Desenvolvimento de Novos Produtos

Objectives

The ultimate goal is qualifying engineers to lead new product development in varied companies, such as chemical and agro-food companies, packaging, structures, etc., with efficiency and efficacy. This curricular unit addresses the varied steps involved in the process of new product development, namely initiation, design, development and exploitation, including the learning of mathematical and statistical tools that underpin a systematic and effective approach, including the understanding of how the human brain functions, assesses products and takes decisions about them.

Syllabus

• Introduction: definition of product design and development and its importance. • Initiation: product categories, needs identification, QFD and HoQ techniques, product design procedures. • Design: product target specifications, concepts creation, selection and protection. • Development: product formulation, product optimization, internal and external validation, production process fluxogram, product final specifications, economical study, process equipment, scale-up. • Exploitation: market organization, cash flow forecast, selling techniques, future product planning • Statistical methods for the customers´ replies and behaviour analysis. The contents and examples´ illustration employed in the curricular unit will be dynamic and adapted to the background of the enrolled students.

Cross Competence Component

In this UC the focus is "know how to do it, and do it to know it", i.e. the student will have the opportunity to use and integrate previously acquired knowledge within a multidisciplinary project, and by acting throughout the product development chain will learn further and consolidate previous knowledge. All works to be performed in this curricular unit include a soft skills component, accounted for 30% in the evaluation, regarding: (a) creativity, as it involves developing an innovative product, customer oriented; (b) teamwork, assertiveness and leadership; (c) autonomy and proactivity in problem solving; (d) managing uncertainty through flexibility, risk mitigation and data assumption; (e) critical assessment of media/internet contents; (f) written, visual and oral communication, critical to the presentation of the project to the class. Contributes with around 10% to the overall evaluation.

Laboratorial Component

In the elaboration of the mini-project, depending on the product to be developed, students may need to go to the lab to conduct small experiments in order to validate specific concepts, useful for making decisions regarding the concept, formulation and production.

Programming And Computing Component

N/A. However, students may, when appropriate and depending on the product to be developed, use the Design and Material Selection (CES) software, the production flowchart software (Microsoft Office Visio), or for instance, 3D CAD SOLIDWORKS.

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group´s work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.