**3.3.1 Identify opportunity**

As for the redesign through Reverse Engineering, an hour meter has been chosen as a reference product from a European company, which has commercial dealings in Brazil. This was a joint decision of the production department and the marketing department of the company being studied. The chosen product was considered as a reference for having such high sales in this market.

The technique of redesign, according to Otto and Wood (1998) was adaptive, in view of the need for new subsystems for the redesign of the hour meter to be produced by the company, object of study.

The acquisition of the reference product was possible thanks to the financial support offered by Minas Gerais Research Support Foundation (FAPEMIG), with the announcement "Young Doctors Program", process EDT-538/07, which provided a resource for the research. It is worth notice that the product, result of his research, didn´t break any patent ou commercial property, once que solutions for the generated subsystems were different from those observed on the reference product.

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

This phase is the first one with involved technical characteristics. It has been carried out an initial survey of the marked on measuring instrument for machine panels, agricultural equipment and stationary engines.

All information has been brought together, which could contribute for the integration of reverse engineering with DFMA and the RP: elaboration of the product structures (definition of sets and their components), mapping and cronoanalysis of the hour meter assembling process, definition of standard time for each step of the assembling process and the product assembling raising costs.

A series of non structured interviews has been carried out with the mounting employees to identify their major difficulties on the hour meter assembling process. Table 4 shows some of the identified difficulties.

202 Reverse Engineering – Recent Advances and Applications

Company B is one of three major national suppliers of hour meters for manufacturers of agricultural machinery and parts. The hour meter (a special timer) is an electricalmechanical device for controlling the length of engagement sessions on machines,

Among its major applications we find: tractors and general agricultural machinery, forklifts, marine engines, industrial machines and similar mechanisms. This product was chosen for being one of the higher revenue generators for the company, but lately its competitive edge in the market has been threatened by competition from suppliers with more technologically advanced products; as a result, the company is compelled to redesign its product, focusing on reducing its production cost in order to at least maintain its position in the market.

The research followed the steps of the integration model, proposed by Souza (2007), cited in

As for the redesign through Reverse Engineering, an hour meter has been chosen as a reference product from a European company, which has commercial dealings in Brazil. This was a joint decision of the production department and the marketing department of the company being studied. The chosen product was considered as a reference for having such

The technique of redesign, according to Otto and Wood (1998) was adaptive, in view of the need for new subsystems for the redesign of the hour meter to be produced by the company,

The acquisition of the reference product was possible thanks to the financial support offered by Minas Gerais Research Support Foundation (FAPEMIG), with the announcement "Young Doctors Program", process EDT-538/07, which provided a resource for the research. It is worth notice that the product, result of his research, didn´t break any patent ou commercial property, once que solutions for the generated subsystems were different from those

This phase is the first one with involved technical characteristics. It has been carried out an initial survey of the marked on measuring instrument for machine panels, agricultural

All information has been brought together, which could contribute for the integration of reverse engineering with DFMA and the RP: elaboration of the product structures (definition of sets and their components), mapping and cronoanalysis of the hour meter assembling process, definition of standard time for each step of the assembling process and

A series of non structured interviews has been carried out with the mounting employees to identify their major difficulties on the hour meter assembling process. Table 4 shows some

**3.3 Company B** 

equipment and stationary engines.

Table 1, presented below.

**3.3.1 Identify opportunity** 

high sales in this market.

observed on the reference product.

equipment and stationary engines.

the product assembling raising costs.

of the identified difficulties.

**3.3.2 Collecting and preparing the initial information** 

object of study.


Table 4. Diagnosis of the parts considered in the redesign

Integrating Reverse Engineering and Design for Manufacturing

The main support assembling to the coil support is done through a slot, making it easy the

disassemble and substitution of any component.

The display is made out of steel, in onepiece set, and its face in black was composed of a sticking glued to

Non-existence of the adaptor. The contact between the hour meter and the panel of the tractor was carried out simply by the terminals without the need of wires, used by hour meters of the studied company.

Table 6. Comparison of components between the studied hourmeter and the reference one

One of the group suggestions was to propose as well a single mug for the hour meter, to be projected. Other similar analyses were carried out for another sets and components. All the suggestions offered by the research group were documented and the changes on the components or sets were specified. Table 7 shows some of the proposed solutions for the

it.

company as a result of the product redesign.

and Assembly in Products Redesigns: Results of Two Action Research Studies in Brazil 205

**Reference hour meter Studied hour meter** 

The main support assembling o the coil support is done through welding, making it difficult the disassembling and risky of damages to one of the supports, in case of substitution of any component.

The display is made out of aluminum and it needs a complex process of silkscreen for painting and recording of traces of time and paintings. It is composed of a glass support (steel) plate.

Adaptor (injected on ABS) with wires manually welded.
