Product Design

Product design as a verb is to create a new product to be sold by a business to its customers. It is the generation and development of a wide range of coefficient and impact ideas through a process that leads to new products. Therefore, it is an important aspect of new product development. (1)

Product design as a noun: the set of features of a work consisting of discrete features of form (i.e., the aesthetics of the tangible good or service) and function (i.e., its capabilities) together with holistic features of integrated form and function.(2)

Product design studies; It consists of Market Research, Feasibility, Concept Creation, Planning, Model Production, Mechanical Design, Verification, Documentation, Manufacturing and Sustainability stages. (5)

Listing of possible competing products in the targeted market, their market positions, production methods, costs and profitability estimates are created. A prediction of what the new trends will be and their location should be provided. This information will be used as data for conceptual design and feasibility studies.

At this stage, where the general picture of the investment is created, such as design and development processes, manufacturing methods, targets, production materials, workmanship, marketing supply and sales channels, cost analyses, mechanical values that will be taken as basis in concept studies are created. (6)

Concept design is the first big picture. It is a study aimed at creating or directing consumer demands. This is the stage where strategies begin to take physical form. Creative and innovative contributions and even concepts created with a methodical approach such as TRIZ enable the creation of leading products in their field. Concept design is the creation of product details using the results of market research and feasibility studies. The entire infrastructure of the product, such as ergonomics, visuality, function, mechanical details, material, color, production and maintenance, that will be effective throughout its life, begins to take shape at this stage. (7)

The roadmap of which problems of the product we will solve and how we will solve them is determined at this stage. Details of studies such as Design, Validation, Documentation, Procurement, Production, Maintenance, Repair, Spare parts, Recycling, Improvements are created.

Concept design is the visual creation of form features such as volume and aesthetic ergonomics of the completed product. The clay model, the foam blocks, are the first visual physical product produced by 3D printers – the prototype. It is used in customer experience, user approach and ergonomic suitability studies.

It is a computer-aided design work to create the mechanisms of the product, whose outlines have been determined with the concept design, in a way that best suits the production, assembly and maintenance conditions, with all its sub-parts. In order for the product to fulfill its function, its durability and compliance with working conditions and standards are taken into consideration. Verification studies are also carried out for critical values. In this study, material, production and assembly tolerances, quality requirements and packaging details and features are established.

These are the studies carried out to determine and approve the working and environmental conditions of the product created as a result of mechanical design, and to ensure that its function is fully fulfilled. In these studies, the product is produced as a prototype for use and testing in the field. Prototype production is carried out from real material in accordance with the dimensions and tolerances. Depending on the place of use and purpose, similar materials and methods can also be preferred. Again, depending on the place and purpose of use, physical and/or simulation testing of the product is also a verification study. Thus, it is confirmed that the mechanical design will achieve its lifespan and function. Optimization of the product is carried out according to the results of the verifications. After the design is clarified, packaging and packaging designs are also verified. At this stage, certification standardization preliminary studies begin.

Certifications and technical documents that the product must obtain according to its intended use are prepared. Necessary documents such as technical drawings, bill of materials, manufacturing procedures, patent applications and permits are created after the design is finalized.

Depending on the purpose and use of the product, pre-production, first sample control (FAI), assembly and control fixtures, tooling, packaging and packaging details are completed with the selected production method. Test apparatus arising from the quality requirements of the supplied products and the parts produced are also finalized and produced at this stage. Necessary production adjustments are made by reviewing the tolerances and tolerance stack analysis results taken into account during the design phase.. (8)

It is the carrying out of stages such as development, improvement, optimization, cost reduction, and ensuring competitive continuity that will take place throughout the life of the product. These are the development efforts carried out to ensure that the product remains up-to-date and maintains the highest market share throughout its market life.