Sebastian Gramlich

Manufacturing Integrated Design

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).The book gives a systematic and detailed description of a new integrated product and process development approach for sheet metal manufacturing. Special attention is given to manufacturing that unites multidisciplinary competences of product design, material science, and production engineering, as well as mathematical optimization and computer based information technology. The case study of integral sheet metal structures is used by the authors to introduce the results related to the recent manufacturing technologies of linear flow splitting, bend splitting, and corresponding integrated process chains for sheet metal structures.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).

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).

Kernmodell zur integrierten Material-, Prozess- und Produktentwicklung

In der Literatur finden sich eine Reihe von Entwicklungsansatzen und Vorgehensmodellen, wobei diese im Speziellen fur den Bereich der Produktentwicklung sehr ausdifferenziert und detailliert beschrieben sind. Hierbei zahlen sicherlich zu den etablierten Ansatzen. Sie fokussieren im Besonderen auf die Realisierung einer gewunschten Produktfunktion.

Vom Material zur ProduktinnovationEine kritische Betrachtung der Innovationskette

Die vorliegende Studie identifiziert Einflussmoglichkeiten und Faktoren fur die erfolgreiche Uberfuhrung vom Material in die Produktinnovation. Bis in die 1990er-Jahre berucksichtigte die Innovationspolitik ein lineares Modell, das unmittelbare Zusammenhange zwischen Grundlagenforschung, Fertigung, Produktentwicklung und Kommerzialisierung annahm. Dagegen zeigen neue Entwicklungen, dass die Innovationskette als ein nichtlinearer, interaktiver und systemischer Prozess zu sehen ist, der intensiver Kommunikation und Zusammenarbeit zwischen allen daran beteiligten Institutionen (Geldgeber, Forschungsinstitutionen, KMUs, etc.) bedarf. Mit detaillierten Analysen von Fallstudien werden in diesem Buch zugrundeliegende „Mechanismen“ zur Abbildung von Wertschopfungs-/Innovationsketten dargestellt. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse sind in einem Modell zur integrierten Material-, Prozess- und Produktentwicklung aggregiert.

Beschreibung und Einordnung ausgewählter Fallstudien

Die grundlegende Idee des vorliegenden Falls befasste sich mit der Entwicklung einer elektrisch sehr gut leitfahigen, bedruckbaren Materialformulierung („Drucktinte“), die auf flexible Substrate aufgebracht werden kann. Somit konnen gunstig herstellbare Komponenten fur tragbare, flexible bedruckte Elektronikanwendungen zuganglich gemacht werden. Die Hauptfragestellung war, eine Alternative fur die sehr gut elektrisch leitfahigen, jedoch sehr teuren Materiallosungen, die auf Au-, Ag- oder Cu-Kolloidsysteme basieren, zu entwickeln.

Grundlagenforschung und angewandte Forschung – ein Balanceakt

Die Frage „Was ist das richtige Verhaltnis zwischen Grundlagenforschung und angewandter Forschung?“ hat leider keine allgemein gultige Antwort. Um sich mit der Frage jedoch beschaftigen zu konnen, sollten die zwei in der Frage vorkommenden Begrifflichkeiten und deren Verknupfung naher erlautert werden.

Einleitung, Motivation und Zielsetzung

Der Weg von einer Entdeckung oder Erfindung als Ergebnis der Grundlagenforschung zu einem kommerziellen Produkt bzw. Prozess ist langwierig und fuhrt nur in bestimmten Fallen und unter bestimmten Umstanden tatsachlich zum (kommerziellen) Erfolg. Die Uberfuhrung von Grundlagenforschungsergebnissen in Produktinnovationen stellt somit einen komplizierten, sequenziellen Prozess dar, der auch „Innovationskette“ genannt wird.

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.