Operationalisation of the value analysis for design for lightweight: The function mass analysis
Year: 2013
Editor: Udo Lindemann, Srinivasan V, Yong Se Kim, Sang Won Lee, John Clarkson, Gaetano Cascini
Author: Posner, Benedikt; Binz, Hansgeorg; Roth, Daniel
Series: ICED
Institution: Institute for Engineering Design and Industrial Design (IKTD), University of Stuttgart, Germany
Page(s): 271-280
ISBN: 978-1-904670-48-3
ISSN: 2220-4334
Abstract
The mass has a great influence on the value of products from different industries. For example, by reducing the mass of a product, the energy consumption and CO2 emissions can be reduced. These influences, which the mass has on different product properties, show why lightweight design is becoming increasingly important. Designers have to establish goals regarding mass in the early phases of the product development process, as otherwise the product may be too heavy after its design is completed. Nearly each function needs mass for its fulfillment but functions which are not important to the customer raise only the mass and not the customer value of the product. If designers had information about the importance of functions and the mass which is needed for their fulfillment, they would be able to discuss with their customer whether the functions are so important that they want to accept this extra mass in the product. Therefore, a method which supports designers in establishing goals regarding mass, and in analysing optimisation potentials, the importance of functions and the mass which is needed to fulfil the function based on the Value Analysis is operationalised in this paper.
Keywords: Design method, design forX, design for lightweight, value analysis