Product value optimisation engineering applied to current component designs: A case study from the Brazilian automotive industry

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Faced with an extremely competitive global market and increasingly demanding consumers, there is a need for companies to reduce the costs of currently manufactured products and to preserve their quality and performance. The objective of this work is to present a reference model for product development with emphasis on product value optimisation applied to current mass-produced components manufactured in large companies, where the requirements of quality, performance and cost reduction are emphasised. The model considered was implemented in the product engineering department of an automotive company in Brazil. Studies of real cases of successfully optimised component designs are presented, with cost reductions of up to 36% in relation to the initial cost of components. Copyright © 2008 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.