Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Best Fit Product
Shuichi Fukuda
Abstract Hardware is developed to meet design speci
!
cations. But it deteriorates
once it is realized as a
!
final product and is delivered to the customer. The operating
conditions of customers are diversifying very quickly and extensively so that
products that meet design speci
!
cations alone do not satisfy them. They want
products that operate best in their own conditions. To provide such a best
!
t
product, control of degradation becomes important. Up to now, degradation has
been considered only undesirable and how we can prevent it was our primary focus.
But as the operating conditions vary from user to user and from time to time, we
have to reconsider degradation as a way to
!
t the products to our users so that we
have to control degradation to provide users with best
!
fit conditions in order for
them to enjoy using our products as long as possible.
1 Product Reliability
Until very recently designers could foresee the operating conditions and could
design a product or a machine that works very well in operation. But today changes
are so large, frequent, and extensive. Therefore, designers cannot foresee the
operating conditions anymore, so that it becomes important how they can design a
product or a machine that will adapt to the operating conditions of customers.
Value has been de
!
ned as
Value ¼ Performance
=
Cost
ð
1
Þ
Yesterday, this performance meant functions of a
!
final product. The operat-
ing conditions did not vary appreciably from customer to customer or from
S. Fukuda (
&
)
System Design and Management, Keio University, 4-4-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku
Yokohama 223-8526, Japan
e-mail: shufukuda@gmail.com
