Product Development

In the context of risk management the demographic change is reflected in demand and environmental risks. On the one hand, the requirements of products’ target groups are changing. On the other hand, the labour bottleneck is increasing due to the shift in population and age structure. When choosing strategies and measures for dealing with the demographic change in supply chains, companies should consider organizational as well as technological and personnel management-related aspects. In this connection, the integral examination of the complete product line as well as the company’s and the supply chain partners’ development of capabilities are essential.

The possibilities and limitations of conventional manufacturing processes strongly determine the design process and often lead to devices and products that do not fully exploit their theoretical potentials, e.g. their resistance to flow. Laser Additive Manufacturing is a manufacturing process to produce parts out of metallic powder materials. The technology is on the threshold to industrial maturity and has the potential to enable novel approaches for production and engineering. Thus, a shift from production-oriented design towards a design-oriented selection of the manufacturing process is possible.

For the production of pyrolysis models (wax models), which are used in the process of vacuum differential pressure casting, often silicone molds are used. These casting molds are manufactured by using rapid prototyping solid bodies. However, for the shaping only the outer shell is necessary. So the use of hollow bodies to the material and cost savings is possible. In this paper calculations and topology optimizations are presented at the example of a cylinder.

In the field of micro manufacturing, a highly precise adjustment of relevant process parameters is of major importance. The continuing miniaturization of work pieces and machines leads to very small tolerances. The occurrence of so called size-effects interferes with a direct application of knowledge and experiences from macro manufacturing. Moreover, the high specialization of manufacturing technologies and processes in micro manufacturing requires a careful review of each process’s suitability with respect to the involved materials and components. This article presents a method that supports process designers with structured procedures and notations, to model and evaluate technological as well as logistic dependencies along the process chain. Thereby, it supports the selection and configuration of suitable processes for a given process chain.

The leading-edge Cluster Intelligent Technical Systems OstWestfalenLippe (it’s OWL) focuses on the innovation leap from mechatronics to systems with inherent intelligence. Within this paper we explain the technological evolution and its drivers for such intelligent technical systems. This leads to a technological concept which has been chosen as basis for the leading-edge cluster’s technology platform. Finally we present the cluster’s structure and its projects.

The development of medical high-tech products is associated with high costs for documentation as well as for risk and quality management. In addition, they are subject to tight regulations and licensing procedures. To meet these challenges, the use of new methods and information technology tools is worthwhile, especially in the medical device industry. The product life cycle management approach, which was developed in other industries, offers med-tech companies the potential of being sustainably innovative in the global competition.

Electric mobility is currently subject to intensive discussions. New business models, products and services, as well as innovation concepts are developed by R&D and tested in real-life. In this context, the project “Personal Mobility Center” has been carried out in the Bremen/Oldenburg model region for electric mobility. On the basis of the Product Life-Cycle, first approaches for product-related services in the different phases of electric mobility have been worked out. Analysis of these “Extended Products” has shown that battery electric vehicles have to overcome several challenges before new mobility offers based on them can compete on the market.

Professionally developed technical documentation is not available since a long time and restricted to only a small range of products. Nevertheless requirements change quickly. Due to mighty tools like content management systems, translation memory software or editorial systems, being a technical editor becomes a high-tech job. Users expect information to be suited for different mobile devices like iPad or IPhone as well as for paper form. Manufacturers expect the creation process to be economical and legally reliable. How could this work out?

Complex technologies of all industrial ranges require increasingly a holistic view of the entire technological process chains. In many methods processes are illustrated as already established and approved technological processes. The way up to an executable technological process is not supported. Straight in the technologically oriented R&D the know-how which is necessary for reproducible quality-assuring production is developed. In this paper new methods for the technologically oriented modelling and analysis of process chains are described which allow to effectively generate operational technology knowledge.

User information for safe and efficient use must be supplied by the manufacturer or supplier along with the product. Especially when dealing with the products without appropriate instructions the user needs to be warned if there are residual risks or the expectations of the user regarding the quality or safety of the product could not be met. Technical writers write such user information but not all of them are trained and experienced to create standardized and user optimized instructions. The resources and documentation processes for the product manufacturers are not always ideal to meet the requirements. Especially, the buyer of machinery and equipment would be well advised to verify the suppliers’ documentation by conducting his own usability tests.