Good product design can make the difference between a competitive and a non‐competitive product. It can make the difference between an assembly cycle time of 592 seconds and one…
Abstract
Good product design can make the difference between a competitive and a non‐competitive product. It can make the difference between an assembly cycle time of 592 seconds and one of 277 seconds, as was the case with a Digital Equipment computer mouse. And it can serve as a competitive weapon, even against the Japanese. According to Professor Geoffrey Boothroyd, international expert, “If you scrutinise the design of most Japanese products, you will see that they leave a lot to be desired”.
The Boothroyd Dewhurst design for assembly method is being used by many US major corporations. The rules are simple but the savings can be dramatic as Boothroyd told a recent…
Environmental considerations and new legislation mean thatcompanies must start to consider the cost of disposal and recycling inthe total life cycle cost of a product. To this end…
Abstract
Environmental considerations and new legislation mean that companies must start to consider the cost of disposal and recycling in the total life cycle cost of a product. To this end products need to be designed for service, efficient disassembly and recycling. Describes a design aid called “Design for Service” (DFS) which is intended to help designers to look at serviceability issues at the earliest stages of product design. Uses a case study of the Ford Motor Co. to illustrate how DFS can be implemented within industry.
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Research being conducted at the University of Massachusetts aims to make assembly more flexible. Brian Rooks visited the laboratories of the Mechanical Engineering Department and…
Abstract
Research being conducted at the University of Massachusetts aims to make assembly more flexible. Brian Rooks visited the laboratories of the Mechanical Engineering Department and found that the emphasis was on design, programmable feeders, and grippers.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the design for manufacture (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) concepts and illustrate their benefits and applications.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the design for manufacture (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) concepts and illustrate their benefits and applications.
Design/methodology/approach
Following an introduction, this paper provides an historical background to DFM and DFA. It then describes these techniques, highlights their capabilities and benefits and provides some examples of their applications. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.
Findings
Software implementations of DFM and DFA are shown to yield significant financial savings by allowing products to be designed with enhanced manufacturing and assembly characteristics.
Originality/value
The paper provides an introduction to the DFM and DFA concepts which play a critical role in today's highly competitive markets.
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Sarah Rawlinson and Peter Dewhurst
The purpose of this paper is to present the concept of a “university learning laboratory” as an example of providing experiential learning opportunities as part of a vocational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the concept of a “university learning laboratory” as an example of providing experiential learning opportunities as part of a vocational degree programme. It presents a model of how to extend industry participation in degree programmes beyond internships and work placements and demonstrates the benefits of including knowledge transfer as part of the curriculum design of vocational degrees.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a qualitative case study approach to share experiences of a university based in the UK.
Findings
Vocational degrees that develop the concepts of the discipline within the context of where they are applied are providing “work ready” graduates for industry.
Practical implications
This paper summarizes the key benefits of engaging industry more extensively in the design and delivery of vocational degree programmes. It highlights a new type of stakeholder partnership and a collective responsibility for vocational curricula in higher education.
Originality/value
This paper draws on Michael Eraut's work on the transfer of knowledge between education and the workplace.
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Abstract
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Language may be a treasured heritage of small comunities, all that is left to bind them together. It is often a matter of national or regional pride, keeping alive a tongue dead…
Abstract
Language may be a treasured heritage of small comunities, all that is left to bind them together. It is often a matter of national or regional pride, keeping alive a tongue dead centuries past everywhere else; in an area of the Grisons forty thousand Swiss speak the Latin Romansch, the tongue spoken by the citizens of ancient Rome, and nowhere else in the world is it heard. There are so‐called official languages; in the councils of Europe, it has always been French, which is the official language of the European Economic Community; this means, of course, that all EEC Directives and in due course, judgments of its courts, will be first delivered in French.
The old year has gone, leaving its trail of never‐to‐be‐forgotten memories of strife and turbulence, calamity, disaster, and a huge burden of worries for us to face in the New…
Abstract
The old year has gone, leaving its trail of never‐to‐be‐forgotten memories of strife and turbulence, calamity, disaster, and a huge burden of worries for us to face in the New Year. Few if any will not be deeply grateful to see the passing of 1985. Except for the periods of calm there cannot be a year within living memory to equal it in terms of violence, unparalleled in times of “peace”, collosal in terms of soaring social and public expenditure and financial loss, and in disasters in the world beyond the shores of these islands. It would not be an exaggeration to state that the enormous indebtedness which the year has heaped upon the people will never be wiped off, and it has got to be done mainly by those innocent of any misconduct, and their descendants. The unprecedented scale of street and community violence, the looting, thieving and general crime committed behind the screen of it.