TODAY, A PRODUCT ENGINEER FACES TOUGH CHALLENGES. TIME-TO-MARKET (TTM) AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION FOR EXAMPLE. THERE ARE SO MANY INTERESTS THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. ARE YOU A INGENIOUS PRODUCT ENGINEER WHO HANDLES TIME AND MONEY WELL?
Launching a product is exciting. Every stadium of the design process has been completed. The release version must be the best version ever; as optimal as possible in applicability and user experience. The product must live up to the consumer’s expectations functionality wise, but also in terms of size, weight and possibly the power supply. It should be the best thing for the customer since sliced bread. After release, products are sold. Everyone happy. But what if the consumer turns out to have different expectations in terms of noise from vibrations?
In practice, we often notice that product engineers experience ‘luck’ when launching their product. These engineers come to their result through a process of trial and error and careful thought. However, substantiating their results proof to be difficult. Just like reproducing it; “it works now, so it is good”. If a consumer complains that the product makes too much noise, the product engineer has a challenge: Where does the noise originate from? How can I prove this? How am I going to fix this?
A HOPELESS TASK….
For a process of ‘trial and error’ of trying to design components differently, testing again and looking at the result, you need luck and enough time. This process is often a brain teaser for engineers. If the sound of a product is not satisfactory in the design process, it costs money every day because the time-to-market period is getting longer. An engineer understands many technical aspects of the design. Most products are complex to design. Sound is often neglected because other design parts are better known. Engineers find it difficult to follow this new path. Certainly under today’s strict time-to-market requirements. Smart engineers take a different approach.
…. OR NOT?
Rick Scholte developed a technique and process 11 years ago in which the sound source can be visualized. As a result, many products have been made quieter over the years. Experienced, many consumers around the world are more satisfied with the products that are used because the sound and /or vibration level matches their expectations. From noise reduction from a medical robots, computers, ventilation systems to mattresses. The acoustic design of a product is guaranteed by going through all the steps in this cycle.
Our added value goes much further than providing our sound cameras. Our entire business model revolves around helping product engineers throughout their Acoustic Design Cycle. I will go into this cycle more detailed in the next blog. We do this together with partners who are specialists in their own field and who typically offer one or more elements of the cycle. Think of acoustic consultancy agents, engineering consultancy companies such as Demcon Multiphysics from test and measurement solutions companies such as CN Rood.