SOLAR CAR The University of Johannesburg Solar Car was designed using the ProductOne Creo design program
South Africa must improve its engineering-design capabilities to compete in a globalised world.
The importance of product life-cycle design and the impact of design on all phases of production, supply chain logistics, use, support, decommissioning and redevelopment mean that a good design can improve the functionality of products, which is the core value criterion of any product, says engineering design solutions company ProductOne MD Charles Anderson.
Products are no longer only mechanical, with some electrical components, but are increasingly electronic, connected and smart, thereby enabling companies to use products as platforms to provide functionality for customers, he explains.
“The function of a product is the main value proposition for any user and if South African companies can design products that deliver superior functionality and user experience, then they will be able to compete even against cheaper products from other territories,” he adds.
For example, companies now include remote monitoring functionality for large earthmoving equipment and predictive maintenance services to help ensure that customers do not have to deal with unnecessary downtime, improving the functionality of the equipment and, hence, the value to the customer.
Aerospace, defence and power company Rolls-Royce has moved from selling aircraft engines to selling propulsion as a service. The customer does not have to manage engine purchases and replacement cycles, as the service is based on propulsion delivered, not equipment bought. This shifts the responsibility to Rolls-Royce, while meeting the functional requirements of the user.
When successfully executed, improved customer experience and product functionality will also improve customer loyalty because they will have gained sufficient value from the function of the product.
Anderson states that supply chain efficiency, manufacturing, use, support, improvement, product renewal, end-of-life decommissioning and subsequent product improvement are all affected by the initial design of the product.
“All these criteria should be assessed and addressed during the design stage and this is the core method of improving not only manufacturing and logistics efficiency and product performance but also the ability to meet future requirements, such as software updates that can improve and broaden the functionality of products,” he emphasises.
For example, the use of suppliers in other territories may make commercial sense for companies and the digital nature of modern design means that design, as an increasingly strategic element, can be maintained in house, with the schematics of components sent for manufacturing.
However, such supply-chain-wide strategic considerations must be assessed and addressed during design work.
Further, the growth of smart-enabled products and a network of connected devices, known as the Internet of Things, means that products are increasingly becoming service or function platforms and this is changing manufacturing and design.
“Proper product and service life-cycle design is an increasingly crucial part of the success of a product across its lifetime. The design, manufacture and support of globally competitive products make proper design a core part of making our industrial companies competitive,” concludes Anderson.