Methodology and computer-based tools for reengineering a custom-engineered product line

Abstract From the Canadian patent

An in-depth review of a product line is conducted including customer interviews, in order to identify customer specifications that are more complex than customer needs. Customer needs are quantified and a reduced set of standard, product configuration classes are selected so that about 80% of customer orders based on actual customer needs can be satisfied by the standard product configuration classes and, the remaining orders can be satisfied by custom design. Major components in the standard products are themselves standardized. Manufacture of the standard product is optimized for a one-day manufacturing cycle and separated from the manufacture of the custom designed product. A sales …