Print this page Applying Modern Manufacturing Processes to Engineering Prototypes
Clint McCann, P.E.
Course Outline
This three hour course begins with a brief examination of modern manufacturing theory and then proceeds to the development of tools that have led companies to their current levels of success. Each new tool is introduced with sufficient detail to enable the reader to comprehend its place and importance in modern production operations. These same tools are then examined in light of their applicability to the special requirements of engineering prototyping operations to see if they can be successfully applied in that realm. As would be expected, some of the tools offer much to improve prototype operations while others have less to offer. Each is presented objectively to allow students to determine applicability to processes in their own fields of endeavor.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills related to engineering prototype operations:
- Historical background for the development of modern manufacturing processes;
- Comparison of full-scale production manufacturing processes and prototype processes;
- Comparison of push-type and pull-type manufacturing processes;
- A review of twelve of the most influential manufacturing process improvement methodologies and tools;
- Application of the tools to the production of engineering prototypes;
- Examples of how the tools can be applied to the prototype stage of new product introduction;
- A quick reference review of the methodologies and their key elements;
- Rationale for applying process improvement strategies during the early stages of product development when small changes can lead to large cost savings over the life of a product;
- Inventory strategies needed to support R&D prototype production; and
- How benchmarking can help make prototype operations more successful.
Intended Audience
This course is recommended for engineers involved with the development, production, testing, or evaluation of engineering prototypes. Although written with manufacturing companies specifically in mind, the principles taught herein may also be applied to the companies which develop prototype products or services other than manufactured items.
Benefit for Attendee
In this course, students will review the tools used by successful companies to optimize manufacturing processes and thus increase their productivity and consequently their profit margins. After a discussion of the importance of these tools to a full production factory setting, the advantages of utilizing the same tools for the production of engineering prototypes will be examined. At the conclusion of this course, students will have been introduced to the realization that tools originally developed to increase productivity of full-blown manufacturing operations can easily be scaled down to provide essentially the same types of improvements in prototype operations at a time in the product development cycle when even small efficiency improvements and cost reductions can equate to very large savings over the life of a product.
Course Introduction
It has also been estimated that as much as 70 to 80 percent of a product’s total lifecycle cost is determined during its design cycle. With so much cost being predetermined before a product ever makes it into production, it is of vital importance that every aspect of the design cycle be examined for improvement opportunities. Of necessity, prototype production involves material procurement and some level of assembly and test effort. This stage of design bears striking similarities to full-scale production operations. The purpose, then, for this course is to examine these similarities and determine if they share enough common ground to allow the exchange of tools and practices between them to help relieve the 70% to 80% cost burden described above.
Course Content
The course content is in the PDF document:
Applying Modern Manufacturing Processes to Engineering Prototypes
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Historical Background
Review of the Tools
Summary
References
Appendix
Course Summary
Modern production and operations management practices have allowed companies to achieve tremendous operational improvements in manufacturing in recent years. This course has identified the pre-production prototype phase of the product lifecycle as an area often overlooked by corporate process improvement champions. As part of the new product introduction process, prototype production represents a significant improvement opportunity for companies seeking to shorten their time to market for new products. This course was designed to review which production and operations methodologies are best suited for application to engineering prototypes and how best to adapt them to meet the rigorous requirements of the new product introduction environment.
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
