Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
Introduction to Modern Product Development
Andrés Díaz Lantada and Pilar Lafont Morgado
Abstract
The application of systematic design methodologies, together with
relevant advances in computer-aided design, engineering and manufacturing tech-
nologies, novel materials and micro/nano-manufacturing resources, has reshaped
product development in the last 20 years, greatly improving aspects such as time-
to-market and overall project costs, as well as fi nal product or device quality and
overall performance.
These methodological and technological improvements have also a remarkable
impact in the development of novel medical devices and all kinds of products in the
biomedical fi eld. The main objective of this handbook is to cover them in depth, as
an aid to teaching-learning tasks and with the intention of helping researchers facing
their fi rst projects linked to biomedical engineering and to the development of
biodevices.
This fi rst chapter is focused on providing a general description of the product
development process, covering its typical stages (detection of a relevant need, plan-
ning and specifi cations, conceptual design, basic engineering, detailed engineering,
production and product market life) and the systematic methodologies commonly
applied, providing a schematic historical perspective, together with an overall view
of additional methods for ensuring end quality.
This introduction to modern product development is complemented by the addi-
tional information provided in the following chapter, regarding specifi c relevant
aspects to be taken into account when the development process is linked to a medi-
cal device. The overview of novel technologies and advances in materials science
included in the third chapter provides for the introductory section of this handbook,
before explaining in detail the different advanced design and manufacturing tech-
nologies of interest in the subsequent chapters.
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