Concurrent engineering: evolution and application

Abstract

When a new complex electronic product is being developed, an approach is chosen, either directly or indirectly, to obtain the final design. Once the approach is chosen or implied, it is followed throughout the design and development phase. This is done to ensure that it will meet the specified requirements within the mechanical, electrical, and other environmental constraints. One approach allows all ingredients crucial of a successful product to be considered, such as: design, manufacturing, testing, reliability, human factors, producibility, and cost, as well as customer's needs and satisfaction. This approach-Concurrent Engineering-can be defined as a systematic team approach in which all disciplines participate in the design and development of products and related processes simultaneously to obtain common objectives. This paper delineates the detailed processes and procedures to implement concurrent engineering effectively and makes specific recommendations to obtain the desired results. In the process, it compares concurrent engineering to a symphony orchestra to illustrate the profit to be realized when all of the involved disciplines cooperate to produce the final product.