306. Value Engineering and Its Relationship to Weight Engineering

Paper

Abstract

This paper was presented at the Twenty-First National Conference of the Society of Aeronautical Weight Engineers at Seattle, Washington, May 14 – 17, 1962. Value engineering is defined and explained and the relationship between it and weight engineering is discussed. The similarities and differences are examined from the standpoint of basic approach, techniques, organization, and state-of-the-art. An example is employed to show the effect that value engineering has on weight, and to illustrate some of the concepts and techniques used in value engineering. The total-cost concept is emphasized where all costs from the conception of a project to its retirement are included. Total cost is shown to be a single, comprehensive yardstick for measuring the relative value of alternate designs, thereby permitting better design trade-off decisions. The paper concludes with a number of examples and recommendations addressed to both the weight and value engineers.