The system main units: the first unit was the portable module, and the second was a central Back of tbe case GPStmil Battery cover Antennae Handlebar clip Display unit From of case... Th
Trang 1conferencing software Actually, the camera was detachable and could be held inside a machine tool to look at a particular problem An engineer at the borne
puter and carry out a dialogue on how to fix assembly problems at the factory
attachment and the wires into a standard headset A similar product is at
<www.xybemaut.com>
A.9 PROJECT 4: GPS-BASED CONSUMER PRODUCTS
In these projects, the emerging market of global positioning systems (GPS) was used
provided with a Motorola Talkabout Radio However, there was no obligation to stay
ested in developing MP3 devices, and another was interested in "energy scavenging"
to make such portable units less reliant on standard batteries
• The "Voyager" was an integrated bicycle computer and global positioning system (GPS) unit: It mounted on standard bicycle handlebars via two custom brackets An ergonomically shaped thermoplastic housing contained the two separate circuit boards and liquid crystal display (LCD) screens The shape of the housing minimized interference with the rider's hands and allowed infor-mation to be read easily The bicycle computer circuit board continually read the wheel speed via a magnetic sensor that was mounted on the bicycle fork
computer Based on this data the LCD could display instantaneous speed, average speed, riding time, and total elapsed time The bicycle computer also computed elapsed trip distance and continuous mileage The actual display was chosen by the user, based on a pair of buttons on the face of the device Con-currently, the GPS circuit board read data from the GPS satellite constellation Based on these data the LCD displayed a variety of information including position (latitude, longitude, and elevation), average speed bearing, and time of day The GPS also stored way-point and route data By means of an embedded memory chip, the combined unit stored and displayed trip data to a PC via an output port The CAD files for the product are shown in Figures A.3 and A.4
• The "Inlande" was targeted at land surveyors: It integrated a GPS unit with an organizer Coordinates of a location were established using the GPS and stored
in the organizer The large amount of memory of the organizer allowed for
puter to plot them on a map The unit came equipped with a belt clip to carry it
Trang 2FlpreA.4 Exploded view of solid model.
• The "Child Locator" was a personal device that could detect the location of its bearer and transmit this information to a central station: The intended use was
for a large crowded public area such as an amusement park, where parents could locate a lost child by referring themselves to a base station The system
main units: the first unit was the portable module, and the second was a central
Back of tbe case
GPStmil
Battery cover
Antennae
Handlebar clip
Display unit
From of case
Trang 3computers to play music, but do not want to be tied to a monitor or keyboard: It
was designed to control and display real-time song information in conjunction with Nullsoft's Winamp MP3 player The product consisted of a display module withanintegrated infrared receiver and software to connect to the Winamp The display module provided song information and player status on a high-contrast liquid crystal display When used in conjunction with a remote control, the IR receiver allowed the user to switch songs, load play lists, and modify Winamp settings such as equalizer positions and volume The display module communicated over serial ports This feature gave a user freedom to mount the unit anywhere the cables could be routed, typically up to 40 feet
• The "Solorcutor" combined the GPS with the battery-extending capability of solar power: The front of the unit was a liquid crystal display with a keypad for
user input The back of the unit held a solar panel that charged an internal set
of rechargeable alkalines When placed in direct sunlight, the panel charged the internal batteries Using nonrechargeable alkaline batteries, the unit could run for approximately 15 hours With the solar panel and rechargeable alka-lines, the battery life could be theoretically extended by a factor of 30 to 450 hours in optimal conditions
• The "nTouch" was a wireless networking module for the Handspring Visor PDA-"Palm Pilot" clone-based on the industry standard IEEE 802.11 com-munication protocol: The module allowed the Visor to communicate at speeds
of 2 Mbps within a lOO-meter range of a hub Enabled Visors could also com-municate directly with other Visors, or any 802.11 device such as Apple's iBook Communication took place over unregulated radio frequencies, thus there were no connect or usage fees
• The "GPS Xtreme2K" (GX2K) was a GPS module that also interfaced with the Handspring PDA: In this product the Handspring Visor utilized a standardized
expansion slot and the Springboard development board to interface and send geolocation information to the PDA platform Software was written enabling
display, and perform other miscellaneous control functions The GPS Xtreme 2K contained its own power supply in order to process GPS signals
• The "NAVTalk" combined two-way radio and the GPS in a single, lightweight, easy-to-use device: It was developed for outdoor use by hikers and campers.
However, fi.refightersand some militaryunits could also be potentially large customers Also, it was perceived as a safer solution for rescue missions because of its reliable GPS signal reception and short-range radio
• The "Pulse" was an integrated heart monitor and walkie-talkie: It was designed for athletes in training and elderly people needing health monitoring The unit
was capable of monitoring an individual's heart rate The heart rate was
Trang 4meas-finger It could then transmit a radio signal to another walkie-talkie when an abnormal biorhythm was detected outside the user-defined operating range Technology projections indicate that within the next few years it will bc entirely feasible to use CMOS technology to fully install a radio on a chip (see Rudell et aI., 1997; Chien, 2000) Devices that truly emulate Dick Tracy's famous wristwatch-size, two-way radio will then be consumer items It will be interesting to pursue this opportunity in future projects
A.10 CONSULTING PROJECTS'
The projects described in the last four sections were largely successful at the concept level; namely, in the final "trade show," the electromechanical package functioned satisfactorily Tn fact, they usually functioned in a rather fragile way, and the func-tionality did not last much beyond the demo And here and there a few "kluges" were needed Despite these deficiencies, the concept was well demonstrated
It is of course unreasonable to expect a highly robust system ready for market testing A reasonable goal is a device that more or less works and shows basic func-tionality, backed up with a modest business plan This plan should include how the
budget
Another method of running the course is the "consulting project," where teams
of three or four students work together through the semester as "consultants" for a local production facility The consulting project allows student teams to get hands-on experience with working production systems Tt functions well in a class where the fabrication of a full prototype or model is not as convenient-perhaps because of limited staff support or laboratory facilities
Each team develops a report on its client, summarizing the product, materials, and current production methods Teams then identify and quantify a specific problem related to quality or throughput, measure and analyze relevant data, research alternative production methods involving automation, and propose solu-tions with cost analysis
The client facility can be anything from a cement mixing plant to a high-volume coffee house The facility must be involved in the production at volumes where issues
of production are important
Each team gives presentations on the progress of its consulting project during the semester These are in the form of timed lO-minute Powerpoint (or Internet) pre-sentations given by the team to the class in a computer lab This allows the instructor and the class to provide feedback at each step A to-page report is required after the final oral presentation
In Phase I, the team finds an appropriate facility and contact person Finding a friendly and enthusiastic contact person makes the project much more enjoyable It is important to clarify that this is an educational project and that there are no guarantees
Trang 5offer to scale production numbers or to suppress confidential details, but the company must agree with the group to present enough information to describe the project The facility should be close enough to permit at least three site visitsbythe team Also, Phase I includes a report on how team responsibilities will be divided
In Phase II, the team prepares a presentation on the client, history, product, and the current methods of production Photographs and plant layout plans with flow-charts are very helpful Teams should also use the Internet and the library to research similar production facilities and give statistics about their clients' market and industry in general
In Phase III, the team identifies and quantifies a specific research problem related to quality or throughput Clearly it is impossible to analyze everything in the
improved with automation The objective could be to reduce product variance, reduce waste, reduce production cost, improve throughput, modify product design, and so forth See the examples in the following section Where appropriate, teams should describe existing equipment models and get performance characteristics from the vendors The key is to identify specific numerical metrics to measure and compare performance and show how these relate to cost and profit Teams can gather data from the facility using direct measurements (e.g., with stopwatches or rulers) or data provided by the client Teams can analyze these data statistically and present results graphically Computer simulation can be useful during Phases III and IV
In Phase IV, groups should use the Internet and/or phone book to find alter-native solutions, usually involving automation (or new models of existing machinery) One very useful resource for finding industrial vendors is the online
a cost analysis, taking into account factors such as labor, increases in market share, decreased liability risks, and the like This final report is presented to the class and to the client, whose feedback is included in the written report
A.10.1 Examples from Recent Consulting Projects
Examples from recent consulting projects are as follows:
L Flour delivery methods for Diamond Team Noodle Company
2 Facility layout analysis for Berkeley Farms ice cream plant
3 Automation of molding and decorating for San Francisco Chocolate Co
4 Statistical analysis of cocoa bean weights for WWW Chocolate Co
5 Simulation and cycle time analysis for Hauser Window Shade Company
6 Analysis of meter refurbishing process for PG&E
7 Optimal choice of stereolithography build orientation for rapid prototyping
8 Scheduling of grinding and polishing pads for Komag Magnetic Disk Co
9 Analysis of automated packaging machine for Procter&Gamble
Trang 6lL Workstation assembly sequence design for a network computer company
12 Automated packaging analysis fur pharmaceutical products
13 Bottle conveyor failure analysis for Pyramid Brewing Co
14 Waste wax analysis forJand S Candles
15 Solar wafer load time analysis far SunPowcr, Inc
16 Mall-order processing analysis far Peet's Coffee Co
17 To:rque data analysis for GM-lbyata NUMMI auto plant
A.11 OVERVIEW OF POSSIBLE FACTORY TOURS
Factory tours may be organized to reflect the technical chapters of the book: CAD/CAM
Rapid prototyping and SFF
Semiconductor manufacturing
Computer manufacturing
Metal-products manufacturing
Plastic-products manufacturing
Biotechnology manufacturing
These can be analyzed in two-week segments The first lecture of a segment can deal with the essential technical and economic factors of a technology In the
subse-managers review the history, future, and economic competitiveness of the company During the second week, information about the company can be gathered
con-tures can consolidate the technical aspects of the field
A.12 RATIONALE
The topic of manufacturing covers a very broad field, much broader than the seven basic areas listed in the preceding section The rationale for choosing those partic-ular industries is now briefly reviewed
CAD and rapid prototyping represent the front end of most manufacturing
concerns and launch the new product, or a redesigned old product, into the devel-opment cycle Larger companies may well have their own in-house rapid prototyping facilities On the other hand, many of these new processes are best outsourced to a specialized bureau Specialized technicians in these smaller service-oriented compa-nies can usually "tweak" the rapid prototyping machines to get the best accuracies out of them A visit to such a company is an excellent experience The list of Websites-for example, <wwwanetelcast.eomc-c-given at the end of Chaper 4 pro-vides the contact information for a number of rapid prototyping services both in the
Trang 7Ie manufacturers with handsome tax benefits, well-funded infrastructures, cheap natural resources, and an adequate stream of well-trained engineers to run the plants A visit to any kind of tab is an impressive demonstration of pre-cision manufacturing
Computer manufacturing covers the whole endeavor from chips to board assembly to case assembly Ideally a class can visit some kind of local production line
computer components These production lines might well include layout areas, detailed assembly, reliability testing, and quality assurance methods Many compa-nies that today provide the outsourcing for the main computer compacompa-nies have also established design for manufacturahility teams and integrated quality assurance programs (see, for example, <www.solectron.com»
Metal-products and plastic-products manufacturing are the next areas of interest It is especially instructive for students to visit machine shops that specialize
in products such as high-accuracy molds for plastic injection molding, ultraprecise
equipment Many rapid prototyping shops and some machine shops also carry out plastic injection molding A tour can often include several processes at once
Biotechnology is an important area from a manufacturing perspective
How-ever, it is new enough that most university courses have not yet included some of the
the material in Chapter 9 However, a visit to some kind of biotech finn is even better Biotech companies tend to be clustered around the San Francisco Bay Area,
parts of the country may be obliged to visit their local microbrewery From a class perspective, an interesting focus can be the scale-up from successful "test tube" research to efficient flexible production systems Sensors and control-system soft-ware are the topics that need to be more widely introduced into this industry
A.13 FACTORY· TOUR CASE STUOY WRITE·UP
For the assignments that follow the factory visits, the same project groups should
pre-use of the tenn).lt is reasonable to complete the written assignment two weeks after
of the material should be of the type seen in consulting reports; that is, formal and
ceeds,itis a good idea to photocopy the best case studies and circulate them to the rest of the class Also, the best reports can be passed on to the companies About 90% of the needed information comes from the tour and the talk, and a little information and background can be obtained from the Internet It seems to
Trang 8take a well-organized group about four hours to draft a report and another hour to edit and dean it up
As a final note of encouragement, it can be emphasized that the format for the case study is exactly the kind of preinterview research a person might do when looking for a job The use of the template to gather data on the company can fonnu-late interesting questions This creates a great impression and helps in landing the position
On another spin, if a person feels like being an investor in the stock market, the template also asks the critical questions one might need answered before investing hard-earned cash
A.14 SUGGESTED FORMAT AND CONTENT FOR THE
FACTORY-TOUR CASE STUDIES
A.14.1 Vital Statistics of the Company
Ideally these are listed in a spreadsheet-type "box" on the first page of the study;
• Name and location
• 'Iype of business
• Typical client
• Major clients
• Major rivals or competitors
• Public or private company
• Gross revenues and profits
• Internet URL
A.14.2Size and Scope
The material to cover in this area can be written out in bullets or prose and might cover the following topics;
• Annual gross sales
• Approximate profits
• Gross margin of the company
• Potential economies of scale
• Possible cash flow problems in this business
• The pricing structure
• Number of people employed
• Balance between engineers and other staff
• Recent hiring rate
• Projected hiring rate
Trang 9• Major product in the context of the clients listed earlier.
• How do they react to the competition (the prisoner's dilemma)?
• Do they build "to order" or "for inventory"? If the latter, do they have good inventory control?
• What is a typical delivery time (faster or slower than rivals)?
• History of product development
• Future of market or projected growth (flat versus high)
• Comments about distribution, packaging, image
A.14.4 What Is Unique about This Industry or Company in
Comparison with Other Industries?
A company near the top right of Figure 2.2 fabricates an "old" product and, to be
rect market niche By contrast, manufacturers of PDAs and new computer gizmos are in the bottom left corner and need to focus on market identification Some
com-really have no product of their own but provide a DFM and board assembly
tech-tities of subcomponents at an excellent discount Biotech firms might focus more on patents and FDA approvals Each sector and each company has specific issues that affect competitive advantage It is useful to surf the Web and make comparisons with rival companies
A.14.5 Engineering Analysis
This section can briefly describe the following:
• Major and/or unique skills
• Equipment value
• Equipment age
• Needed updates to equipment or skills
• Rework, scrap, and environmental considerations
A.14.6 Why Has This Company Been Successful in the Past?
This could cover a wide range of topics Answers might be:
• Good relationship with consumer
• Good market niche (If so, what is its size?)
• High-quality engineering
• Good advertising