyping processes, in particular by integrating different approaches and analyzing future potential of prototyping. The main idea is to bring different perspectives into collision to learn from each other and develop a common understanding of prototyping. For this purpose a two-day workshop has been conducted, bringing together a group of engineers, architects, interaction designers, media designers etc. Various domain specific design tasks have been analyzed and performed in mixed teams while recording the design process of the group and specific wording of each participant regarding prototyping. This paper describes the research approach and the qualitative results of the study.

Preference Set-Based Design Method for Sustainable Product Creation

The multi-objective satisfactory design including not only physical performances but also sustainable aspects from a global environmental protection perspective is necessary. When it comes to a sustainable life cycle, decision-making at the early phases of design including multiple sources of uncertainties is important. The previous series of our studies had proposed a preference set-based design (PSD) method that enables the flexible and robust design under various sources of uncertainties while capturing designer’s preference. In this paper, different officially-accepted sustainability indicators are investigated and it is identified which indicators are related to the product development process. Thereafter, the proposed method is applied to a multi-objective design problem including technical performances and sustainable issues. This paper discusses the applicability of the PSD approach for sustainable development using the example of an alternator design.

Interplay of styling, design and service performance in developing Product-Service Systems

New innovations are a decisive competitive advantage in todays global markets. Besides technical improvements the extension of classical product centred offerings with services to a provider of individual solution offers tremendous benefits. Furthermore, an exceptional product styling enables emotionally added value. Developing these offerings requires a joint and structured collaboration among the stakeholders, e.g. stylists, designers and engineers, already in the early phases. In practice, this can evoke a number of difficulties due to differences in working processes and philosophies of the different stakeholders. In order to face this challenge, the design process of offering development needs to be investigated. Furthermore, new methods and processes have to be developed. This paper describes an investigation of the different methods in developing a product focusing on stylists and engineers. Additionally, it describes the investigation of the challenges that occur during the development of Product-Service Systems. Based on survey results a new approach is presented which is in turn validated with a use case. Eventually, an integrated offering development process is proposed.

Decision-Making Support for Sustainable Product Development

This research focuses on the conceptual design of a Knowledge-based Engineering (KBE) System. A concept for the KBE System and its requirements are described and an outlook of the KBE structure is provided. The KBE System supports design engineers to better understand the impacts of their design decisions on the entire product/system lifecycle. The following points are addressed: Clarification of the evaluation criteria for sustainability assessment, concept development for the KBE System and establishment of a comprehensive knowledge base.

Approaches for Sustainability Assessment in the Conceptual Design Phase

This paper presents two different approaches to support the development of sustainable products. One approach is management-oriented. A sustainability dashboard has been developed to visualize the impact of different design alternatives on sustainability dimensions as well as the technical performance. The second approach directly assists the designer to narrow the design solution space when taking sustainability demands and technical performances into consideration. Both approaches are demonstrated on the example of a technical product. The paper concludes with a critical evaluation and a comparison of the two approaches.

Industrie 4.0—Digital Redesign of Product Creation and Production in Berlin as an Industrial Location

At the end of 2015, approximately 449 research and implementation projects in Germany were dedicated to the topic of Industrie 4.0. The great challenges, on the one hand, are to transform existing partial solutions, new findings and results into comprehensive and standardized application, while, on the other hand, identifying “white spots” and diligently continuing to research them. This chapter presents innovative Industrie 4.0 projects for the real and digital factory and product management from the Production Technology Center (PTZ) in Berlin, and offers a research map for the allocation of its own activities. A stage model is used to illustrate how the implementation and operationalization of information management required in the future can be mastered. The future-oriented concept of the information factory serves to demonstrate how, with the aid of the digital twin and smart data, gains in the efficiency and effectivity of product creation and production can be achieved.

The Evolution from Hybrid to Blended to Beyond Prototyping

The traditional understanding of prototyping among different disciplines comprises technological and conceptual limits. With respect to user-oriented design of complex products, systems and services, new opportunities are emerging through innovative information, communication and manufacturing technologies. The growing technical complexity and the increasing individualization of products in turn require intelligently designed representations and test environments. In this way, design, production and interaction processes can be optimized for the respective users.

Industrie 4.0 – Digitale Neugestaltung der Produktentstehung und Produktion am Standort Berlin

Ende 2015 konnten bundesweit rund 449 Forschungs- und Umsetzungsprojekte dem Thema Industrie 4.0 zugeordnet werden. Die grosen Herausforderungen bestehen nunmehr einerseits darin, entstandene Partiallosungen, neue Erkenntnisse und Resultate in die flachendeckende und standardisierte Anwendung zu uberfuhren, wahrend anderseits „weise Flecken“ identifiziert und konsequent weiter beforscht werden mussen. Das Kapitel stellt innovative Industrie 4.0 Projekte fur den realen und digitalen Fabrik- und Produktbetrieb aus dem Produktionstechnischen Zentrum (PTZ) in Berlin vor und bietet eine Forschungslandkarte zur Einordnung eigener Aktivitaten an. Anhand eines Stufenmodells wird verdeutlicht wie die Implementierung und Operationalisierung des kunftig notwendigen Informationsmanagements praktisch gelingen kann. Anhand des zukunftsweisenden Konzeptes der Informationsfabrik wird verdeutlicht, wie mittels des Digitalen Zwillings und Smart Data fortan Effizienz- und Effektivitatsgewinne in der Produktentstehung und Produktion realisiert werden.