Concurrent Engineering:

Formerly: Simultaneous Engineering

Currently: IPPD Integrated Product and Process Development

Definitions:

· Concurrent Engineering is delivering better, cheaper and faster products to the market, by a lean way of working, using multi-disciplinary teams, right first time methods and parallel processing activities to continuously consider all constraints.

Dr. Stephen Evans

The Cranfield CIM Institute

· Concurrent Engineering is a systematic approach to the integrated, concurrent design of products and their related processes, including manufacture and support. This approach is intended to cause the developers, from the outset, to consider all (relevant) elements of the product life cycle from conception through disposal, including quality, costs, schedule, and user requirements.

IDA Report R-338 (1988)

Institute for Defense Analyses

Alexandria, VA, USA

· Concurrent Engineering is a systematic approach to creating a product design that considers all elements of the product life cycle from conception of the design to disposal of the product, and doing so defines the product, its manufacturing processes, and design processes, and all other processes required during the life cycle, such as logistics support. This takes place in a current or simultaneous manner as the product design evolves.

Joan M. Smith

An Introduction to CALS

· In practice, the application of Concurrent Engineering methods means:

· “team building” - breaking down the cultural and organizational barriers between disciplines in the design, manufacture and support processes; a typical aim of this team building is to enable potential manufacturing problems to be addressed and solved at the design stage.

· integration of the systems used by the disciplines involved in these teams.

Julian Fowler, CADDETC

University of Leeds, UK

· Concurrent Engineering is a systematic communication between team members to enable consideration of all important product and process information in a timely manner. This implies structured information management. This in turn implies understanding of the design process and the development of product information.

David G. Ullman

Oregon State University, USA

The Nine Key Features of Concurrent Engineering

(Table 1.3, The Mechanical Design Process, Key to Chapters)

· Focus on the Entire Product Life (Chapter 1)

· Use and Support of Design Teams (Chapters 3 and 5)

· Realization that the Processes are as Important as the Product (Chapters 4 and 5)

· Attention to Planning for Information Centered Tasks (Chapter 5)

· Careful Product Requirements Development (Chapter 6)

· Encouragement of Multiple Concept Generation and Evaluation (Chapters 7 and 8)

· Attention to Designing in Quality During Every Phase of the Design Process (Throughout)

· Concurrent Development of Product and Manufacturing Process (Chapters 9-13)

· Emphasis on Communication of the Right Information to the Right People at the Right Time (Throughout)