Design, Analysis, Testing, and Manufacturing all need to work together for a common goal, and all of them need to be satisfied to achieve a workable path forward. This is a system wide approach, rather than looking at an engineering task from a single point of view.

I have been involved with all of these engineering tasks, and so can view a product development effort or solve a problem for an existing product  from all of these perspectives simultaneously.

An engineering task starts with a need. This may be a new product, redesign of an existing product, an existing product development transition, such as shifting from concept to prototype, prototype to short run, or short run to full production. The product may need a material change, or a change in manufacturing technology, such as moving from machined to molded parts. The new engineering activity may be in response to field failures.

A simplified flow path may look something like this – a designer releases a concept that addresses the need. Analysts, test engineers, and manufacturing engineers review and discuss the design. Following this, trade studies begin.

Simple, right? It could be. Unless one or more of these disciplines dominate the conversation at the expense of the others, or external factors enter into the equation that do not help solve the initial need. Each area of expertise needs to have input to the final design, and a balanced design must be the desired result. The solution to the need must, in the end, survive an impartial, critical design review. Design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing must be considered as a package, not separately. 

Norman T. Neher, P.E.
Analytical Engineering Services
Elko New Market, MN

www.aesmn.org