Introductory description

This module will provide the students with the ability to demonstrate how engineering businesses can meet the challenges created by the dynamic industrial and commercial environment in which they operate. Students will furthermore be able to employ appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques to deal with designing and managing operations, managing and assuring quality with awareness of risks involved. Students will also be able to apply and use the tools and techniques studied in context of product life cycle management with emphasis on principles of sustainable development and relevant ethical and regulatory requirements. This module will also develop the learners understanding of the application of design process by focussing on the user interface aspect of the product. This concept will be achieved in this module by focussing the learners to understand fully about the creative design process which involves research, sketching, comparative product research, prototyping and testing.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Operations Management:
Design of the operation – design of the product & service, supply network, layout & flow and jobs & work organisation.
Transition to operation – operation readiness and monitoring
Information management systems
Organisational structure with relevant leadership and management styles
Planning & control of the operation - capacity management; change management
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Agile against Lean systems (with introduction of major lean systems elements and tools)
Importance of continuous improvement and transition towards learning organisations.
Life Cycle Management & Sustainability
Product lifecycle management (PLM): increasing complexity and regulations trends
Present product lifecycles against sustainable development frameworks
Life cycle impact assessment : cradle to grave
Applied Engineering content
Introduction: importance of applied design to a product, aesthetic needs, budgetary constraints, Corporate Identity Initial Research: key factors of the design process, documentation of clients design brief, comparative study, market analysis by focussing customer needs and design methodology.
Product design specification: developing PDS with respect to user requirements, preparing Matrices, setting up final specifications.
Alternative Design Ideas: methods, targeted alternative design and final solution, evaluating final design solution, further development.
Plan for Manufacture: materials and types of machinery, manufacturing regulations, standards, quality, costing, Assembly requirements and time management.
Prototype Manufacture: technology, making working model.
Final Evaluation: testing, future development

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Analyse engineering issues and problems associated with the clients design requirements;
• Understand and describe how to write a design specification which matches with client’s requirements and then conclude the final design solution by using the appropriate selection methods;
• Discuss the importance and interdependence of major elements of design of operation management system including, but not limited to planning, organisational structures with assessment of appropriate leadership and management styles and control in order to improve operations and identify a relevant selection of tools and techniques (including lean) for a variety of engineering businesses;
• Appraise lifecycle assessment and management principles in dynamic business environments and its relevance to sustainable development concepts;
• Identify and apply both qualitative and quantitative approaches associated with ethics, health and safety and risks management;

Indicative reading list

“Product Design and Development” Eppinger Steven, Ulrich Karl, 5th International Edition, (2020). ISBN: 1260569543, 9781260569544
“Engineering Design, Planning and Management”, Hugh Jack (2013). ISBN: 0123971586, 9780123971586
“Engineering Design: a project-based introduction”, Clive L. Dym and Patrick Little; with Elizabeth J. Orwin and R. Erik Spjut (2008). ISBN: 0470225963, 9780470225967.
“Engineering Design – A Systematic Approach”, 3rd Edition G.Paul and W. Beitz (2007). ISBN: 1846283191
“Total Design- Integrated Methods for Successful Product Engineering (1990). ISBN: 0201416395.
“Engineering Design Methods: A strategies for Product Design “ Nigel Cross 4th Edition (2021). ISBN: 1119724376
“Engineering Design and rapid prototyping”, Ali K. Karani, Emad Abouel Nasr, (2010). ISBN: 0387958630.
“Practical Engineering Design”, Maja Bystrom, Bruce Eisenstein, (2005). ISBN: 9780824723217

Slack, N; Brandon-Jones, A & Johnston, R. (2019) "Operations Management", 8th ed; Pearson Education, UK. ISBN: 1292253967
Hill, A. and Hill, T. (2012) Operations Management [online] New York, New York : Palgrave Macmillan. available from http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb3155801__Sterryhill__P0,1__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=eng&suite=cobalt> . ISBN: 9780230362901

Malakooti, B. (2013) Operations and Production Systems with Multiple Objectives [online] 1st edn. Wiley. available from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/warw/detail.action?docID=1574350 . ISBN: 0470037326
Mitchell, J.S. (2015) Operational Excellence : Journey to Creating Sustainable Value [online] Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley,. available from http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2841819__Soperational excellence__P0,2__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=cobalt . ISBN: 1118990153

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

1. Plan and manage the design process, including cost drivers, evaluating outcomes, and working with technical uncertainty
2. Product design specification: developing PDS with respect to user requirements, preparing Matrices, setting up final specifications.
3. Plan for Manufacture: materials and types of machinery, manufacturing regulations, standards, quality, costing, Assembly requirements and time management
4. Knowledge and understanding of the need for a high level of professional and ethical conduct in engineering and the use of technical literature, other information sources including appropriate codes of practice and industry standards
5. Knowledge and understanding of risk issues, including health & safety, environmental and commercial risk, risk assessment and risk management techniques and an ability to evaluate commercial risk
6. Ability to conceive, make and realise a component, product, system or process
7. Ability to develop economically viable and ethically sound sustainable solutions
8. Ability to seek to achieve sustainable solutions to problems and have strategies for being creative and innovative
9. Ability to be risk, cost and value-conscious, and aware of their ethical, social, cultural, environmental, health and safety, and wider professional engineering responsibilities

Transferable skills

1. Apply problem solving skills, information retrieval, and the effective use of general IT facilities
2. Exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including time management, which may be as a team member or leader
3. Awareness of the nature of business and enterprise in the creation of economic and social value
4. Overcome difficulties by employing skills, knowledge and understanding in a flexible manner
5. Ability to formulate and operate within appropriate codes of conduct, when faced with an ethical issue
6. Appreciation of the global dimensions of engineering, commerce and communication
7. Be professional in their outlook, be capable of team working, be effective communicators, and be able to exercise responsibility and sound management approaches.