The Effect of Manufacturing Capacity on Product Design - Essay Example

Name: Instructor: Course: Date: The Effect of Manufacturing Capacity on Product Design The term product design is a common term, which we come across frequently. Despite the fact that product design is a common phrase, few people understand what product design means. Product design is about products. It involves massive production of goods or products required in the market. Unfortunately, product design is dependent on the manufacturing capacity of the involved firm. The manufacturing capacity of a firm is influenced by various factors, which include available equipments, time constraint, and human resource among others. The process of developing a product requires time. Various methods are applied right from the design, testing, and manufacturing. Time is an important factor because it includes marketing time. The time a product take from design to selling it is referred to us the throughput time or the flow time. The manufacturing capacity of a firm determines the throughput time a product will take (Beitz and Pahl 167). Short flow times are beneficial to the firm in that they reduce costs, are flexible, and have improved product quality. Product quality is improved and in that process, problems can be found quickly without difficult. Once a product has been designed, the manufacturing time should be minimized to reduce cost of production. In a manufacturing company, there is the product development team. This team designs the products and depends on the method of production that will reduce the throughput time. If the manufacturing capacity of the firm does not allow first production, the development team may decide to change the product’s design to facilitate its manufacturing. There is a strong relationship between the manufacturing capacity and product design in a firm. Problem Statement This report is going to discuss the effects manufacturing capacity has on the product design. As we have seen in the introduction, the product to be designed depends on the manufacturing capacity of the firm involved. This report will discuss the relationship, which exists between product design and manufacturing capacity, which is generally referred to us production capacity. The product design depends on the capacity of the manufacturing company to produce the design (Kelton and Averill 197). The design of the product to be produced depends on the demands of the customers. As we shall see in our discussion, the design of any product depends on the customer. On the other hand, the manufacturing capacity of the enterprise also contributes towards the form of design to be produced. The report seeks to establish why many manufacturing firms lack the capacity to produce a certain design. There are methods, which seek to establish a product design manufacturing requirements in relation to the available capacity. The design of a product can reduce the manufacturing capacity required for a product and reduce the time required. Many companies are being faced with the challenge of capacity to produce because of the increased number of high quality designed products. The new designs of products demanded in the markets are requiring new equipments for their production. Many companies and manufacturing enterprises are finding it difficult to cope with it. The cost of the new equipments needed may be high and these enterprises may not afford. Objectives The main purpose of this paper is very clear; it seeks to identify the effects of manufacturing capacity on product design. Another objective is to define manufacturing capacity and product design. To determine the relationship existing between manufacturing capacity and product design. To discuss the factors which influence the manufacturing capacity of an enterprise To establish why new product designs require new equipments in the manufacturing industry. To analyze how firms are dealing with the high manufacturing demands set by product designs demanded by customers. Methodology This report’s findings are based on academic research done in public libraries and on the internet. The main aim of the research is to establish the effects manufacturing capacity has on product design. Majorly, the research involved reading books from public and private libraries. The method for gathering information chosen is cheap hence cost effective. The public and private libraries are freely accessible. The books used are also available in the libraries. This report seeks to find a solution to the problem of firms’ inability to meet the desired production capacity. The report seeks to establish the new designs of products being demanded in the market. The reports aims at solving the problem of manufacturing capacity inability to meet the product design required. The customer prescribes the design of a product and therefore, the manufacturing capacity of the firm must meet the required design standard. Another factor addressed in this report is the throughput time. This is the time between when a customer orders for a product up to when the product is actually delivered to him. The manufacturing capacity of an enterprise should meet the deadline and at the same time deliver the desired design. This report also explains that both production capacity and product design are interdependent. Each process depends on the others ability to meet the required standards. Definition of terms, Concepts, and Theories Manufacturing capacity is the amount of products generated in a production plant or enterprise within a specified period using the current resources. It is the volume of products a firm can manufacture using its resources within some interval of time. Product design is the procedure of coming up with new products or improving the existing ones. It starts with an idea directed towards improving the efficiency of an already created product and coming up with new ones. Capacity analysis is the evaluation process carried out to compare the production design’s requirements to manufacturing capacity. Main Discussion The product design is dependent on the firm’s capacity to manufacture the design. With the current changes in the market trends, it has become evident that new designs for products are emerging. The main problem is the lack of capacity by many enterprises to produce the new designs. Many of the new designs of products are complex and cannot be handled by the equipments available in the factories. Product design is a process, which ranges from the inception of the idea until the creation of the product to marketing the product. Throughput time is the interval of time between when the design is ordered by the customer to its completion. The manufacturing company should have the relevant resources to produce a design within the shortest time possible. It is however, clear that the product design has an immense influence on the throughput time because it has specific manufacturing operations. The product design team is able to estimate the throughput time by evaluating the firms’ manufacturing capacity. The manufacturing capacity of the firms influences the design because of the time factor. If the throughput time predicted by the product design team is large, then the design may have to be changed or redesigned. Modifying the production system is the second option, but it proves difficult. This is because every time there is a design change, then it would mean modifying the production system. There should be set procedures to evaluate the product design in relation to the capacity of production. The design should be set in such a way that the production capacity of the firm involved will be able to handle the production process. This is necessary because many firms may not be having the capacity to achieve estimated throughput time. Design for production is a term, which describes this procedure of evaluating the design for the purpose of production capacity. Measures should be put in place to reduce the design’s manufacturing capacity requirements. This would maximize the output as well as make the production process simple. Product design involves the production of a large number of products. It involves production in large amounts and therefore, it is paramount to simplify the production process. The new product designs are proofing difficult to produce with the existing equipments. This is because the new designs may have different mixes. This forces the designing team to change the design to allow the firms to produce the items. The main problem, which needs a quick solution, is the introduction of a new product. The product will come with a new design and require different manufacturing specifications. When the involved firm does not have the manufacturing capacity, it forces the designing team to redesign their products and come up with designs, which the firm has the capacity to produce. The manufacturing capacity of a firm can be evaluated by asking the question; can the production process of the firm create the specified design? The issue of time is also very important. The amount of time a firm requires to manufacture a certain product determines the production capacity of that firm. For any design to be produced effectively, operation costs must be incurred. The firm should have enough resources to manufacture the specified design without financial constraints. Human resource contributes greatly towards the production process. The work force in the company should be skilled and experienced. Lack of competency in workers will hinder the production of a good designed product. The machines and equipments involved in the production should be well manned. This production process involves a huge amount of products and a slight mistake in the production process may have tremendous consequences on the firm. Manufacturability evaluation approaches are applied in production process. This gives the product development team the aspects, which may make the design difficult to manufacture. This forces the product development team to come up with a product design that is simple to manufacture. There should be comparison of a product’s manufacturing requirement to the production capacity of the firm (Bralla 202). This should go hand-in-hand with time and cost factors. Product design involves various levels or steps. It starts with the inception of an idea. This is idea may be to improve an existing item or to introduce a new product. The product design team may be working on their product or may be contracted. The production design process runs through until the product reaches the desired customer. The manufacturing process is one of the steps. However, manufacturing process is the most crucial stage. This is the stage where the design comes into reality. This is the stage where the real design is made into a product before being taken to the market (Wallace and Spearman 132). This manufacturing stage involves a manufacturing firm, which must have the relevant capacity to manufacture the product. Failures by the production company to have the relevant capability to produce the design have serious consequences on the product design. Advances in technology and science have enabled product development teams to come up with new ideas for items. There are numerous computer programs and software, which enable these teams to actualize their ideas. These computer software have helped the product designers to establish how the products they design work. The procedure of bringing the product to life is the most crucial one. The product designed must meet the customer’s needs. During design, the product development team discusses and agrees on the materials, which suits the product. They also discuss the technological expertise required to manufacture the product. After design elements have been addressed, the product will go the production stage. This is the stage where manufacturing capacity of the involved firm comes into effect. The firm must meet the standards to produce the desired product. The firm should possess the relevant technology to meet the required demands for the product. The firm should also have the equipments to produce desired goals. The product being produced has time limits and must be processed with the stipulated time. The manufacturing firm must have the resources to meet the deadlines. The manufacturing stage can have severe effects on the product design if the producing firm does not have the capacity to produce the required product. If the producing firm does not have the capacity, the whole production design process will be affected. The customers require their products in time and any delay may lead to loss of market. This would have adverse effects on the firm. The main objective of the any business enterprise is to make profits. The products should get to the customers in good time in order to satisfy them. However, it should be understood that there a number of factors which determine a firm’s production capacity. The volume of products a firm can produce within a specified time, mainly depends on the resources available. The firm should have the relevant equipment to produce desired products. These equipments should include the machinery and other technology equipments. The human resource of the firm also affects its production capacity. A firm whose workers are not dedicated to their work will hardly have the capacity to produce large amounts of products. However, if the firm’s workers are highly dedicated and skilled, they are likely to deliver the desired results. Every production process comes along with operational costs. The manufacturing company should have a stable financial base to support its operations. Lack of finances can hinder the production process. Finally, the change in technology is affecting the production capacity of many firms. This is so because many of designed products require state of the art technology to manufacture them. If the producing firm does not meet the minimum technology requirements, it becomes difficult for it to have the capacity to produce. A firm, which does not have the manufacturing capacity, will have challenges in creating a product. The effect of this to the product design is a failure to meet the customer’s needs. In the current business field, it is necessary to meet the customer’s needs. The market is full and the competition is stiff. Production of substandard products will lead to loss of market leading to losses. It is necessary to carry out a capacity analysis before starting a production design. Capacity analysis will compare the product design requirement to the manufacturing system’s capacity. The production capacity will depend upon the time allocated to the product, and the resources available. The product design also depends on the production system’s capacity. Capacity analysis determines the existence of a capacity to produce, the possible production level, and directs on feasible ways of increasing a firm’s production capacity. In addition, the capacity available in a firm to produce varies with the type of product being produced. Different products will require different resources, and, therefore, the capacity to produce may vary. Some products will go through various operational stages, and production capacity may vary from stage to stage. The maximum production capacity of a manufacturing firm should be known. Capacity analysis helps in determining the throughput time. This helps in knowing the best manufacturing firm to go depending on customer’s time needs. The product created should meet the required needs. The purpose of improving on the design of a product is to enhance its functionality. The manufacturing firm will produce a product, which will serve its intended purpose. Finally, in conclusion, the production design should be looked at as a process. This is a step- by- step procedure, which starts with an idea. The product development teams will look out for gaps in the market. They will develop products, which will serve to fill the gap in the market. They might choose to improve on the existing products or come up with new products. The seats we use in our houses, toys, and even vehicles are all products of design. Manufacturing capacity only comes in at one stage of product design. However, this stage is the most crucial stage. As we have discussed above, this is the stage where the idea and the design are brought to reality. Product design runs through a stipulated period. It goes up to the time the product gets to the customer. The main objective of the product design is to fulfill the end users of the designed products. Well-designed products fetch good prices in the market, and they have a high demand. Many manufacturing companies have their product development teams. They are responsible for carrying out market research and finding gaps in the market. They are to come up with designs, which will appeal to the target customers. For instance, the car manufacturing industry has had tremendous growth over time. The car designs we had in the early 1990’s are no longer there. Their product designers have come up with new designs, which fit their customers. For instance, the car industry has developed designs of cars, which are fit for rough roads. This design of four wheeled powerful cars was developed due to the gap that existed. Most of the roads in Africa are rough roads. The car manufacturing companies saw the gap and designed the appropriate cars. There must be a manufacturing capacity to ensure that the created designs are produced as desired. Manufacturing capacity is the ability of a production firm to produce a certain amount of products with its existing resources. Production design is about production of huge amounts of products, and, therefore, the production capacity should be able to meet the demands. As we have earlier discussed, a firm without the product capacity of a certain design, may have serious effects. Any delays in the production process leads to loss of customers hence low profits. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the firm involved in production of a design has the manufacturing or the production capacity. Capacity analysis is vital in production design. This enables the product development team to come up with a simplified design that will be produced without difficult. Recommendations For product design to be successfully complete, it is necessary to ensure that the manufacturing firm has the capacity. Capacity analysis should be carried out to ensure that the manufacturing firm is capable of producing the desired product. Secondly, the manufacturing firms should embrace current technology. This should be coupled with acquisition of modern equipments for production. The directors of these production firms should understand that the equipments they used long time ago are now obsolete and new modern ones are required. This will go an extra mile in ensuring that they have the capacity to process modern designed products. The manufacturing companies should also hire qualified personnel for the right jobs. They should ensure that all their employees are competent enough to cope with the job of production. Workers should be hired based on experience and expertise. As the firms endeavor to acquire the modern equipments, this will demand new work force to operate the equipments. The firms can opt to hire new workers or train the existing ones. The product design and development team should come up with simple designs, which the production firm can handle. However, the designs should be appealing to the intended customers. They should carry out extensive research on the products required in the market. The product design team should also set the time for production based on the production capacity of the firms. The product design team should also create products, which meet the product’s intended function. The functions of the product being designed should be known long before the design work starts. Evaluate other products being produced at the same time should also. Data should be gathered on these products, and their manufacturing system. This will help in determining whether the firm has the production capacity for a certain item. Finally, there should be a manufacturing process plan for the product design. For each of the stages of product design, identify the required resources. The cost of operation should also be estimated to avoid financial problems in the middle of the product design process. Works Cited Averill, Law, and Kelton, David. Simulation Modeling and Analysis. 2nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991. Print Bralla, James. Handbook of Product Design for Manufacturing. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1986. Print Pahl, Gerhard, and Beitz, Wallace. Engineering Design. London: Design Council, 1984. Print Wallace, Hopp, and Spearman, Mark. Factory Physics. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1996. Print Read More