This book describes the fundamentals of concurrent engineering and explains the basic principles on which this subject is founded. Integrated product and process organization encompasses identifying and evaluating product development practices, eliminating wastes and rework, decomposing tasks, and adding product values. Concurrent Engineering Fundamentals, discusses these elements, as well as the emerging concept of a virtual enterprise, breaking down boundaries and taking a holistic overview of life-cycle management. Chapters cover: Manufacturing Competitiveness; Life-Cycle Management; Process Reengineering; Concurrent Engineering Definitions; Cooperative Work Teams; System Engineering; Information Modeling; The Whole System; and Product Realization Taxonomy. By reading this book, you will learn: techniques to bring new products to market faster; ways to discover your company's strengths and weaknesses through value engineering; how to use information modeling to capture the invariant of CE environments; ways to employ systems engineering to achieve gold successes; and how to make quantum improvements in productivity, quality, cost-effectiveness, design for X-ability, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction.

Table of Contents:
Computer Acronyms. Preface. Acknowledgments. About the Author. 1. Manufacturing Competitiveness. Introduction. Review of Historical Events. Push and Pull for New Paradigms. Areas of Manufacturing Competitiveness. Product and Services. Process and Methodologies. Performance Indicators. Infrastructure. References. Test Problems: Manufacturing Competitiveness. 2. Life-Cycle Management. Introduction. Shrinking Life-Cycle. Life-Cycle Management. New Product Introduction. Strategic Technology Insertions. Managing Continuity. Managing Revision Changes. Life-Cycle Cost Drivers. Life-Cycle Management Tools. Sequential versus Concurrent Engineering. References. Test Problems: Life-Cycle Management. 3. Process Reengineering. Introduction. Understanding and Managing Change. Reengineering Approaches. Tenents of Process Improvement. Work Flow Mapping. Information Flow-Charting. Enterprise Models. Process Improvement Methodology. Change Management Methodology. Concurrent Process Reengineering. Concluding Remarks. References. Test Problems: Process Reengineering. 4. Concurrent Engineering Definitions. Introduction. Basic Principles of CE. Components of CE. Concurrency and Simultaneity. Modes of Concurrency. Modes of Cooperation. Benefits of Concurrent Engineering. References. Test Problems: CE Definitions. 5. Cooperative Work Teams. Introduction. Cooperative Concurrent Teams. Program Organization. Supplier Rationalization. Types of CE Organization. Management Styles or Philosophies. Workplace Organization and Visual Control. Employee Excellence Development (New Technologies and Team Capabilities). References. Test Problems: Cooperative Work Teams. 6. System Engineering. Introduction. An Automobile Manufacturing Process. System Engineering. Systems Thinking. Approaches to System Complexity. Sharing and Collaboration in CE 300. System Integration. Management and Reporting Structure. Agile Virtual Company. References. Test Problems: System Engineering. 7. Information Modeling. Introduction. Information Modeling. Modeling Methodology. Foundation of Information Modeling. Concurrent Engineering Process Invariant. Enterprise Model-Class. Specification Model-Class. Product Model-Class. Process Model- Class. Cognitive Models. Merits and Demerits. Summary. References. Test Problems: Information Modeling. 8. The Whole System. Introduction. Conventional Design and Development Process. A Transformation Model for a Manufacturing System. CE Enterprise System Taxonomy. Integrated Product and Process Development. Transformation System for Product Realization. Key Dimensions of a CE Specification Set. Artifact's Intent Definitions. References. Test Problems: The Whole System. 9. Product Realization Taxonomy. Introduction. Development Methodology for CPRT. Concurrent Product Realization Taxonomy. Pull System of Product Realization. Description of Parallel Tracks. Description of 2-T Loops. Description of 3-T Loops. Major Benefits. References. Test Problems: Product Realization Taxonomy. Index.