Fisher Price - 3-5 year old Ride-On Car  Production Process Analysis

Production - Engineering Feasibility Study

       The costs and risks involved in the development of new products in the global marketplace can be high.  Global and Regional Product Managers must seek strategic information which can effectively quantify both the risks and rewards that are associated with one or more courses of action in the development of high volume mass produced products.  The Feasibility Study is part of WD’s Strategic Development Process arsenal of development tools which can incorporate a proven business feasibility review and analysis format.   “The Feasibility Study” in the initial phases of the project, offers a glimpse of the anticipated design, development, engineering and manufacturing issues to be considered, to reduce the possibilities of investing in a particular development path which may prove to be costly in engineering change orders.  Determination of the best approach to mass manufacturing a product including design, part configuration, materials and process selection is typically the focus of a formal study.

       The feasibility review and full study are used heavily to assist corporations in exploring the windows of opportunity, eliminating and ultimately choosing the most appropriate development paths earlier in the product development process.  The feasibility study is typically useful when the area of interest is focused upon a single component, a sub system defined by a group of components, or a completely assembled product.  Although the formal “study” is not always necessary to the SDP, it can prove invaluable when high production volumes are required or it involves multiple components systems. 

       When a product system moves to the environment, it involves a development process that is inherently more complex than single components.   With this problem, the possibilities and potential of innovating a dynamic solution which leap-frogs the competition, is fostered by the feasibility study and often opens avenues which are not or may not be considered.  The Feasibility Study as part of the Strategic Development Process can be a dynamic tool for increasing the degrees of freedom and sets the stage for more dynamic results. 

       Normally, the basic appearance or functional direction of the product or sub-system has been set and defined when the SDP is initiated. However, questions still exist about how to best to interpret this appearance into a form that can be effectively manufactured.  The study can be helpful if one or more of the following conditions apply:

•  more than one way to manufacture the component or subsystem has been identified

•  there are questions about the appropriate levels of capitalization required

• a firm price or cost point has already been established for the product or sub-system

•  there are uncertainties associated with the projected volumes, expected product life cycle, or potentials for the products line extension.

       Although each study is tailored to the specifics of the particular situation, there are general elements that are common to all.  In order for the study to be effective, it is necessary to complete a rigorous definition of the problem.  Variables that have a significant effect on the product are noted and desired features are considered that “would be nice” to incorporate into the product.   These requirements and desired features create a window of flexibility from which different paths to resolution can be defined, refined and compared.  The key objectives that are addressed by the study are:

•  find method that minimizes tooling costs

•  identify scenario that offers simplest assembly method

•  identify any new materials or processing technologies and possible application 

•  define relationships between parts appearance and viable manufacturing costs

•  determine if a method can deliver required tolerances

•  access overall trade-offs between potential methods

•  find method that will minimize part cost of a key component

•  look for part consolidation opportunities

       The key aspect of the results is that the feasibility study assists corporate decision-makers in evaluating the real world ramifications and costs associated with a given approach before it is pursued