Michael Roos

The Result: A New Design Paradigm

One of the key challenges faced by engineers is finding, concretizing, and optimizing solutions for a specific technical problem in the context of requirements and constraints (Pahl et al. 2007). Depending on the technical problem’s nature, specifically designed products and processes can be its solution with product and processes depending on each other. Although products are usually modeled within the context of their function, consideration of the product’s life cycle processes is also essential for design. Processes of the product’s life cycle concern realization of the product (e.g., manufacturing processes), processes that are realized with the help of the product itself (e.g., use processes) and processes at the end of the product’s life cycle (recycling or disposal). Yet, not just product requirements have to be considered during product development, as requirements regarding product life cycle processes need to be taken into account, too. Provision for manufacturing process requirements plays an important role in realizing the product’s manufacturability, quality, costs, and availability (Chap. 3). Further life cycle demands, such as reliability, durability, robustness, and safety, result in additional product and life cycle process requirements. Consequently, the engineer’s task of finding optimal product and process solutions to solve a technical problem or to fulfill a customer need is characterized by high complexity, which has to be handled appropriately (Chaps. 5 and 6).

Finding the Best: Mathematical Optimization Based on Product and Process Requirements

The challenge of finding the best solution for a given problem plays a central role in many fields and disciplines. In mathematics, best solutions can be found by formulating and solving optimization problems. An optimization problem consists of an objective function, optimization variables, and optimization constraints, all of which define the solution space. Finding the optimal solution within this space means minimizing or maximizing the objective function by finding the optimal variables of the solution. Problems, such as geometry optimization of profiles (Hess and Ulbrich 2012), process control for stringer sheet forming (Backer et al. 2015) and optimization of the production sequence for branched sheet metal products (Gunther and Martin 2006) are solved using mathematical optimization methods (Sects. 5.2 and 5.3). A variety of mathematical optimization methods is comprised within the field of engineering design optimization (EDO) (Roy et al. 2008).

Finding New Opportunities: Technology Push Approach

Realizing the benefits of a manufacturing technology is a key challenge that manufacturing engineers and designers face that exceeds conventional aspects of manufacturability and manufacturing compliant solutions. The goal is to comprehensively utilize manufacturing potential through manufacturing-induced properties to find new opportunities for innovative product and process solutions.

Introduction: Production Technologies and Product Development

Many studies reveal that the development of products and manufacturing technologies are key factors for the success of industrial enterprises (Becheikh et al. 2006). Both development processes aim at the same goal: the creation of products that fulfill customer needs with a minimum of required resources. From the perspective of an enterprise the minimization of resources comes along with a maximization of productivity. According to (Tangen 2005) productivity can be increased by either higher efficiency or higher effectiveness. The first possibility is directed towards cost minimization, and the second towards higher quality, flexibility, and reduced lead time.

The CRC666 Approach: Realizing Optimized Solutions Based on Production Technological Innovation

Finding technical solutions for given problems is one of a designer’s key challenges. The task is especially demanding since the designer tries to find not only one possible solution but also the best possible solution, taking all existing conditions, limitations, and requirements into account (Pahl et al. 2007). There are many product development approaches that support the designer in this. The focus and drivers of the approaches differ: Reduction of complexity (Suh 1998) Integration of product development in company processes (Ehrlenspiel and Meerkamm 2013) Methodical approach based on analysis and synthesis steps (VDI 2221 1993) Cross-domain development of systems with a focus on mechatronic systems (VDI 2206 2004) Sustainable product design (Birkhofer et al. 2012) Effectiveness and efficiency (Lindemann 2009) Flexibility (Lindemann 2009) Cost and time reduction; quality improvement (Eder and Hosnedl 2010) Computer-aided automatization (Weber 2005)

Manufacturing Induced Properties: Determination, Understanding, and Beneficial Use

Based on its procedural principle, every manufacturing technology affects a variety of properties of the workpiece or product in a characteristic way (Sect. 2.3). The sum of all those properties which comprise geometrical as well as material-related ones is considered as manufacturing-induced properties. While the geometric manufacturing-induced properties are often the reason why a specific technology is chosen by the designer for the manufacturing of a certain product, the material-related manufacturing-induced properties are often seen as by-products of the process. With regard to metal forming, all manufacturing processes inherently influence the mechanical properties of the manufactured material. In many cases, these mechanical manufacturing-induced properties are merely regarded in terms of restrictions in product development. However, with respect to a manufacturing-integrated product development approach, the mechanical properties are of special interest, since we aim at utilizing their full potential to maximize the product performance.