Definition
The practice of synchronized design of products, their production processes and delivery mechanisms, with prior inputs for shorter development cycles, higher quality and lower cost.
In detail
Concurrent Engineering is a product development strategy that emphasizes considering production processes and delivery mechanisms simultaneously during the design phase, rather than waiting until design completion for process engineering. It addresses the problems of frequent design changes, long development cycles, and high costs in traditional sequential development. Compared to sequential engineering, concurrent engineering uses cross-functional team collaboration to identify issues early and reduce later modifications. Its outputs are shorter product development cycles, higher product quality, and lower development costs.
Example in practice
An automotive parts company developing a braking system for a new model previously had the design department complete drawings and hand them to the process department, only to find manufacturing difficulties requiring repeated modifications. After adopting concurrent engineering, a team comprising design, process, procurement, and quality personnel reviewed the design together from the early stages, with process engineers providing manufacturability suggestions. Ultimately, the product was designed successfully on the first attempt, development lead time was reduced by 30%, and costs significantly decreased.