Tetsuro Adachi

Process templates for product planning and definition

In order to establish the planning and the definition processes to realise products that inspire high perception and favourableness in purchasing agents, we have developed a template for product planning and definition processes. This template includes a strategic analysis, which focuses on the target client, needs analysis, quality function deployment and base/option part optimisation. We have also attempted to apply the template to product planning and definition for the elevator business. We have ensured that the following effective activities can be realised by the proposed methods: (1) Hypothesis planning, such as a purchase decision factor, based on competitiveness analysis and customer value chain (business domain/stakeholders structure) analysis. (2) Hypothesis verification of newly arising needs based on Voice of Customers (VOC) and analysis, including text-data mining. (3) Optimisation of base/option part and variety, based on the results of VOC analysis and evaluation of the cost.

Filtration of crud by powdered ion exchange resin.

The filtration mechanism of powdered ion exchange resin, which is used in BWR power plants, was studied through filtration experiments of two type resins. A filtration model was proposed to calculate the increase in pressure drop of a powdered resin layer by crud filtration.According to observations of the sectional appearance of the powdered resin layer, crud was adsorbed in it, and this amount decreased exponentially with increased depth. This meant that filtration in powdered resin could be evaluated by a conventional model for deep bed filtration. But this model includes no consideration of contraction of the powdered resin layer, because it was developed for a deep bed without contraction.Therefore, the effect of contraction was measured by basic compaction experiments, and a new model was proposed to evaluate this effect by modification of the conventional one. The new model provided calculation results which agreed within 5% of the experimental ones.