SHIVA INGOLE 401

(402045B) PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

(ELECTIVE II)

UNIT 4: REVERSE ENGINEERING

Engineering is the process of designing, manufacturing, assembling, and maintaining products

and systems. There are two types of engineering, forward engineering and reverse engineering.
Forward engineering is the traditional process of moving from high-level abstractions and logical
designs to the physical implementation of a system. In some situations, there may be a physical
part/ product without any technical details, such as drawings, bills-of-material, or without
engineering data. The process of duplicating an existing part, subassembly, or product, without
drawings, documentation, or a computer model is known as reverse engineering.

1. PRODUCT TEARDOWN PROCESS

The process of taking apart a product to understand how it is made and how it works
A product teardown process is a formal approach to learning about and modeling the
functional behavior and physical components of a product.
Primary purposes
A. Dissection and analysis
B. Competitive benchmarking
C. Experience and knowledge
Dissection and Analysis
A. Evaluate the current status of a product
B. Understand the current technology, functions, and components
C. Identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for new products
Competitive Benchmarking
A. Establish a baseline in terms of understanding and representation of the competition
B. The baseline provides a comparison for new conceptual designs.

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2. TEAR DOWN METHOD

A. List the Design Issues
B. Prepare for Teardown
C. Examine Distribution and Installation
D. Disassemble, Measure, and Analyze
E. Create Data Sheets and Models
A. List the Design Issues,
Identify the purpose of the teardown
Determine what models should result from this process
Create a data sheet in which all information can be captured
What are the problems and opportunities that the design team facing?
o New project
o Not all design issues are known
o Investigate the customer requirements and competitors products
Re-design,
o What was difficult?
o What problems were solved?
o What are the related technologies?
Customer needs
Product functionality
Information includes,
o Component names
o Quantity of parts
o Dimensions
o Material
o Weight
o Manufacturing process
o Primary functions
o Cost

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B. Prepare for Teardown,

Gather tools that are needed for:
1. Disassembly
o Screw drivers
2. Process Documentation
o Camera
o Video tape
o Multi-meter
o Flow meter

C. Examine Distribution and

Installation,
How to acquire parts?
How to distribute and market the
product?
How is the product packaged?
What is involved in installation?
Examine consumer installation
instructions
and procedures for costs,
effectiveness, and liability
Take apart the product

D. Disassemble, Measure, and Analyze,

Take pictures of the product

Take pictures of each component and

major assembly

Run, analyze and measure the product

Take measurements to complete data

sheet

Coordinate disassembly with

measurement, experimentation, and
modeling

Be sure that all data models and

pictures are referenced in the data
sheet

Avoid destructive disassembly

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E. Create Data Sheets and Models,

Exploded View,
o Photos documenting product assembly
o Geometric models
Bill of Materials (BOM),
o A written form detailing the products components
o The data collected in BOM are required for analyzes (including cost and performance)
Functional models,
o Focus on what it does not how it does it.
o Demonstrate the products transformation and of materials, information, and energy from
an input state into the desired functions
Force flow diagrams,
o Track the movement of forces through a product
o Provide opportunities for component combinations to improve product

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3. FORCE FLOW DIAGRAM

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4. APPLICATION OF PRODUCT TEARDOWN BASED ON EXAMPLE

Hot melt adhesives are used to close fiberboard boxes and paperboard cartons
Crafts in the home
Assembly of parts in manufacturing
Assembly and repair of foam model aircraft and toys.
Hot melt adhesive is used for disposable diaper construction where it is used to bond
together the nonwoven material with the back sheet and the elastics
Hot glue is also frequently used to affix parts or wires in electronic devices
Heat sometimes allows disassembly: Points of modern arrows, hockey sticks, etc.
5. BENCHMARKING APPROACH AND DETAILED PROCEDURE
Benchmarking is the process of improving performance by continuously identifying,
understanding, and adapting outstanding practices and processes found inside and outside an
organization (company, public organization, University, College, etc.).
It was pioneered by Xerox Corporation in the 1979s, as part of their response to
international competition in the photocopier market, and originated from reverse engineering
of competitors' products. Its scope was then enlarged to include business services and
processes. Xerox now benchmarks nearly 240 performance lements although, when they
started benchmarking several years ago, considerably fewer elements were benchmarked.
Benchmarking of business processes is usually done with top performing companies in
other industry sectors. This is feasible because many business processes are essentially the
same from sector to sector.
Benchmarking focuses on the improvement of any given business process by exploiting
"best practices" rather than merely measuring the best performance. Best practices are the cause
of best performance. Companies studying best practices have the greatest opportunity for
gaining a strategic, operational, and financial advantage.
The systematic discipline of benchmarking is focused on identifying, studying, nalysing,
and adapting best practices and implementing the results. To consistently get the most value
from the benchmarking process, senior management may discover the need for a significant
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culture change. That change, however, unleashes benchmarkings full potential to generate
large paybacks and strategic advantage.
The benchmarking process involves comparing ones firm performance on a set of
measurable parameters of strategic importance against that of firms known to have achieved
best performance on those indicators. Development of benchmarks is an iterative and ongoing
process that is likely to involve sharing information with other organizations working with
them towards an agreeable metrology.
Benchmarking should be looked upon as a tool for improvement within a wider scope of
customer focused improvement activities and should be driven by customer and internal
organization needs. Benchmarking is the practice of being humble enough to admit that
someone else is better at something and wise enough to learn how to match and even surpass
them at it.

Objectives of the Technique

Benchmarking entails gathering information from one organization to beneficially apply
it to another organization. The scope is to improve the processes performed at the recipient
organization by applying efficient work processes (work done by people, equipment and
information systems). It is a valuable Business Engineering Technique and its application not
only identifies innovative work processes but also involves discovering the thinking behind
innovation.
It is a form of comparative analysis. It is necessary to establish some common ground as
the basis for comparison. Usually one identifies one or more functional areas for analysis and
selects one or more metrics as a quantitative basis for comparison. These are then compared
with agreed benchmarks derived from recognized sources of best practice.
Ultimately, two questions need to be answered:
What are the alternatives to our present process?
What are the benefits, costs and risks of the alternatives?
Benchmarking essentially works to the extent that benchmarks can be agreed and suitable
comparators found for which measurements are also available.

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Description of the technique / Methodology / Alternatives

There are five phases for implementation of benchmarking:
A. PLANNING
During this phase the organization determines which process to benchmark and
against what type of organization.
B. ANALYSIS
Following data acquisition, an analysis is performed for the performance gap between
the source organization and the recipient organization. An indication of best practice
is then evident.
C. INTEGRATION
It involves the preparation of the recipient for implementation of actions.
D. ACTION
This is the phase where the actions are implemented within the recipient organization.
E. MATURITY
This involves continuous monitoring of the process and enables continuous learning
and provides input for continuous improvement within the recipient organization.
There are, in general, four types of benchmarking:
1. COMPETITIVE BENCHMARKING
Benchmarking is performed versus competitors and data analysis is done as to what
causes the superior performance of the competitor. It can be, in some respects, easier than other
types of benchmarking and in some respects more difficult. It is easier in the sense that many
exogenic variables affecting company performance may be the same between the source and the
recipient organization, since we are talking about companies of the same sector. On the other
hand it is more difficult because, due to the competitive nature, data recuperation will
not be straightforward. Difficulties of this type may be overcome if the two
organizations have for e.g. different geographical markets.

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2. INTERNAL BENCHMARKING
This process could be applied in organizations having multiple units (for e.g.
multinationals, companies with sale offices around the country, with multiple factory
locations within the same country).
3. PROCESS BENCHMARKING
Here we look at processes, which may be similar, but in different organizations,
producing different products, for e.g. airline industry & hospital industry looking at
the process of catering their clients.

4. GENERIC BENCHMARKING
We would look here at the technological aspects, the implementation and deployment
of technology. How else other organizations do it? Hence the source organizations may be of
same industry or from another industry.
Processes 1, 3 and 4 are all external benchmarking activities. However, locating an
external benchmarking partner and setting up a benchmarking arrangement requires a
significant investment in time and effort. An alternative to external benchmarking might
be intra-company, or internal benchmarking which is less costly in terms of time and
money. Two additional benefits may result from internal benchmarking:
(a) the improvement program will receive wide recognition within the company and
other divisions may benefit and
(b) the team performing benchmarking will be better prepared for pursuing external
benchmarking partners. If there is a high degree of uniformity within the company or
the process in question is already a company wide practice, external benchmarking
may be pursued to identify additional improvements.

Expected results / benefits / pitfalls;

Benchmarking offers the following benefits to companies and organizations:
Highlights areas of practice and performance requiring attention and improvement
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Identifies strengths and weaknesses to other respondents.

Establishes companys true position versus the rest, making thus easier for the company to
raise the organizational energy for change and develop plans for action.
Helps measure current company performance
Prevents reinventing the wheel (Why invest the time and costs when someone else may
have done it already -and often better, cheaper, and faster?)
Accelerates change and restructuring by:
o using tested and proven practices,
o convincing sceptics who can see that it works, and
o overcoming inertia and complacency and creating a sense of urgency when gaps are
revealed
Leads to "outside the box" ideas by looking for ways to improve outside of the industry
Forces organizations to examine present processes, which often leads to improvement
in and of itself
Makes implementation more likely because of involvement of process owners
Enables the identification of other companies and/or organizations with processes resulting
in superior performance, with a view to their adoption.

Implementation cost & time frame

Benchmarking comes at a price. The expenses are related to travel (to visit other
companies), personnel time, the use of the facilitator / consultant and any fee that may be
associated with the participation in on-line access to databases, from the many offered.
However, with careful planning costs can be kept at a minimum.
6. TOOLS USED IN BENCHMARKING-INDENTED ASSEMBLY COST ANALYSIS
This statement describes several key tools and techniques, covering all aspects of
benchmarking.
These are grouped into seven phases, as
Researching and identifying best-inshown in Exhibit 1:
class performance;
Selecting and prioritizing
Analyzing benchmarking data and
benchmarking projects;
identifying enablers;
Organizing benchmarking teams;
Implementing benchmarking study
Documenting own work processes;
recommendations; and
Recalibrating benchmarks.

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7. TREND ANALYSIS

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8. SETTING PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

Specifications, as described in this paper, relate specified tolerances to the expected
performance of a product. Characterizing a sample of products, usually the first products
built just before full-scale production of the product begins, provides an estimate of
expected performance. Characterizing product performance requires a calibration
procedure.
The role of calibration, however, is much larger than characterizing a product to set
specifications. Calibration is necessary for monitoring performance over time, for
interlaboratory comparisons and for estimating product reliability.
Additionally, the measured result from calibration may be used to correct or adjust the
performance and is central when assessing conformance. Therefore, it is necessary that a
products performance be measurable, either directly or indirectly, and the results must be
repeatable and reproducible.

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The product design specification (PDS) is a document created during the problem
definition activity very early in the design process. It details the requirements that must be met
in order for the product or process to be successful. The document lays the groundwork for all
engineering design activities and ensures that all relevant factors are accounted for and all
stakeholders are heard from. A typical PDS includes the following information:
A. Product design & performance issues...
1. Expected product size and weight customer requirement
2. Expected product performance requirements -- the voice of the customer!
Operational requirements.
o Speed (How fast? How slow? How often?)
o Continuous or discontinuous
o Loadings likely encountered
Product power requirements.
Product shelf life.
Product service life.
3. Expected product service environment.
What is the operating temperature range for this product?
What is the operating humidity range for this product?
Subject to shock loading?
Will the product be exposed to dirt or other contaminants (corrosive fluids,
etc.)?
Will there be any anomalies in power/fuel available for this product?
How will the product be treated in service?
What impact will the product have on its environment?
4. Expected product safety requirements.
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Potential sources of product liability litigation.

Potential operator hazards.
Potential manufacturing and assembly hazards.
Potential for misuse/abuse.
5. Expected product reliability standards and requirements.
What level of reliability can we expect for this product?
6. Expected product ergonomic requirements -- customer requirement
Which user/operator features are desirable in this product?
Are there problem areas for users/operators? Can we design around them?
7. Expected product aesthetics -- customer requirement
8. Expected product maintenance requirements.
Can product be maintenance-free?
If routine maintenance is required, can it be done by the owner/operator?
Will professional maintenance be required?
9. Possible off-the-shelf component parts.
Which parts of this product be purchased instead of being made by us?
Is the quality and reliability of purchases parts adequate for this design?
10.Material requirements..
What are the strength requirements?
What are the rigidity/compliance requirements?
Is product weight of importance?
11.Expected product recycling potential and expected disposal
Does the disposal of this product constitute an environmental hazard?
Can parts of this product be effectively recycled by existing processes?
12.Manufacturing process requirements and limitations.
Is protection from the environment necessary?
Is there a customer preference for a particular finish?
How do we minimize environmental impact?
13.Product packaging requirements.
Can we use environmentally friendly packaging and packing materials?
How much packaging and packing materials are really necessary?
14.Applicable codes and standards to be checked.
15.Patents to be checked.
16.Processes to research/benchmark. (Special processes needed for fabrication?)
17.Product part and prototype testing requirements.

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B. Market issues...
1. Potential customer base
Who will buy this product? Why?
Have you listed all potential classes of customers?
Can we tap into a new segment of the market? How?
2. Market constraints on product.
Who is buying this type product? (customer base)
What is currently selling?
What is currently not selling?
3. Expected product competition (These will be benchmarked)
What are the strengths of each competing product? Can we incorporate them?
What are the weaknesses of each competing product? Can we improve?
What are the market shares of competing products?
4. Target product price -- OEM and MSRP
5. Target production volume and market share.
Is there a market for this product? How do you know?
Is the potential market sufficiently large to justify investment in a new
product?
Is the new product sufficiently better than the competition?
6. Expected product distribution environment.
How will the packaged product be treated in shipping, storage, and on the
shelf?
Are adequate shipping facilities available?
Will installation require a professional?
C. Capability issues....
1. Company constraints on product design, manufacture, and distribution.
What are our manufacturing capabilities?
Should we manufacture ourselves or outsource?
2. Schedule requirements -- time to market.
When should we have this product to market to capture maximum market
share?
How much time should we allocate to design?
How much time do we need to implement a manufacturing process?

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PDS Example
Umbrella Drying Device
Performance under Specified Conditions
The umbrella dryer must be able to dry a maximum of four umbrellas at any one time (two
small and two large umbrellas).
The drying system must leave any umbrella at least 80% dryer.
Interior domestic use within correct temperature range (average room temperature 22c)
Users of the umbrella dryer should only use it in the correct manner specified.
Design
Drying System
Drying time of no more than 2 minute.
Must leave umbrella at least 80% dryer.
Must remove initial water run-off from umbrella before beginning the drying process.
Minimal noise emission while drying process is in operation.
Power

Power system shall be constructed to operate safely and conform to applicable standards.
Simple operation system with visual warning to alert users of product operation.
Power will be supplied using a common and mature technology
The power system shall be able to withstand small operational vibrations, heat, and
moisture.

External Body
The external body will be constructed from a hard-wearing material which can withstand
general usage and small operational heat and vibration.
Provide a secure enclosure for internal mechanisms and devices.
Must provide ventilation
Must be appropriately sized to accommodate at least two small umbrellas and two large
umbrellas, of standard size.

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Period of Useful Life

The umbrella dryer should last for a minimum of one year before requiring any
maintenance or servicing.
Total Life
The umbrella dryer should last in excess of 3 years with nominal maintenance/ servicing
before becoming completely inoperable.
The drying system should last for a minimum of one year before servicing or replacement.

9. PRODUCT PORTFOLIO AND ARCHITECTURE

A product portfolio is comprised of all the

products which an organization has. A product
portfolio may comprise of different categories of
products, different product lines and finally the
individual product itself. Management is needed
on all the three levels of a product portfolio. You
need managers for managing individual products,
managing product lines and finally the top level
management which manages the complete
portfolio.
Lets look at an organization from a macro angle. An organization is comprised of a number
of different departments, all focused towards one goal the betterment of the organization. In the
same manner, your product portfolio should be such that each and every product in the portfolio
is focused towards one goal Bringing the organization on top by optimally using the resources
available.
As an organization is comprised of different products, it becomes difficult to manage all of
them. Thus there needs to be a hierarchy. This is where product portfolio management steps in.

Or

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A product portfolio is a group of two or more products that represent a family of items
produced by a company. Each family group uses a basic platform for multiple products; in some
cases, multiple parts may comprise a few different types of products within the same portfolio.
An example of basic platforms in use by a product portfolio is auto manufacturing. A
manufacturer may use the same chassis for several different types of cars, resulting in a product
family. Computer manufacturing often requires the same materials to produce products that
have specific variations, creating a family group.
When creating a product portfolio, companies often use multiple business segments to get
the products from the production facility to the end user. These segments can include
distribution channels, promotional strategies, pricing methods and other elements common to
all stages of business production. Using the same elements in a repeated manner can save the
company money. Instead of reinventing the wheel for every new product, companies will divide
the segment among each item in the product portfolio to use the same core competencies to
make the product a success.
Companies may also create an entire product line for an individual item in their product
portfolio. Product lines often represent the strongest items in the portfolio. These can become
the backbone of the company and may lead to a competitive advantage in the economic
marketplace. For example, a cell phone manufacturer may create a smart phone that uses
leading technology to create an advanced personal digital product. While the smart phone is part
of the companys cell phone product portfolio, the popularity of the phone may result in the
creation of an entire product line of smart phones. The phone will essentially be its own product
line, including phones with different colours, memory capacities, functions or other features.
Companies may also create what is known as a product pipeline. This represents new
products that the company hopes to introduce into its current portfolio. Technology and
pharmaceutical companies typically have these pipelines because their products take longer to
develop and bring to the marketplace. Investors often review the product pipeline of companies
to determine how well the company is measuring the current market demand for goods. New
products that do not seem to have the desired product features requested by consumers can
result in a company losing market share. This ultimately weakens the company's product
portfolio and can lead to a disadvantage in the competitive market in terms of product offerings.

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BREAKING DOWN 'Product Portfolio'

Managing a product portfolio entails analyzing consumer behavior to determine how to
expand with new products and how to improve profitability by removing underperforming or
money-losing products. A broader product portfolio offers consumers more choices and gives a
company more opportunities to capture consumers with different needs and tastes.
For example, Coca-Colas product portfolio consists of regular, low- and no-calorie
beverages including sodas (e.g., Coca-Cola and Coke Zero), energy drinks, still and sparkling
waters (e.g., Dasani), juices and juice drinks, sports drinks (e.g. Mineral water) and bottled teas.
A key decision for any company with a product portfolio, as opposed to a single product, is
how to allocate investment to each product based on its market share and its market growth rate.
Based on their performance in these two areas, the items in a product portfolio can be divided
into four categories:

High-growth, high market-share products (stars)

Low-growth, high market-share products (cash cows)
Low-growth, low market-share products (pets or dogs)
High-growth, low market-share products (question marks)

Each requires a different strategy and level of investment. For example, companies will
invest more in high-growth products, even though this might mean minimizing profits in the
short term, in the hopes that these products will become cash cows, which generate more cash
for a lower level of investment compared to other products in the portfolio. Companies might
also decide to sell their dogs/pets, which dont generate a profit beyond the investment required
to maintain them.

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