Product engineering is concerned with materials and parts, process specifications, jigs and tools designs, determining standards for materials parts and overall quality and performance. Large manufacturing concerns have separate product engineering departments. Such a department is responsible for preparation and collection of engineering data, designing , drawing, testing models and patterns. Product engineering department consists of several sections as shown below:
- Research Section
- Design Engineering Section
- Process Engineering Section
- Testing Engineering Section
- Field Engineering Section
The research section keeps abreast of the latest developments in manufacturing methods and techniques. The design engineering section prepares drawings, models and patterns. Process engineering section lays down specifications concerning the production process. Testing engineering section carries out chemical, electrical, metallurgical and other tests.
Field engineering section is concerned with installing the products for the market, giving direction as to their use and operation and attending to customers’ complaints as regards performance or failure. The activities of the product engineering department considerably influence the manufacturing of the product. Therefore, it must work in close collaboration with the industrial and plant engineers which handle technical problems of the manufacturing process.
Duties of Product Designers or Product Engineers
The chief designer or engineer is expected to perform the following functions
1. Interpret the company’s policy concerning design of products and customers’ requirements in relation to their inquiries.
2. Translate these designs and requirements into efficient working, drawings, specifications, models and patterns.
3. Prepare process specifications, materials parts, tool designs, engineering designs, layout, tools, fixtures, jigs, etc.
4. Specify standards of quality and accuracy.
5. Prepare cost estimates of a job.
6. Carry out product research and development so as to keep abreast of the developments in designs and styles.
10 Qualities of a Designer in front of the client:
- The designer must be honest
- The designer must meet the deadlines
- The designer must correct his mistakes
- The designer must be discreet
- The designer must be professional
- The designer must charge according to some bases
- The designer must agree with his client the rights of his work
- The designer must request permission to include the work in his portfolio
- The designer must be responsible for his work
- The designer must specify when the work is not original
