Lessons from
Other Industries
Compared to the construction industry, automated
technology implementation in other industries has been
substantial. The transformation to automated production in
other industries over the past decades has resulted in the
development of effective practices for considering automation
during product development and design.
An understanding
of the practices of other industries could effectively enhance
designer consideration of automated technologies in
construction. Descriptions of how automated technologies are
integrated into the product development processes in other
industries:
Automation
Consideration in Other Industries
Summary of Lessons Learned
The experiences of these other industries provide
valuable lessons for the construction industry to consider. It
is evident that within these other industries there is
recognition of an interdependency between the product designer
and product manufacturer. Manufacturing knowledge is viewed as
integral to the development of the product design. To maximize
the transfer of this knowledge, linkages of varying degrees are
created between those who design and those who manufacture the
products. Communication between the product designer and
manufacturer during the design phase of the product is common to
ensure that the product is designed such that it can be
manufactured efficiently with the automated technologies
available. To facilitate communication, designers and
manufacturers may work in teams to develop the products before
manufacturing starts. Frequent reviews of the product design
for “manufacturability” may also be conducted. Efforts are made
to modularize the design, pre-fabricate components, utilize
standard designs, develop manufacturing plans, and employ
databases of lessons learned. Benefits recognized from these
efforts include improved product quality, decreased production
schedules, and improved worker safety.
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