A New Concurrent Engineering – Multi Criteria Decision Making Technique for Conceptual Design Selection

Abstract

Product development process involves conceptual design selection, which is an activity engaging with numerous types of data including technical-customer specifications and current design developments. This paper presents a conceptual design selection which employs a new technique which accommodates Concurrent Engineering (CE) – Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) strategies. This new technique combines Concurrent Network (CE-ANP), Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), referred as CoNQA. To illustrate this technique, a case study is presented involving aerospace application which is the selection of wing spar material. The result shows that the proposed new technique proved to be a sound method which considers product performance, product specification, technical specifications and selection of the best alternative in the selection process. This new method should be a useful aid for designers in collaboration with engineers to perform systematic and parallel technique involving early consideration of technical-customer requirements during conceptual design, hence to establish good product design and increase product competitiveness.