3278. A Ship Design Application of QFD Techniques in Weight Reduction Decision-Making
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Paper
Abstract
Even with prudent management systems in place, there may be periods during a ship?s design cycle whereby a weight and/or KG reduction program must be employed to correct adverse trends. Because of the universal effect that both weight and KG changes have on design characteristics and cost, these programs can be hazardous if not approached judiciously. While identification of weight/KG reduction candidates may not be difficult, much care must be taken in selecting candidates to be implemented. Perhaps the greatest difficulty in selecting candidates is assessing their impact on the wide variety of technical and programmatic goals that must be balanced to ensure a successful design. To choose candidates that best optimize the entire design, project goals must be identified and prioritized. Characteristics of each candidate must then be evaluated against these goals. These evaluations must be used in an objective and standardized manner to assist design management in selecting only those candidates that will optimally contribute to the success of the project.
This approach to weight/KG reduction decision-making employs several key techniques of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) system of product design. These techniques are summarized in the following steps: First, project goals are identified and grouped into several measurable factors. Second, these factors are contrasted in a pair-wise fashion using the Analytical Hierarchy Process and prioritized based on value as opposed to rank. Third, metrics are defined for each factor utilizing a common scale gradient. Fourth, each candidate is ?scored? using these metrics against each factor. Fifth and finally, these scores are coupled with the previously mentioned factor prioritization to develop a rational overall optimization value for each candidate. Results are represented in a simple-to-use and informative prioritization matrix. Design management can use the values identified in the matrix to select the best candidates to be applied to the design project. While this paper describes a ship design application, the same or similar approach can be applied to any product with competing design and cost goals.
