Reflection – Visualization

Challenge

I lead a team of designers that work with production units to develop tools and fixtures for manufacturing  lines, to reduce variation of manual processes, standardize the way operations are done, increase ease  and speed of processes, reduce ergonomic hazards and prevent safety incidents.  The process starts with  a request by one of the different teams, and the designation of a designer to address it.  One of the most  challenging parts of the development process is when the designers have to capture the requirements  from the product builders and functional representatives of the area (production, manufacturing, quality,  industrial engineering and environmental health and safety), to make sure in the end the resultant fixture  meets its intended use, does not add time to the process, it is safe to use, and most importantly, no  unnecessary reworks are required.  Later in the process, when the designers come up with possible  solutions, difficult to imagine by others, it is also challenging to transfer that conceptualization to the  different stakeholders to show progress and check designers are moving in the right direction.  And finally,  the designers have to put together prototypes to represent the potential solutions, in order to get  feedback and make quick iterations, to reduce the time of overall design/development process.

Selection

To achieve all these things visualization is needed.  Starting with being able to receive information from  the different stakeholders, abstracting from the problem, picturing key elements that may help with the  different parts of the solution, and transforming this information into requirements and specifications,  which will be the fixture’s accepting criteria.  Continuing with creating concepts based on these  specifications, for potential solutions that the requester can picture and see, for ease of understanding,  using CAD software to create 3D models.  And finalizing with prototypes that can better show dimensions,  appearance and functionality of different prototypes and their iteration process.  It is important for the  designer to visualize what the stakeholders want, move from simple to more complex concepts, separate  the problem into smaller parts, identify how to create solutions for these, and be able to show preliminary  results as the process progresses.  And on the other hand, it is important for the stakeholders to visualize  the intended use they are striving for (the what, not the how), so the information can be transferred to  the designer, and the end result is satisfactory and complies with all requirements.

Application

Designers have a set of guidelines they use, but all projects are different from each other.  In this  guidelines it is stated who the different stakeholders are (production, manufacturing, quality, industrial  engineering and environmental health and safety) and the basic things that need to be assessed (for  example, a new fixture cannot add time to a process, or in other words, the operation time with the new  fixture should take the same or less time to perform).  The projects may have different drivers, such as  safety, quality, service or cost, and these can also define the amount of visualization required.  For  example, a safety project requires less visualization, because covering moving parts or hot surfaces is a  more straight forward process, in oppose to a project that requires a new method to perform an  operation, where the designers need to take the information provided, and “do some magic”, by  visualizing how to approach and resolve the problem, in a simple, efficient and effective manner.

Once the requirements and specifications are defined by the stakeholders, the designers analyze them,  challenging these, if needed, and breaking down the problem into smaller pieces, to make sure they  understand, and to assess if the actual stated problem, is the problem that needs to be solved.  Using 3D  CAD models, designers evaluate different angles, and visualize potential solutions to the same problem,  sharing the different approaches with the client, and coming up in the end with robust solutions.   Designers also have important tools on site that assists them with helping others visualize their concepts  and ideas, which are 3D printers.  There are several 3D printers where the designers can quickly and at a  reduce cost, create prototypes and models to help in the development process, so the stakeholders can  better visualize the ideas and concepts that are being created.

Insight

Interviewing with the product builders and meeting with the stakeholders has been key to the  development process as it allows the designers to capture all necessary inputs, helping them to get an  initial mind picture of potential approaches to solve the problems, and also involves all the different  functions and end users, reducing the resistance to change and acceptance time of the new fixtures.  Using  3D CAD models has facilitated the process of showing the customers preliminary concepts, how the  fixtures will look and how they will interact with the products being manufactured.  Finally using the 3D  printers has helped to materialize the 3D models in a fast and low cost way, so the final concept can be  seen, felt and tested, allowing to make quick iterations and adjustments (fine tuning) before the final  prototype is sent out to be machined.

Approach

The team has already incorporated visualization and it is being used in the fixture development process,  nonetheless it is important to continue to improve the process and specially the initial interaction with  the stakeholders and product builders, as it has been identified that in some cases the first ones are not  very clear on the requirements and specifications when the development process is starting, which  requires more work at the beginning and may lead to reworks, or even redesigns once the fixtures have  been completed.  Also, the team constantly faces new challenges that require more innovative and  complex solutions (incorporating pneumatics, sensors and some degree of automation), so being able to  show concepts, iterations and prototypes that help the stakeholders see the progress, size, use of the  fixtures and interactions in a timely matter is very important to continue to add value to the product  manufacturing process and to the site.


Reflection – Visualization Challenge I lead a team of designers that work with production units to develop tools and fixtures for manufacturing lines , to reduce variation of manual processes , standardize the way operations are done , increase ease and speed of processes , reduce ergonomic hazards and prevent safety incidents . The process starts with a request by one of the different teams , and the designation of a designer to address it . One of the most challenging parts of the development process is when the designers have to capture the requirements from the product builders and functional representatives of the area ( production , manufacturing , quality , industrial engineering and environmental health and safety ) , to make sure in the end the resultant fixture meets its intended use , does not add time to the process , it is safe to use , and most importantly , no unnecessary reworks are required . Later in the process , when the designers come up with possible solutions , difficult to imagine by others , it is also challenging to transfer that conceptualization to the different stakeholders to show progress and check designers are moving in the right direction . And finally , the designers have to put together prototypes to represent the potential solutions , in order to get feedback and make quick iterations , to reduce the time of overall design / development process . Selection To achieve all these things visualization is needed . Starting with being able to receive information from the different stakeholders , abstracting from the problem , picturing key elements that may help with the different parts of the solution , and transforming this information into requirements and specifications , which will be the fixture ’s accepting criteria . Continuing with creating concepts based on these specifications , for potential solutions that the requester can picture and see , for ease of understanding , using CAD software to create 3D models . And finalizing with prototypes that can better show dimensions , appearance and functionality of different prototypes and their iteration process . It is important for the designer to visualize what the stakeholders want , move from simple to more complex concepts , separate the problem into smaller parts , identify how to create solutions for these , and be able to show preliminary results as the process progresses . And on the other hand , it is important for the stakeholders to visualize the intended use they are striving for ( the what , not the how ) , so the information can be transferred to the designer , and the end result is satisfactory and complies with all requirements . Application Designers have a set of guidelines they use , but all projects are different from each other . In this guidelines it is stated who the different stakeholders are ( production , manufacturing , quality , industrial engineering and environmental health and safety ) and the basic things that need to be assessed ( for example , a new fixture can not add time to a process , or in other words , the operation time with the new fixture should take the same or less time to perform ) . The projects may have different drivers , such as safety , quality , service or cost , and these can also define the amount of visualization required . For example , a safety project requires less visualization , because covering moving parts or hot surfaces is a more straight forward process , in oppose to a project that requires a new method to perform an operation , where the designers need to take the information provided , and “ do some magic ” , by visualizing how to approach and resolve the problem , in a simple , efficient and effective manner . Once the requirements and specifications are defined by the stakeholders , the designers analyze them , challenging these , if needed , and breaking down the problem into smaller pieces , to make sure they understand , and to assess if the actual stated problem , is the problem that needs to be solved . Using 3D CAD models , designers evaluate different angles , and visualize potential solutions to the same problem , sharing the different approaches with the client , and coming up in the end with robust solutions . Designers also have important tools on site that assists them with helping others visualize their concepts and ideas , which are 3D printers . There are several 3D printers where the designers can quickly and at a reduce cost , create prototypes and models to help in the development process , so the stakeholders can better visualize the ideas and concepts that are being created . Insight Interviewing with the product builders and meeting with the stakeholders has been key to the development process as it allows the designers to capture all necessary inputs , helping them to get an initial mind picture of potential approaches to solve the problems , and also involves all the different functions and end users , reducing the resistance to change and acceptance time of the new fixtures . Using 3D CAD models has facilitated the process of showing the customers preliminary concepts , how the fixtures will look and how they will interact with the products being manufactured . Finally using the 3D printers has helped to materialize the 3D models in a fast and low cost way , so the final concept can be seen , felt and tested , allowing to make quick iterations and adjustments ( fine tuning ) before the final prototype is sent out to be machined . Approach The team has already incorporated visualization and it is being used in the fixture development process , nonetheless it is important to continue to improve the process and specially the initial interaction with the stakeholders and product builders , as it has been identified that in some cases the first ones are not very clear on the requirements and specifications when the development process is starting , which requires more work at the beginning and may lead to reworks , or even redesigns once the fixtures have been completed . Also , the team constantly faces new challenges that require more innovative and complex solutions ( incorporating pneumatics , sensors and some degree of automation ) , so being able to show concepts , iterations and prototypes that help the stakeholders see the progress , size , use of the fixtures and interactions in a timely matter is very important to continue to add value to the product manufacturing process and to the site .