Research & Development - Summary

Imagination is more important than knowledge - Albert Einstein
Don't oppose forces, use them - Buckminster Fuller Why should we subsidize intellectual curiosity? - Ronald Reagan
Research Development References Back

R & D Planning and Control

  • R & D investment analysis
  • Ratio of profits invested in R & D
  • Percentage of revenues from new products
  • Market share due to new products/R & D
  • R & D audits

    R & D Relationship to Technology Business

    • R&D is a source of stars (and ?s) in business portfolio
    • R&D is a source of pacing technologies
    • Early step in the Product Life Cycle
    Product Life Cycle
    Consumer Identification of Need
    Producer Product Planning
    Product Research
    Product Design
    Product Construction
    Product Evaluation *
    Consumer Product Use and Support **
    * - The consumer and/or regulatory agencies may be involved with this step
    ** - Some support activities may be carried out by the producer

    Research

    Research Organizations and their Charters

    Research Organizations and their Charters

    Research Process

    Research Process
    • Definition
      Should be complete enough to focus individual or group; should be sufficiently open-ended so as not to imply expected solution
    • Preparation
      Remove distractions. Submersion in the problem definition and existing information about previous attempts at solution
    • Expansion
      Osborn (Brainstorming/Transformations)
      • SCAMPER-Substitute, Combine, Add or Adapt, Minimize-Magnify-Modify, Put to other uses, Exaggerate, Reverse or Rearrange (Eberle, '72)
      De Bono (Lateral Thinking/Provocation and Movement)
      • Provocations: Escape, Reversal, Exaggeration, Distortion, Wishful Thinking, Random
      • Movements:Extract Principles, Focus on Difference, Moment to Moment, Positive Aspects, Circumstances
      Characteristics of Idea Expansion Techniques (Dhillon)
      • Construction
      • Decomposition
      • Association
    • Incubation/Synthesis
      Combine best elements of proposed solutions
    • Extraction-technique based on # of alternatives to select among and cost
      • Checklists
      • Payback Analysis
      • Simulation
      • Lab Prototype
      • Marketing Prototype
    • Implementation
      Design and production
    • Protection
      • Patents
      • Trademarks
      • Copyrights
      • Trade Secrets

    Creativity and Idea Expansion

    Fostering Creativity

    • Reading
    • Writing
    • Experience
    • Outside Interests
    • Game Play
    • Environmental Factors

    Creative Environment

    • Education
    • Freedom
    • Facilities
    • Recognition

    Barriers to Creativity

    • Environmental Barriers
    • Cultural Barriers
    • Perceptual Barriers
    • Emotional Barriers


    Development

    Design Characteristics:

    • Producability
    • Maintainability
    • Useability
    • Standardization
    • Reliability
    • Robustness
    • Liability

    Design Control

    • Design Review
    • Release Control
    • Configuration Management
    • Object Control
    • Financial Control
    Development Process Input/Output Diagram

    Input Output
    Information Quality Function Deployment
    Requirements Document
    Validation Specification
    Simulation Models
    Product Specifications
    Manufacturing Specifications
    Test Specifications
    Vendor Component Specifications
    Schematics
    Lithography Masks
    Machining Drawings
    Assembly Drawings
    Embedded Software
    Numerical Control Recipes/Software
    Repair/Maintenance Instructions
    Test Software
    Fault Simulation Models
    Thermal Models
    Vibration Models
    Power Consumption Models
    Failure Mode Effects Analysis
    Validation Facilities
    Artifacts Lab Prototype
    Lab Fabrication Equipment
    Lab Machining Equipment
    Lab Assembly Equipment
    Lab Rework/Repair Equipment
    Lab Test Equipment
    Marketing Prototypes
    Qualification Units
    First Article/First Run
    Production Fabrication Equipment
    Production Machining Equipment
    Production Assembly Equipment
    Production Test Equipment
    Production Rework/Repair Equipment
    Field Rework/Repair Equipment

    Design Process Models

    • Build-and-Fix
      Only suitable for craftsperson/small operation
    • Waterfall
      Top-down design. Cascade through predefined levels of product definition abstraction, checking for consistency and completeness between representations. Checks between adjacent levels is verification and comparisons with the top level are validation.
      • Requirements (most abstract product definition)
      • Specification
      • Design
      • Validation
      • Production
      • Support (least abstract product definition)
    • Spiral
      Waterfall with feedback
    • Rapid Prototyping
      Spiral model used in conjunction with one or more rapid prototyping technologies:
      • Laser Machining
      • Field Programmable Gate Arrays FPGAs
      • Higher Order Languages HOLs
      • Computer Simulation/Visualization
      • Integrated Hardware/Software Simulation
    • Object Oriented
      Bottom-up design from a repository of standard, modular design elements
    • Concurrent Engineering
      • Significant consideration of factors from later in the life cycle
      • Process design in parallel with product design
      • Integrated development tools and databases
      • Reduce the time from concept to product distribution
      • Enhance product satisfaction

    Process Assessment

    • ISO 9000
    • Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model

    Reliability

    Define f(t) as the probability of a product failing at time t. F(t) is the probability of a product failing at or before time t
    Cumulative Failure Distribution
    .
    The reliability function of the product is R(t) = 1 - F(t) =
    Reliability Function
    .
    The hazard function defines the failure rate at a given point in time h(t) = f(t)/R(t)

    Static Reliability Models

    Series Model

    Series Reliability Model

    As a result, Upper Boundary for Series Reliability

    Parallel Model

    Parallel Reliability Model

    Redundancy:
    n identical components, at least r must survive (r out of n redundancy)

    Redundant Reliability Model

    Robustness

    Parameter Design to:
    • maximize performance
    • minimize variation in lieu of noise factors

    Strategy:

    1. Identify design factors and noise factors.
    2. Construct design matrix (inner array) and noise matrix (outer array).
    3. For each experimental point in the inner array, "intelligently replicate" via the recipe in the outer array.
    4. Conduct and analyze experiment.
    5. Optimize performance.
    6. Confirm results.

    Notes:

    7. Taguchi advocates using SNR; others suggest separating analysis of mean performance (location) from robustness (dispersion).
    8. One wishes to separate control factors into 3 categories: controls dispersion (robustness), controls location, and neither. You first set dispersion effect factors at optimal settings, then adjust location via other factors, then set 3rd category factors at most economical setting.

    Taguchi's first experiment:

    Curing Oven Figure

    • needed to be processed 350-360; oven could only hold 340-370
    • 3 options: don't put tiles in cold spots, expensive controller, or...
    • add lime to composition--> no change in performance, but tiles were made more robust to temperature variations


    Additional References
    • Babcock, D.L. Managing Engineering and Technology, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 1996.
    • Bebb, H.B., "Quality Design Engineering: The Missing Link in U.S. Competitiveness", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1990.
    • Byer, R.L., "Industry, Government, Universities, and Technological Leadership-A University Perspective", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1993.
    • Chalmers, A.F., Science and its Fabrication, Open University Press, Buckingham, 1990.
    • De Bono, E., Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step, Harper and Row, New York, 1970.
    • De Bono, E., Sur/petition: Creating Value Monopolies when Everyone Else is Merely Competing, HarperCollins, New York, 1992.
    • De Bono, E., Serious Creativity: Using the Power of Lateral Thinking to Create New Ideas, HarperCollins, New York, 1992.
    • Dhillon, B.S., Engineering Management: Concepts, Procedures and Models, Technomic, Lancaster, 1987.
    • Dresselhaus, M., "Mutually Beneficial Partnerships Between Universities, National Laboratories, and Industry", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1992.
    • Galbraith, J.K., "Technology and the Modern State", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1990.
    • Good, M.L., "Science and Technology Policy: Will 'Lassez Faire' Still Do?", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1991.
    • Greenburg, D.,S., The Politics of Pure Science: An Inquiry into the Relationship between Science and Government in the United States, New American Library, New York, 1967.
    • Kuhn, S., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970.
    • McGroddy, J.C., "Industry, Government, Universities, and Technological Leadership-An Industry Perspective", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1993.
    • Miller, W.F., "Leadership in Decentralized Research Organizations", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1989.
    • Noyce, R.N., "SEMATECH and Leadership Goals in the U.S. Semiconductor Industry", CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1989.
    • Schach, S.R., Software Engineering, Irwin, Homewood, 1990.
    • Shenhar, A.J., "From low- to high-tech project management", R&D Management, 1993.
    • Soley, L.C., Leasing the Ivory Tower: The Corporate Takeover of Academia, South End Press, 1995.
    • Weisz, M.S., "Stairways to Heaven: Illusions of Organizational Change", American Programmer, American Programmer, July, 1993.


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