Product Enhancement Case Studies

Problem Definition: The cartridge of a welding smoke capturing machine needs to be cleaned regularly but it weighs 32 kg and is difficult to handle for a single person.

Functional Target: Reduce the cartridge weight by at least 10kg to make it easier to lift.

Breakthrough Solutions: Eliminate parts that are redundant and have low functionality. Reduce the size of parts that cannot be eliminated.

Breakthrough outcome achieved: Weight reduced by 47% to 17kg which was easier to handle resulting in cost reduction of 29%.

Problem Definition: The Harvester Tractor attachment would breakdown after a few minutes of operation in the farm and it weighs 2 Tons.

Functional Target: The machine should run continuously for hours in the farm without any breakdown and it's weight should be less than 1 Ton.

Solution triggers: Eliminate features that are the root cause of failure.

Breakthrough Solutions: Reducing the size of the failing sub-system in such a way that it solves the failure problem.

Breakthrough outcome achieved: The machine runs continuously for 3 hours in the farm without any breakdown and its weight reduced by 60.4% to just 792kg resulting in cost reduction of 42%.

Problem Definition: Hand or fingers can get cuts or injuries while operating the cutting mechanism.

Functional Target: The cutting mechanism should operate only when the machine is completely closed.

Solution triggers: Cutting blades should move only when lid is closed.

Breakthrough Solutions: Power transmitted to the cutting mechanism through the lid.

Breakthrough outcome achieved: 100% safety of the cutting mechanism is ensured.