PRODUCT DESIGN IN ITS NEW AVATAR IS MOST COMMONLY PHRASED AS 'NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT' (NPD). NOWADAYS, WITHIN THE OVERALL AMBIT OF PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT (PLCM), COMPANIES TYPICALLY SEE NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AS THE FIRST STAGE IN GENERATING AND COMMERCIALISING NEW PRODUCTS. THIS IS USED TO MAINTAIN OR CONTINUALLY GROW THEIR MARKET SHARE.

There are two parallel paths involved in the NPD process - one involves idea generation, product design and detail engineering; the other involves market research and market analysis. The idea of Tata Nano evolved only by positioning it as a people's car after extensive market research. The findings of the research were served as design input to product designers of the company. They, in turn, worked on concept development and design details along with marketers, developers, purchasers and suppliers in the project team to launch a final product. The process is commonly known as 'concurrent engineering.'

DIFFERENT ROLES

A product designer blends art, science and technology to create three-dimensional goods. This evolving role has been facilitated by digital tools that allow designers to communicate, visualise and analyse ideas in a way that would have taken greater manpower and time in the past. In fact, the value stream for any new product development involves stages where different knowledge and skill-sets are required.

There are different stages in a product development process. It covers generating ideas and gathering design inputs, concept development and prototype build and testing, detailed form and functional design, design verification testing and validation and interface with technical development and implementation for serial or mass production.

Thus, as a product design engineer, one can foresee getting employed as a product design and CAD modelling engineer, product design analysis engineer (in structural, thermal, fluid specialisations), design prototyping engineer, process design engineer, manufacturing design engineer, tool design engineer, design quality engineer, reliability and test engineer.

SKILL-SETS REQUIRED

A mechanical engineer, interested in product design and development, can seek specialisation in industrial design courses. One might also take a course in marketing to attain valuable in terface resource capability in the NPD process. Apart from product appearance or aesthetics, designers also deal with aspects that include technology, geomet ric dimensioning, ergonom ics, usability, stress analysis and materials engineering.

To start with, an engineer must have a strong mathematics background and the ability to read and understand engineering drawings. All engineering diploma and degree programmes have machine and engineering drawing in their course curricula. Of late, many institutions are offering 'introduction to CAD' as a course subject. However, it is generally observed that fresh graduates lack the ability to read and interpret reallife industrial drawings. This is due to the difference in the nomenclature used by professional design engineers and what is taught through text books.

It is imperative that an aspirant has a working knowledge of a word processing software, spreadsheet software and mathematical software such as MathCad. An understanding of industrial CAD and CAE tools in at least a 2D drafting package (although one may prefer to train in 3D or solid modelling, which is a standard requirement these days) coupled with geometric dimensioning and tolerance skills, including basic training in finite element analysis, is imperative. Some sectors such as aerospace, defence and biomedical engineering generally use high-end FEA solutions and thus require advanced FEA knowledge. One equipped with all the above is sure to gain an edge over others.

REMUNERATION

Fresh designers are usually paid well. This places them in the upper quartile of the experience segment compared to other professional trades. Salaries start from 2.5 lakh per-annum to 6 lakh per-annum, depending on the type of industry sector, company, professional qualifications and skill-level in the domestic market. However, most job opportunities in the overseas market do require prior industry experience of three to five years.