The operative process as a frame of reference for equipment portfolio design

Abstract

This study defines a new methodological frame of reference for the design and development of machines or other devices involved in production processes. The results presented here are generally applicable to companies developing their own portfolio of machines that support any kind of production process, whether manufacturing a product or providing a service.

In the course of research in the GAMMA project (GAMMA is a Research Project supported by the Spanish Science and Technology Ministry) the authors have perceived the need for a new point of view that includes both the equipment to be designed and the process to which it contributes (named operative process). In formulating these proposals, the authors have relied heavily on the Theory of Technical Systems by Hubka and Eder (1998a).

The combination of operative process and equipment extends the field of collaborative engineering to the simultaneous design of process and equipment and, at the same time, the equipment becomes more reconfigurable. To facilitate the implementation of design and development methodologies based on this approach, the authors define the concepts of process equipment architecture and portfolio equipment architecture.

The analysis of the product portfolio of several companies has shown that this new point of view gives a higher innovation potential than the simple definition of specifications, especially in the development of the equipment portfolio for a process family.

Keywords:

• Operative process
• Process equipment architecture
• Equipment portfolio architecture
• Machine design

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the infrastructure support of CDEI-UPC and Centre-CIM, without which the research would not have been possible, and also the financial support to GAMMA project (DPI2000-0433-P4-05) given by the Spanish Government.

The authors are grateful to the following companies for providing information on which to base this research: Girbau S. A. (Vic, Barcelona), Ros Roca S. A. (Tàrrega, Lleida), PALVI (Agramunt, Lleida), Martín Lloveras S. A. (Terrassa, Barcelona), Quemadores Beralmar S. L. (Terrassa, Barcelona) and Industrias Torrents S. L. (Castellà del Vallès, Barcelona).

Finally, the authors thank Robin Rycroft for his aid in establishing the terminology.