Costs, Materials, Technologies, Environment
After completion of development, production can commence. In most cases this will be a series production which are characterised by the planned number of pieces, batches, and total annual quantities over the complete lifetime of the product’s production.
The main costs and expenses of production are determined by the preceding development stage. The factory cost or the so-called ‘unit cost’ must be in a healthy balance to the end user or ‘retail price’. Another set of costs are the one-off costs, these include but are not limited to: the cost of tools, dies, jigs, test equipment, etc. In terms of cost reduction putting pressure on manufacturers in this area is often overlooked at the development phase.
Who is the actual manufacturer? This question can be confusing to answer when the production is comprised of various parties. Just one company must be accountable for the manufacture and thus assume warranty obligations for the purchaser or consumer. It is necessary to determine whether the manufacturer is suitable and possibly even registered. The answer is usually found in the company's quality management system. Is it comprehensive enough to take the necessary responsibility for the production?
Production takes place in a variety of manufacturing processes using different technologies. Availability and capacity of these technologies is as important to consider as the materials themselves. For example, special electronic components are only available above a high-volume, and are usually only able to deliver for a short period of time. In many cases, a so-called. Discontinued components are a major problem in the second part of the product’s life cycle.
Materials, technologies and the product’s disposal have an impact on the environment. Sustainable development and production is a requirement that can no longer be ignored, keyword: resource-efficient product development. This is such a serious are of concern that there are even government funding opportunities available.
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