Summary
Consumer goods manufacturers push to speed up product development in an increasingly competitive market. The complexity to adding features when managing dozens of product lines can slow development cycles. Engineering leaders not only design high-quality products, but also design them so manufacturing functions can bring them to market without delays. A key driver behind companies either applying MBSE for consumer product development or applying product line engineering for consumer products is product complexity
Consumer product engineering teams now reply on platform-based MBSE solutions –widely used at aerospace companies– to simplify product and product line complexity. Eran Reinshmidt and Safae El Abkari, along with the podcast hosts, reveal real-life examples showing how the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform enables consumer manufacturers to address complexities (replacing traditional methods that fall short). Topics discussed.
- Applying product line engineering and platform strategies to let companies manage modularity and upgradeability without increasing chaos
- Using platform-based MBSE enables mechanical, electrical and software teams to work in parallel
- Extending systems engineering principles into manufacturing
- And more !
How does technology solve consumer product manufacturing and development challenges? Read the blog to catch the highlights and check out the YouTube link to watch the fun discussion.
Product Complexity Creates Development Hurdles
Product line engineering offers a systematic approach to developing a portfolio of related products. Instead of designing each new product from scratch, engineering teams create a core set of shared assets. They can then assemble these assets to form specific product variations. This method drastically reduces duplicated work, cuts down on design errors and speeds up the development cycle.
Organizations must transition from traditional design processes to a more modular approach to stay competitive. Modular designs involve structuring engineering data so components are easy to find, modify and reuse. Teams avoid reinventing the wheel every time a new product requirement or variant emerges.
Engineering leaders and their team spend less time on fixing basic errors and more time on value added engineering and innovation. Companies that successfully apply product line engineering cut their time-to-market in half. Makers of consumer goods consistently benefit when adopting these principles.
Exploring the Benefits of Product Line Engineering for Consumer Products
Product line engineering offers a systematic approach to developing a portfolio of related products. Instead of designing each new product from scratch, engineering teams create a core set of shared assets. They can then assemble these assets to form specific product variations. This method drastically reduces duplicated work, cuts down on design errors and speeds up the development cycle.
Organizations must transition from traditional design processes to a more modular approach to stay competitive. Modular designs involve structuring engineering data so components are easy to find, modify and reuse. Teams avoid reinventing the wheel every time a new product requirement or variant emerges. Companies in consumer goods join industries like aerospace and high tech in solving the issues around complexity. Engineering leaders and their team spend less time on fixing basic errors and more time on value added engineering and innovation. Companies that successfully apply product line engineering cut their time-to-market in half. Makers of consumer goods consistently benefit when adopting these principles.
Simplicity is not the absence of clutter. It’s about bringing order to complexity.
Jony Ivy- consumer product design
Smart Tools and Appliance Makers Apply MBSE for Consumer Product Development
The shift toward rechargeable batteries, embedded sensors and app-driven connectivity in smart tools and appliances, product capability expands rapidly. Product development must integrate mechanical, electrical and software systems, significantly increasing design complexity. By applying an MBSE approach on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform engineering teams can coordinate between the hardware design of mechanical housings, electrical circuits and embedded software. Tight integration improves reliability and quality and shortens the development cycle.
By adopting MBSE for battery-powered and connected products, companies benefit from a unified system model that connects all engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers can adjust the ergonomic housing while electrical engineers simulate thermal loads from the battery pack. Software developers can write and test motor control algorithms using virtual prototypes before physical manufacturing begins. This parallel workflow prevents late-stage integration failures. And, working together cross-functional teams can identify interference or power draw issues in a virtual environment before building a physical prototype. Implementing MBSE for battery-powered tools ensures that every design decision traces directly back to the original requirements.
Connecting all engineering disciplines so they work in a single environment (a clear advantage of a platform-based MBSE approach) allows cross-functional teams to collaborate using a single data model and related artifacts. Unlike siloed solutions, everyone accesses the same model in real-time. This ensures changes (in mechanical, electrical or software domains) are visible to all stakeholders. Real-time information reduces risk and accelerates decision making. This level of integration is critical for complex products like connected, battery-powered tools and appliances. Interaction (or lack of) between electronics, software and mechanics directly affects alignment across functions and product manufacturability.
MBSE for Consumer Product Development also Streamlines Manufacturing
A robust product design and successful product launch starts with early alignment with manufacturing planning. Manufacturing a line of consumer goods requires real-time coordination across disciplines. Manufacturing provides input into product development, has visibility into material availability, machine capacity and labor resources and more.
Using a platform-based software solution means product models and related data are shared with manufacturing execution systems. This ensures that any change made by the engineering team automatically updates the engineering bill of materials and the corresponding manufacturing bill of materials. Automating change by eliminating manual data entry removes a major source of production errors.
How Does Product Innovation Drive New Engineering Workflows?
Staying ahead in the consumer goods industry requires constant learning and adaptation. Companies driving product innovation while keeping development costs under control need new ways of working. Discover how engineering teams can handle complex product variations. Learn better data management practices that frees engineering time so they focus on design rather than administrative tasks. Tracking product requirements from the initial concept all the way through validation to ensure that every product released meets specifications. This approach allows teams to design products that are easier to build, which ultimately lowers the overall cost of goods sold.
Interested in the finding out more about the role Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and product line engineering for consumer products on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform plays in the development and manufacturing of consumer products? Don’t miss episode #122 of the Razorleaf Stay Sharp in Digital Engineering podcast (link below). You’ll enjoy the friendly exchange between hosts Juliann Grant and Jonathan Scott with consumer industry experts, Eran Reinshmidt and Safae El Abkari. Hear real-life examples and applications about technology that helps consumer companies tame complex engineering challenges.
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I’m skilled in using storytelling to create content that informs and reveals the value that our solutions offer companies in solving complex challenges across the product lifecycle. I enjoy developing strategies around go-to-market, digital marketing, awareness, and SEO. Linkedin.com/in/emondro