Dr.G.M.SWAMY JSSATE Bangalore

1. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT
MODULE-2
PRODUCT DESIGN
Prepared By
Prof.G.M.Swamy
Department of Mechanical Engineering
JSS Academy of Technical Education
Bangalore-560060
Mob:9739125899
E Mail : gmswamyjssateb@gmail.com

2. MODULE – 2
Product Design
Introduction to Product Design:
 Every product that is manufactured is supposed to have
distinguishing physical characteristics, which makes it
attractive and provides usefulness and value customer;
these characteristics are known as a design, and the
process employed in this regard is known as Product
design.
 Product design refers to those activities involved in
creating the styling, look and feel of the product deciding
on the product’ s mechanical architecture, selecting
materials and process, and engineering the various
components necessary to create and make the product
work.

3.  Product design clearly defines the problem, develops a
proper solution for that problem and validates the solution
with real users.
 Product design engineers work on concepts and ideas,
eventually turning them into tangible* products and
invention.
 Product design is a cross – functional, knowledge –
intensive work, and increasingly complex process.
However, in today’s technological driven era, the process
is supported by the evolving digital tools and techniques
that reduce the involvement of a large team and help
visualize a product in great deal before it is created.
 However the success of a product still depends on its
proper design.
 There are certain objectives or requirements to be satisfied
for a good product design. The same are listed as follows.

4. Objectives / Requirements for a good product design
1) Satisfy customer needs and expectation, and maximize the value for the
customer at minimum cost.
2) Product must be designed to be functional, attractive, have acceptable
dimensions, and easy to maintain.
3) Product design should enable cost effective production of product through
available production methods and materials.
4) Should satisfy the quality standards of the end product.
5) must enhance the revenues and competitiveness of the organization in the
market.
6) Should satisfy the guidelines set by government and other regulatory bodies.
 A tangible product is a physical object that can be perceived by touch such
as building, vehicle, or gadget. On the other hand, an intangible product is a
product that can only be perceived indirectly, like a service, experience, or
belief. An insurance policy, JPG and MP3 files, mobile apps, etc., are
examples of intangible products.
7) Must be due importance for product recycling, especially avoiding exotic
materials that are difficult to recycle, and also designing with parts that can be
refurbished and reused.
Product design drives organizational success because it directly and significantly
impacts nearly all of the critical determinants for success. A few benefits of a
good product design are listed as listed as follows:

5. Benefits of good product design
1) Attracts more customers thereby giving an
organization a credit well above other
competition.
2) Makes a business grow by enhancing
profitability and turnover, because it transforms
the needs of customers into the desired shape
and value of the product demanded.
3) Becomes important in replacing obsolete design.
4) Assure reliability with proven performance of
product over the period of its life span.

6. 5) Makes customers comfortable and easy to us. Good design satisfies
customers, and communicates the purpose of the product to its
market.
6) Assured quality of product with guaranteed customer satisfaction.
7) Leads to standardization of processes, product, & its components
leading to interchangeability & better service.
8) Avoids product redesign there by reducing the time, costs, & labor
involved in redesign process.
Note: The term Product design must not be confused with Product
development. In many instances, both the terms are defined to mean
the same & hence used interchangeably. Product development
typically refers to all the activities involved in developing a product
or service, right from its conceptual stage to its introduction to
market. While product design as stated above is just the process of
designing a product with predefined characteristics. It is part of the
product development cycle. .

7. Engineering Design:
Engineering design is a discipline, which makes
& alters ideas as well as concepts into the product
that fulfills all the requirements of a customer.
Engineer involving in engineering design
combine science, technology, and creativity to
develop products. The various steps involved in
engineering design are briefed as follows :
1) Identifying the design needs
The process in the first step usually contains a
listing of the product function and the customer
requirements and expectations about the product
features.

8. 2) Conducting research:
In order to find an engineering design solution,
there is a need/problem. People from diverse
backgrounds and expertise assist design
engineers is researching and assess the existing
products or solutions and identify the adaptable
technologies catering to the present needs.
3) Select a solution
Of all the possible solutions, choose the solution
that best meets the requirements of the product
or customer, and easier for modeling a prototype
using CAD/CAE software.

9. 4) Brainstorm & Plan:
Since design engineering is a mix of science
and creativity, there can be more than one
solution to create a product. Brainstorming
the possible solutions with a team of experts
play a vital role in the engineering design
process. Imaging the best possible solutions
and selecting the most promising one helps
deliver the expected outcomes. Plan
according to gather all vital inputs and step up
to the next course of action.

10. 5) Build a prototype:
Creating a physical or virtual model (prototype) helps
companies validate the product functioning, fit, form
and ergonomics. This further helps to enhance product
design performance. The advent of CAD software has
made prototype easier.
6) Test & Evaluate: Testing & evaluating the prototype
on a given criterion is a key step in the engineering
design process. Identifying the flaws at this stage
helps to rectify them & eliminate the quality
compromising elements from the design.
7) Redesign to improve: Redesign involves repeating the
above steps to execute the deliverable outcome in
order to match the expectations in terms of design &
quality while adhering to other project goals. The end
result is a satisfactory engineering design solution.

11. PRODUCT DESIGN PROCESS:
The design process is a series of steps, which different
companies focus on different steps. While it is
impossible to provide a universal design process that
fits all products, it is still possible to describe a general
flow for designing new products. This flow includes the
following steps.
1) Concept generation:
The concept behind the product design is developed based
on the ideas and requirements of the product
concluded from the customers and potential market.
Different concepts related to the product shape, size,
functional requirements and other characteristics are
developed. The idea required to develop a concept is
usually tied with Research & Development team &
lies out of scope of the product designer.

12.  A prototype is a physical model of an idea
that enables to experiment and test it before
building the full solution.
* A product concept is an approximate
description of the technology, working
principles & form of the product. It is a concise
description of how the product will satisfy the
customer needs, It is usually expressed in the
form of sketches or a rough 3D model
accompanied with necessary details.

13. 2) Concepts Screening:
3)Feasibility Study:
4) Preliminary Design:
5) Design Evaluation & Improvement:
6)Building proto type:
7)Executing final design:

14. ORGANIZATION & DECOMPOSITION IN PRODUCT DESIGN
Product design is a complex process involving
various activities with series of steps & people
involved in it. These arises a need to structure
or organize various activities in order to
streamline the process & also break or
decompose complex activities in to simple
executable sub tasks that can be handled more
easily. The present section deals with
organization & decomposition in product
design process.

15. 1) Organizing Product Design:
Product design begins with defining the functional
requirements that satisfy a given set of needs, & ends
up with the creation of the physical object satisfying
these requirements. The process involved various
activities & iteration of activities to satisfy the needs &
expectations of the desired product. In view of the
complexity in the design process, there is a need for
structuring or organizing the activities & orienting the
decision making during the design process.
The sequence of activities is conceived in such way that
the product design proceeds from the abstract to the
concrete . In this way, it is possible to initially operate
in a solution space as vast as possible,& subsequently
make the process streamline & converge towards a
concrete, achievable solution. The various activities of
product design are grouped & organized accordingly
into six stages as illustrated in the below figure.

16. ORGANIZING PRODUCT DESIGN PROCESS

17. 2) Decomposition in Product design:
In the design of a complex product, it becomes necessary to divide ( break) the
design problem (task) into smaller sub problems (tasks) which can be
handled more easily & later combine or integrate all the designs to arrive at
the final solution.
For example as shown in the below figure, the design of a product like a
bicycle can be thought of as a collection of more focused design problems,
including, for example, the design of bicycle frame, seat, wheel, brakes &
so on. Dividing the design problem of a product into simpler sub-problems
is called decomposition of product design.
Development teams are assigned to each design problem which may represent
a component or sub system of the larger system. Each sub problem can be
further divided in to even simpler sub tasks, & the division process can be
repeated until the team members agree that each sub task is simple enough
to work with. Once decomposition is complete, the team chooses the sub
problems that are most critical to the success of the product & that are most
likely to benefit from novel or creative solutions. Such a study of individual
design tasks can be an effective approach to the analysis of alternative
design strategies & ultimately leading to an improvement of the overall
design process & in turn, the success of the product creation.

18. Decomposition of a bicycle in physical domain

19. Note: It is worth mentioning here that the approach to the decomposition of the design
process appears to conflict with the principle of the integration of activities. There must
be an approach to design that brings together the design solution of sub problems which
are considered separately. Below fig. shows the relationship of problem decomposition
& system integration. Since one important level of integration takes place with each
development team, there is a need for the many sub problem development teams to
work together. The decomposition-integration of the design process activities must
there fore be appropriately balanced in relation to the objectives, typology &
complexity of the design problem.
Decomposition and integration

20. Methodical Evolution in Product Design:
 Traditional product design & development process involves
a well structured ,sequential step by step process, with each
step required to be completed before subsequent steps
could begin.
 For example: Production, assembly & packaging
departments start functioning only after the design is
completed. The various issues concerned with these
departments are not defined & addressed, & left for related
departments to solve.
 Many product design are not defined & addressed,& left for
related departments to solve. Many product design changes
are initiated during these stages.
 The increased complexity & challenges in designing
products & production systems due to move changeable
customer demands, frequent product updates, plan for the
sequential structure of the design & development process. It
is in fact typically limited by two types of disadvantages.

21. 1) Prolonged development times due to sequential nature
of the different functions.
2) Limited capacity for product improvement because of
the poor communication between the various functions
& the consequently reduced & fragmentary information
flow.
The rigid sequential structure in traditional product design
is thus supplemented by two new methodological
contexts providing for simultaneous & closely
interactive design actions of analysis & synthesis,
regarding all phases of product development. The two
approaches in this regard are:
1) Concurrent engineering ( Simultaneous or Integrated
or life cycle engineering)
2) Design for X (DFX)

22. (1). Concurrent Engineering:
CE commonly known as simultaneous engineering , is a method of designing & developing products, in
which different stages run simultaneously or work at the same time (concurrently), rather than
sequentially.
CE aims at a full harmonization between the increase in product quality and reduction in development
times & costs through a structuring of product development that involves a large design team
conducting simultaneous & interconnected analysis & synthesis actions, inn relation to all the phases
of development.
For example, Production engineers need not wait until the design work is completed, instead they can
work in parallel suggesting changes for cost effective & simpler production methods & steps for
efficient design. A tolerance problem that is caught before any parts are made is much easier & less
expensive to fix the problem that is found during the assembly stage.
Problems are identified & solved as early as possible in the design process there by reducing the cost &
time involved in product development. The below figure shows the impact of early decisions on
product design on the final cost of a product than do decisions made later in the design process.
The foundations of concurrent engineering are frequently represented by several essential principles,
summarized in the following points.
 Highlighting the role of production process planning and its influence on the decisions of the product
design process
 Emphasizing the multidisciplinary dimensions of the design team engaged in the product
development process.
 Paying greater attention to customer demands & satisfaction
 Considering the reduction of development times & of time to market as factors of product success &
competitiveness.
For these reason, CE can be considered an evolution of product development practice based on the
criterion of efficiency, it can be seen as a summary of best practice in product development, rather
than the adoption of a radical new set of ideas.

23. Cost impact of making a design decision as a function of the stage in the design process

24. Characteristics of concurrent engineering:
Advantages:
 Reduces product design & development time, limits
product redesign, there by allowing products to reach
customers in less time & at less cost.
 Enhances productivity through every discovery of
design related problems, which can be rectified soon,
rather than at a latter stage in the development process.
 The reduction in time to market helps companies gain
advantage over their competitors.
 Facilitates rapid response to fast – changing consumer
demands.
 Improves product quality through enhanced design &
manufacturing.
 Facilitates team work.

25. Limitations:
CE can be effective if all the design activities
are performed in a parallel manner & the
making among different groups are integrated.
The concept requires effective collaboration &
communication among the team members.
Requires effective computer system for data
transfer and organizational integration.
A minor mistake in any stage can impact all
the stages/teams working with the product.

26. Design for X system
Design for X refers to Design for excellence (DFX): A new
methodological approach in product design, where design
has the ability to strongly influence the products
performance in every phase of the product life cycle.
The word Excellence must not be interpreted in terms of
performance or quality or reliability or durability alone,
instead, depicted in terms of manufacturing, cost
assembly, or any other varying characteristics related to
the product. For this reason, the term DFX is better
thought of as Design for X, where X refers to the variable
aspect of design which is being focused.
For Example, the variable for X may include: Design for
manufacturability(DFM), Design for assembly(DFA),
Design for logistics(DFL), & so on.
All these DFX techniques (or tools) have in common the
aim to integrate the requirements of the technical area X
in to the conceptual design phase of the product.

27. Design for X aims to include the early consideration of desired issues
in product development, covering both design goals & constraints.
While design goals are targets to be met, such as low cost, quality,
efficiency & productivity, constraints on the other hand, are issuied
such as , capability of manufacturing equipments, material & market
aspects. In practice, design for X is often formalized as guidelines
that tell how the designer should accomplish the product design. The
guidelines serves as input to the design process in the form of a set
of constraints, & propose an approach& corresponding methods that
may help to generate & apply technical knowledge to control,
improve, or even invent particular characteristics of a product. In
some cases, the guidelines provide unique information that increases
awareness of specific desirable design characteristics. Guidelines
serves for the best & efficient practices during the design stage,
benefiting the subsequent are not adhere during the design stage, it
can lead to certain changes during the later stages of product
development, which can be highly expensive or causing project
delays & cost overruns.
The first DFX type approaches originated from the 1980’s. when
design for assembly (DFA) & DFM were introduced. Since then
DFX has expanded into new application areas, & in 1990’s
environmental issues gathered attention. Currently DFX concept
aims to cover the entire product life cycle. A few common DFX
techniques ( tools) in the below table.

28. Table: Description of a few DFX techniques ( tools)

29. Common guidelines to be followed during design for
manufacturing & assembly:
a) Simplify the design & reduce the number of parts because for each part, there is an opportunity for a defective part & an
assembly error.
b) Standardize & use common parts & materials to facilitates design activities , to minimize the amount of inventory in the
system, & to standardize handling & assembly operations. Common parts will result in lower inventories, reduced costs
& higher quality.
c) Design for ease of fabrication: by selecting processes compatible with the materials & production volumes. Also select
materials compatible with production process & that minimize proceeding time while meeting functional requirements.
d) Design within process capabilities & avoid unneeded surface finish requirements.
e) Mistake-proof product design & assembly (Poke-Yoke) so that the assembly process is unambiguous. Components should
be designed so that they can be only be assembled in one way, they cannot be reversed.
f) Design for part orientation & handling : to minimize non-value-added manual effort & ambiguity in orienting & merging
parts.
g) Minimize flexible parts: such as belts, gaskets, tubing, cables & wire harnesses to avoid material handling & assembly to
be difficult & susceptible to damage.
h) Design for ease of assembly: by utilizing simple patterns of movement & minimizing the axes of assembly. Complex
orientation & assembly movements in various should be avoided.
i) Design for efficient joining & fastening: by considering integral attachment methods (snap it) than threaded fasteners,
which are time consuming to assemble & difficult to automate.
j) Design modular products :to facilitate assembly with building block components & sub assemblies. This modular or
building block design should minimize the number of part or assembly variants early in the manufacturing process while
allowing for greater product variant late in the process during final assembly. This approach minimizes the total number
of items to be manufactured, there by reducing inventory & improving quality.
k) Design for automated production: that involved less flexible than manual production.
l) Design for ease of inspection: by incorporating simple part features that can be inspected with the readily available
instruments.
m) Design simple parts with basic features: so that complex processes are not required to produce it, & also not too much
material is wasted. This reduces the final cost of the product.
n) Design for environment: by selecting materials & processes so that the end product does not have any negative impact on
the environment.

30. The below table presents the differences between traditional engineering
design & modern design with DFX:
Table :Traditional Engineering design v/s Design with DFX

31. Design central development model:
The need reducing cost & product development
times have given way for different design
methodologies ,one such evolution of the
structure of design & development process is
formational a sequential to a concurrent
model as discussed in previous section.
Another structure tending towards the concurrent
model while partly maintaining the sequential
dimension of some phases, and giving particular
emphasis to the vast range of requisites
demanded for the product in relation to the
various phases of the life cycle, is the design-
centered approach.

32. In the design –centered model as shown in the below
figure , the design methodology dictates that there is a
higher level of design analysis required at the front end
of the process. This does not necessarily involve the
participation of members of other departments, but
consideration of their requirements is embedded in the
activities with in detailed design. Hence , downstream
design changes are minimized.
For Example: the production process here still takes place
after the detail design has been completed & , overall,
the process is still predominantly sequential. however
there is a higher level of confidence in the design
information, which is still batched & passed to the next
stage of the process. The design centered model thus
demonstrates the front end fixing of the design through
the use of design for life cycle tools & techniques.

33. In the design centered model, the central piece of information is
the original detailed design which may be in the form of 2D / 3D
CAD models & remains so throughout the development cycle,
acting as the master to which all processes have to comply.
Fig: Design –centered model

34. The required tools & technologies here are centered around
various analysis tools ( computational & analytical)
such as Finite element analysis-FEA, Design for
manufacturing-DFM, Design for assembly-DFA, Design for
environment-DFE & Life cycle costing(LCC),etc.
The central controlled product data is an ideal form of
controlling design release issues which is easily facilitated
by state of the art CAD / computer aided manufacturing.
The change control process is the same as the sequential
model, in that the master model requires modification to
enable engineering change or occur. The premise of design
centered product definition is that at each stage, risk is
minimized before release. The design centered approach is
employed particularly by automotive & aerospace
companies with the driving forces being predominantly
based on quality & cost of product development.

35. Strategies for recovery at end of product life:
Every product after being used, reaches the phase of retirement. At the end of
the products useful life, there are various opportunities for exploiting the
resources used in its production. the functionalities of the entire product or
some of its parts can be recovered & re-employed for the same task or other
tasks, or its original functionality can be restored & product used as
through new. The ultimate goal of product recovery is to retrieve a products
inherent value, when the product no longer fulfills the users desired needs.
Product recovery is a major contribution for implementing sustainable business
practices that can result in savings of energy, possible emissions & costs
relative to the process of producing the parts & in the volumes of virgin
materials.
Many companies implement product recovery management or waste
management programs to recover products and / or its components, thereby
eliminating waste & increasing profits.
The strategies to be followed for the recovery of resources at the products end
of life can be grouped based on different recovery levels as listed below:

36. (1) Re-Use: This refers to the process of dis-assembling
products to recover useable parts & assemblies for the
purpose of utilizing them in newly manufactured
products. Components that have not undergone
excessive deterioration during use & which guarantees
the functional standards & optimum working
conditions, can be recovered as components for re
assembly.
(2) Re manufacturing: It refers to returning a used
product, via a manufacturing type or intermediate
process, to at least its original performance /
specifications with a warranty that is equivalent or
better than that of the newly manufactured product. It
is process of recaptured the value added to the
material when a product was first manufactured.

37. 3) Reconditioning or Refurbishing: It is the process of
returning a used product to a satisfactory working
condition that may be inferior to the original
specification. Generally, the resultant product has a
warranty that is less than that of a newly manufactured
equipment.
4) Recycling: It refers to the process by which product
materials destined for disposal are collected, processed,
and manufactured into new products. The materials of
parts that cannot be reused,& composed of recyclable
& compatible materials can be recycled by the recovery
processes include in the materials own life cycle, or
they can be treated & used external production cycle to
manufacture products with less stringent material
property requirements.

38. Factors Promoting Product Recovery:
The primary reason for the increasing interest towards
product recovery are briefed as follows:
1) Increasing environmental consciousness of society
& pressure from NGO’s ( Non Govt. Organization),
consumers, business partners & suppliers.
2) Increasing No. of environment regulations &
legislations.
3) Minimize the amount of waste sent to landfills or
disposal there by preventing environment pollution.
4) Possible savings in energy consumption & costs,
which in turn add profit to the company.
5) Organizations own social responsibility, principles
&targets that add value to themselves.

39. Product Recycling:
Recycling refers to the process by which product materials destined for
disposal are collected. Processed & remanufactured in to new
products.
The process aims to recover the new materials from used products in
order to conserve the value of the raw material. Recycling has been
the most prevalent strategy for waste management in many sectors
of most industrial countries for years.
The various benefits of product recycling are listed below:
1) Recycling saves energy: Making products from recycling materials
result in energy saving, because more energy is required to extract,
refine, transport & process raw materials to the desired shape, size
& finish. This also means that more time & costs are involved for
making products with raw materials. Overall recycling saves
energy, time & money in making products.
2) Recycling saves natural resources: It helps in conserving natural
resources by minimizing the extraction of fresh, raw materials
from the earth through mining the forestry. Recycling helps
reserves important raw materials & protects natural habitats for the
future.

40. 3) Recycling helps protect environment: Recycling reduces
the amount of waste sent to landfills & incineration
(waste treatment process) reduces substantial air & water
pollution resulting from extracting raw materials (mining,
quarrying.etc) & reduces greenhouse gas emissions,
thereby protecting the natural environment & sustaining
the planet for future generation.
4) Recycling can generate more revenue: The slight cost
saving from recycling helps to reduce the product cost,
which in turn attracts more customers, generating more
revenues to the company & having an edge over other
competitors.
5) Recycling enhances business reputations: Possibilities
regarding attracting new customers, enhancing changes of
winning contracts & improving customer loyalty by
demonstrating the company's environment responsibility
can be met through recycling effort. Business reputation
can there be enhanced.

41. HUMAN FACTORS IN PRODUCT DESIGN
A product is designed to perform the desired task efficiently,
reliably, and safely in a given environment. However, in
certain instances, the design fails to support the end user
due to faulty interaction between the user and the product.
/The reasons may be due to the following:
1) Unable to user or handle the product correctly
2) Unable to operate the product correctly
3) Difficult to operate the product by people of all ages and
conditions(normal/physically impaired)
4) Difficult to assemble or install the product
5) Difficult to maintain the product correctly, etc.
To reduce the risk of developing malfunctioning or misused
products, companies are incorporating Human Factors
Engineering methods into the product design and
development process. It is worth mentioning herein that,
even the most brilliant engineering design may fail if the
human element is left unsupported.

42. Human factors, commonly referred as Ergonomics is the application of
psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and
design of products, processes, and systems. The goal of human factors
is to reduce human error, and enhance safety and comfort with a
specific focus on the interaction between the human and the product of
interest. This also helps to improve the company’s business’ bottom
line, since intuitive, easy-to-use designs are the product of choice in
today’s highly competitive market place.
A simple example to illustrate the application of ergonomics in product
design is shown in the following figure. The conventional design of
plier as shown in the following diagram is comparatively inferior to that
designed used principles of ergonomics as shown in the following
diagram, because there is need to bend the wrist while holding and
applying force resulting in unnecessary straining the hands. The
ergonomic design is based on studies of the anatomy of the hand, wrist
and arm, in particular how the muscles and tendons operate, and the
study of how people hold and use pliers. Similarly, a sitting chair can
be designed in many ways, Ergonomically designed chairs helps to sit
in the right posture and increase the seating comfortability for long
duration reducing the risk of lower back injuries – a typical problem in
poorly designed chairs.

43. FIGURE: HUMAN FACTORS IN PRODUCT DESIGN

44. Human factors are considered in the early stages of the design cycle. The design
team must consider the following human factors for an efficient product design
and development.
1) Defining all user profiles, environments and requirements. Typical
descriptions for user profiles can include antropometric body measurements,
age levels, visual/audible acuity, and levels of user training/education.
Typical specifications for user environments can include temperature,
humidity, lighting, noise, nearby distractions, and space considerations. User
requirements can be in terms of the manner in which users’ sense and respond
when interacting with all functions of the product. Different types of users
must be involved in the design process.
2) Identifying and defining design the sources of accidents or hazards
connected with the production and usage of the product. Bring the
information accordingly to all the people associated with the product. A set
of instructions/warnings should be clearly indicated in a conveyable manner
so that people working with the product can comprehend and make
appropriate decisions regarding proper use and safety.
3) Adopting an effective design for assembly approach. The human factor
elements include features that make the process easy to assemble/disassemble
of components and the orientation or alignment, and also minimize the need
for maintenance thereby avoiding the need for human factor elements
focused on maintenance activities.

45. 3) Adopting an effective design for assembly approach. The
human factor elements include features that make the process
easy to assemble/disassemble of components and the
orientation or alignment, and also minimize the need for
maintenance thereby avoiding the need for human factor
elements focused on maintenance activities.
4) Considering the workmanship of the product. For example,
the type of finish on the product/component’s surface should
meet the design requirements, yet should also not pose an
obstacle to proper operation or maintenance. The design
must also take care of the workplace needs and the
workman’s comfort levels and safety in ensuring better and
quality products.
5) Standardizing hardware and software if any, specifically for
the use of common user interfaces across buttons, dials,
displays, colors, and related schemes.
6) Design to accommodate people disabilities and physical
diversity. This accounts for the myriad of human
characteristics.

46. MODELING AND SIMULATION IN PRODUCT DESIGN
Modeling and simulation enables product designers to test
whether the design specifications are met, by making use of
virtual prototypes (using computers) rather than conduction
tests on physical prototypes. Building physical prototypes
and conducting experiments on it tends to be costlier and
also time consuming. Use of computers in this regard helps
to build models of the desired product or function and later
simulated using various simulation software to study the
behavior and performance of the product/function under
different conditions. Often later in the cycle, physical
prototyping testing, if need be, may be used to confirm the
simulation results so that product designs can be moved
onto manufacturing. Design engineers are increasingly
turning to simulation early in the design cycle, during
concept development.

47. The various benefits of modeling and simulation in product design are
listed as follows:
1) Significantly shortens the design cycle and reduces the cost of design
by creating and analyzing virtual models, which otherwise would have
been complex with physical prototypes. Reductions in cost and
design cycles are crucial to remain competitive in a world where the
pace at which new consumer products are being developed is ever
increasing day-by-day.
2) Allows evaluating a model to optimize product/system performance,
or to make predictions about a real product/system during the early
stages of design.
3) Provides the designer with immediate feedback on design decisions,
which in turn promises a more comprehensive exploration of design
alternatives and a better performing final design.
4) Helps the design to ensure process and product reliability and quality.
5) Ensures high flexibility in product design and development process.
6) Minimizes the risk of flawed designs, thereby improving design
efficiency.
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48. THANK YOU
*****

49. VTU SEMESTER END EXAM QUESTIONS

50. GOOD LUCK