**3.1 Research method definition**

The main objective of the research presented in this chapter is to analyze the application of a model for the integrated use of the design for manufacturing and the rapid prototyping in a reverse engineering approach in a product redesign.

From this main objective on, it is established a secondary objective, to analyze the results from the application of the cited model to reduce production/assembling time, as well as the manufacturing/assembling costs on the redesign of products from the reverse engineering.

As to meet these two goals is necessary the intervention of the researcher in the study object, the research method selected was action research. According to Thiollent (2007), action research is a kind of empirical social research which is designed and carried out in close association with an action or to solve a collective problem and in which researchers and participants representative of the situation or the problem are involved in a cooperative and participatory way.

The adopted action-research process was that proposed by Coughlan and Coghlan (2002), which includes planning cycles (context and problem), data collection, data review, data analysis, action planning and evaluation, as Figure 5 shows.

Source: Coughlan and Coghlan (2002)

Fig. 5. Approach to action-research

The following two topics will present the conduction of this research in two companies, located in southeastern Brazil.

#### **3.2 Company A**

The company A, founded in 1991, since 1994 successfully manufactures ovens for baking and for industrial kitchens. The company is a Brazilian national leader in the segment of ovens for professional kitchens and a reference in the market it operates.

The research, conducted from January to September 2009, followed the steps of the integrated model, as proposed by Souza (2007), mentioned in section 2.5, in Table 2.

Integrating Reverse Engineering and Design for Manufacturing

**3.2.2 Collecting and preparing the initial information** 

of the German and the Italian locks, besides the locks used at the factory.

years of experience in the development and manufacturing of ovens.

**3.2.4 Disassemble (information about the product)** 

photographs, important information was stored.

drawing, photos and videos, focusing on further analysis.

Name: Handle Material: Stainless Steel Manufacture: laser cutting, machining and welding Function/feature: lever to turn the system. Heavy and

not ergonomic.

of lock currently used in the company.

parts of the oven.

Internet.

the product.

**3.2.3 Team building** 

Thus, there was no charge.

and Assembly in Products Redesigns: Results of Two Action Research Studies in Brazil 197

products, including locks. They were also used for comparisons purposes all four different

There were no problems concerning the acquisition, once the German oven had been previously bought by the factory also in order to make use of the RE technique to other

The Italian lock was provided for the manufacturer, as a sample for possible future sales.

All information has been collected by a employee inside the company, since the availability

To obtain further information, chef cooks, staff, engineering staff, managers, directors were consulted, as well as collected data from de CS (Customer Service), as well as searching the

The formed research team was composed by the chef cooks, engineering manager, plant manager, purchases responsible, and the researcher, who supplied the necessary information in all areas. Each one of the participants of the company has more than five

As for the locks used in the company, their virtual drawing was used, allowing to analyze each one regarding the assembly and each part separately, without having to disassemble

The locks of the German and the Italian ovens were disassembled and analyzed. Through

Table 3 shows the comparison between the current model EC10 oven lock system and the proposed system. To monitor the work, its whole operation has been registered in virtual

**BEFORE AFTER** 

Name: Handle

Injection

Proposed material: Plastic Manufacturing purpose:

Function/feature: lever to turn the ergonomic-shaped system to fit the hand.


Table 2. Summary of the conduct action-research cycles in Company A

#### **3.2.1 Identify the opportunity**

Two reference ovens have been identified. One from a German company, a direct competitor in Brazil, and another one from an Italian company, that makes different products, including locks. They were also used for comparisons purposes all four different of lock currently used in the company.

There were no problems concerning the acquisition, once the German oven had been previously bought by the factory also in order to make use of the RE technique to other parts of the oven.

The Italian lock was provided for the manufacturer, as a sample for possible future sales. Thus, there was no charge.

## **3.2.2 Collecting and preparing the initial information**

All information has been collected by a employee inside the company, since the availability of the German and the Italian locks, besides the locks used at the factory.

To obtain further information, chef cooks, staff, engineering staff, managers, directors were consulted, as well as collected data from de CS (Customer Service), as well as searching the Internet.
