Comments on: How to Reduce Part Variants https://www.allaboutlean.com/reduce-part-variants/ Organize your Industry! Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:57:56 +0000 hourly 1 By: Christoph Roser https://www.allaboutlean.com/reduce-part-variants/#comment-107423 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:57:56 +0000 https://www.allaboutlean.com/?p=28867#comment-107423 Hi Lin, sorry, but I don’t have any in depth papers. I recently focus more on blogging and books rather than academic papers.

]]> By: Lin https://www.allaboutlean.com/reduce-part-variants/#comment-98928 Thu, 17 Nov 2022 07:58:53 +0000 https://www.allaboutlean.com/?p=28867#comment-98928 Very good points. My recent research topic is very relevant to this. Is there any more in-depth paper research on this? I would like to try to solve its optimization problem based on this research scenario.

]]> By: Peter Meissner https://www.allaboutlean.com/reduce-part-variants/#comment-98426 Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:48:57 +0000 https://www.allaboutlean.com/?p=28867#comment-98426 This reminds me of the work done by Boothroyd & Dewhurst at Uni of Rhode Island – “Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA).” It was more focused on parts consolidation in a single assembly design vs having an assembly that can be repurposed across multiple products. The DFMA analysis did assign a significant penalty for using multiple different vs a single fastener type.

I am also reminded that manufacturers will leave in the hardware or modules which contain the full functionality but “cripple” it at the user interface. On my 2009 truck, I was able to easily add both intermittent windshield wipers and cruise control because the wiring and “smarts” were already there – at a significant discount versus buying a the next level up model.

]]> By: Christoph Roser https://www.allaboutlean.com/reduce-part-variants/#comment-98219 Sun, 13 Nov 2022 09:13:53 +0000 https://www.allaboutlean.com/?p=28867#comment-98219 True. Changing a design may have a follow up of expensive testing and paperwork. Not only in medical, also in automotive, aircraft, and others. That’s why a proactive change is better than a reactive, since you have to test and certify a new design anyway…

]]> By: Gerhard Kessler https://www.allaboutlean.com/reduce-part-variants/#comment-97652 Wed, 09 Nov 2022 14:58:10 +0000 https://www.allaboutlean.com/?p=28867#comment-97652 Depending on the industry, a change of a component is not always just another design and you may need to re-validate the end-product. Those changes are very critical e.g. in the medical device field where you have to proof functionality and sometimes redo biocompatibility tests for the components. In generally I support your statements, BUT………

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