Phases of product lifecycle and corresponding technologies Product lifecycle

1 phases of product lifecycle , corresponding technologies

1.1 phase 1: conceive

1.1.1 imagine, specify, plan, innovate


1.2 phase 2: design

1.2.1 describe, define, develop, test, analyze , validate


1.3 phase 3: realize

1.3.1 manufacture, make, build, procure, produce, sell , deliver


1.4 phase 4: service

1.4.1 use, operate, maintain, support, sustain, phase-out, retire, recycle , disposal


1.5 phases: product lifecycle

1.5.1 communicate, manage , collaborate
1.5.2 user skills


1.6 concurrent engineering workflow
1.7 bottom–up design
1.8 top–down design
1.9 both-ends-against-the-middle design
1.10 front loading design , workflow
1.11 design in context

phases of product lifecycle , corresponding technologies

many software solutions have been developed organize , integrate different phases of product’s lifecycle. plm should not seen single software product collection of software tools , working methods integrated address either single stages of lifecycle or connect different tasks or manage whole process. software providers cover whole plm range while others single niche application. applications can span many fields of plm different modules within same data model. overview of fields within plm covered here. should noted simple classifications not fit exactly, many areas overlap , many software products cover more 1 area or not fit 1 category. should not forgotten 1 of main goals of plm collect knowledge can reused other projects , coordinate simultaneous concurrent development of many products. business processes, people , methods as software application solutions. although plm associated engineering tasks involves marketing activities such product portfolio management (ppm), particularly regards new product development (npd). there several life-cycle models in industry consider, rather similar. follows below 1 possible life-cycle model; while emphasizes hardware-oriented products, similar phases describe form of product or service, including non-technical or software-based products:

phase 1: conceive
imagine, specify, plan, innovate

the first stage definition of product requirements based on customer, company, market , regulatory bodies’ viewpoints. specification, product s major technical parameters can defined. in parallel, initial concept design work performed defining aesthetics of product main functional aspects. many different media used these processes, pencil , paper clay models 3d caid computer-aided industrial design software.

in concepts, investment of resources research or analysis-of-options may included in conception phase – e.g. bringing technology level of maturity sufficient move next phase. however, life-cycle engineering iterative. possible doesn t work in phase enough prior phase – perhaps way conception or research. there many examples draw from.

phase 2: design
describe, define, develop, test, analyze , validate

this detailed design , development of product’s form starts, progressing prototype testing, through pilot release full product launch. can involve redesign , ramp improvement existing products planned obsolescence. main tool used design , development cad. can simple 2d drawing / drafting or 3d parametric feature based solid/surface modeling. such software includes technology such hybrid modeling, reverse engineering, kbe (knowledge-based engineering), ndt (nondestructive testing), , assembly construction.

this step covers many engineering disciplines including: mechanical, electrical, electronic, software (embedded), , domain-specific, such architectural, aerospace, automotive, ... along actual creation of geometry there analysis of components , product assemblies. simulation, validation , optimization tasks carried out using cae (computer-aided engineering) software either integrated in cad package or stand-alone. these used perform tasks such as:- stress analysis, fea (finite element analysis); kinematics; computational fluid dynamics (cfd); , mechanical event simulation (mes). caq (computer-aided quality) used tasks such dimensional tolerance (engineering) analysis. task performed @ stage sourcing of bought out components, possibly aid of procurement systems.

phase 3: realize
manufacture, make, build, procure, produce, sell , deliver

once design of product’s components complete, method of manufacturing defined. includes cad tasks such tool design; including creation of cnc machining instructions product’s parts creation of specific tools manufacture parts, using integrated or separate cam (computer-aided manufacturing) software. involve analysis tools process simulation of operations such casting, molding, , die-press forming. once manufacturing method has been identified cpm comes play. involves cape (computer aided production engineering) or cap/capp (computer aided production planning) tools carrying out factory, plant , facility layout , production simulation e.g. press-line simulation, industrial ergonomics, tool selection management. once components manufactured, geometrical form , size can checked against original cad data use of computer-aided inspection equipment , software. parallel engineering tasks, sales product configuration , marketing documentation work take place. include transferring engineering data (geometry , part list data) web based sales configurator , other desktop publishing systems.

phase 4: service
use, operate, maintain, support, sustain, phase-out, retire, recycle , disposal

the final phase of lifecycle involves managing in-service information. can include providing customers , service engineers support , information required repair , maintenance, waste management or recycling. can involve use of tools such maintenance, repair , operations management (mro) software.

there end-of-life every product. whether disposal or destruction of material objects or information, needs considered since may legislated , hence not free ramifications.

all phases: product lifecycle
communicate, manage , collaborate

none of above phases should considered isolated. in reality, project not run sequentially or separated other product development projects, information flowing between different people , systems. major part of plm co-ordination , management of product definition data. includes managing engineering changes , release status of components; configuration product variations; document management; planning project resources timescale , risk assessment.

for these tasks data of graphical, textual , meta nature — such product bills of materials (boms) — needs managed. @ engineering departments level domain of product data management (pdm) software, or @ corporate level enterprise data management (edm) software; such rigid level distinctions may not consistently used, typical see 2 or more data management systems within organization. these systems may linked other corporate systems such scm, crm, , erp. associated these system project management systems project/program planning.

this central role covered numerous collaborative product development tools run throughout whole lifecycle , across organizations. requires many technology tools in areas of conferencing, data sharing , data translation. specialised field referred product visualization includes technologies such dmu (digital mock-up), immersive virtual digital prototyping (virtual reality), , photo-realistic imaging.

user skills

the broad array of solutions make tools used within plm solution-set (e.g., cad, cam, cax...) used dedicated practitioners invested time , effort gain required skills. designers , engineers worked wonders cad systems, manufacturing engineers became highly skilled cam users while analysts, administrators , managers mastered support technologies. however, achieving full advantages of plm requires participation of many people of various skills throughout extended enterprise, each requiring ability access , operate on inputs , output of other participants.

despite increased ease of use of plm tools, cross-training personnel on entire plm tool-set has not proven practical. now, however, advances being made address ease of use participants within plm arena. 1 such advance availability of role specific user interfaces. through tailorable user interfaces (uis), commands presented users appropriate function , expertise.

these techniques include:-

concurrent engineering workflow
industrial design
bottom–up design
top–down design
both-ends-against-the-middle design
front-loading design workflow
design in context
modular design
npd new product development
dfss design 6 sigma
dfma design manufacture / assembly
digital simulation engineering
requirement-driven design
specification-managed validation
configuration management

concurrent engineering workflow

concurrent engineering (british english: simultaneous engineering) workflow that, instead of working sequentially through stages, carries out number of tasks in parallel. example: starting tool design detailed design has started, , before detailed designs of product finished; or starting on detail design solid models before concept design surfaces models complete. although not reduce amount of manpower required project, more changes required due incomplete , changing information, drastically reduce lead times , time market.

feature-based cad systems have many years allowed simultaneous work on 3d solid model , 2d drawing means of 2 separate files, drawing looking @ data in model; when model changes drawing associatively update. cad packages allow associative copying of geometry between files. allows, example, copying of part design files used tooling designer. manufacturing engineer can start work on tools before final design freeze; when design changes size or shape tool geometry update. concurrent engineering has added benefit of providing better , more immediate communication between departments, reducing chance of costly, late design changes. adopts problem prevention method compared problem solving , re-designing method of traditional sequential engineering.

bottom–up design

bottom–up design (cad-centric) occurs definition of 3d models of product starts construction of individual components. these virtually brought in sub-assemblies of more 1 level until full product digitally defined. known review structure shows product like. bom contains of physical (solid) components of product cad system; may (but not always) contain other bulk items required final product (in spite of having definite physical mass , volume) not associated cad geometry such paint, glue, oil, adhesive tape , other materials.

bottom–up design tends focus on capabilities of available real-world physical technology, implementing solutions technology suited to. when these bottom–up solutions have real-world value, bottom–up design can more efficient top–down design. risk of bottom–up design efficiently provides solutions low-value problems. focus of bottom–up design can efficiently technology? rather focus of top–down valuable thing do?

top–down design

top–down design focused on high-level functional requirements, relatively less focus on existing implementation technology. top level spec repeatedly decomposed lower level structures , specifications, until physical implementation layer reached. risk of top–down design may not take advantage of more efficient applications of current physical technology, due excessive layers of lower-level abstraction due following abstraction path not efficiently fit available components e.g. separately specifying sensing, processing, , wireless communications elements though suitable component combines these may available. positive value of top–down design preserves focus on optimum solution requirements.

a part-centric top–down design may eliminate of risks of top–down design. starts layout model, simple 2d sketch defining basic sizes , major defining parameters, may include industrial design elements. geometry associatively copied down next level, represents different subsystems of product. geometry in sub-systems used define more detail in levels below. depending on complexity of product, number of levels of assembly created until basic definition of components can identified, such position , principal dimensions. information associatively copied component files. in these files components detailed; classic bottom–up assembly starts.

the top–down assembly sometime known control structure . if single file used define layout , parameters review structure known skeleton file.

defense engineering traditionally develops product structure top down. system engineering process prescribes functional decomposition of requirements , physical allocation of product structure functions. top down approach have lower levels of product structure developed cad data bottom–up structure or design.

both-ends-against-the-middle design

both-ends-against-the-middle (beatm) design design process endeavors combine best features of top–down design, , bottom–up design 1 process. beatm design process flow may begin emergent technology suggests solutions may have value, or may begin top–down view of important problem needs solution. in either case key attribute of beatm design methodology focus @ both ends of design process flow: top–down view of solution requirements, , bottom–up view of available technology may offer promise of efficient solution. beatm design process proceeds both ends in search of optimum merging somewhere between top–down requirements, , bottom–up efficient implementation. in fashion, beatm has been shown genuinely offer best of both methodologies. indeed of best success stories either top–down or bottom–up have been successful because of intuitive, yet unconscious use of beatm methodology. when employed consciously, beatm offers more powerful advantages.

front loading design , workflow

front loading taking top–down design next stage. complete control structure , review structure, downstream data such drawings, tooling development , cam models, constructed before product has been defined or project kick-off has been authorized. these assemblies of files constitute template family of products can constructed. when decision has been made go new product, parameters of product entered template model , associated data updated. predefined associative models not able predict possibilities , require additional work. main principle lot of experimental/investigative work has been completed. lot of knowledge built these templates reused on new products. require additional resources front can drastically reduce time between project kick-off , launch. such methods require organizational changes, considerable engineering efforts moved offline development departments. can seen analogy creating concept car test new technology future products, in case work directly used next product generation.

design in context

individual components cannot constructed in isolation. cad , caid models of components created within context of or of other components within product being developed. achieved using assembly modelling techniques. geometry of other components can seen , referenced within cad tool being used. other referenced components may or may not have been created using same cad tool, geometry being translated other collaborative product development (cpd) formats. assembly checking such dmu carried out using product visualization software.