While proprietary, we can review a typical client experience to illustrate the various aspects of the Anderson Group's approach. The strategic design approach utilized Lateral Thinking. Learn more about Lateral Thinking here.

Instrument Cluster

The client had initial concerns about the space required for the instrument cluster in the vehicles they were manufacturing; about 4 inches in depth. When contacted, we reviewed the application and found the client was using a stepper motor to operate each measurement such as speed, temperature and pressure. In some cases there were up to 6 measurements. In other cases, there where as many as 22 measurements. The department had over 25 employees dedicated to the design of the integrated cluster.

We chose Anderson Group members that included an electrical/electronic packaging designer as well as a polymer expert for the team. Altogether, our team had 3 members in addition to the client's base. We researched the options and came up with a unique approach that combined electronics, microprocessors and packaging materials/processes. Our approach eliminated the stepping motors, circuit cards and reduce the depth to less than 1 inch.

The importance of this approach is that the client used specialist (electrical engineers only) to address their needs and never took a broader look at what another technology (packaging/polymer) could present to produce a better solution.

The Engineered, total solution approach
offered many additional benefits:

Depth Reduction: The initial challenge

Increased Flexibility: Each measurement could be calibrated via microprocessor tuning (PC based) verses hand calibration/test. The function of each measurement could be selected by the PC download (a universal device).

Multiple Markets: Since each device was tunable and functionally programmable, each cluster assembly could fit past, current and future models/markets thus:

• Retrofit Markets would be served
• Current Markets could be addressed quicker while reducing inventory
• Product Cycles were vastly extended

Improved Process: The newly proposed cluster was subject to a continuous molded product (verses job shop/hand assembly); the process went from the injection molding case to the integrated electronics that replaced the circuit cards and stepper motors. The in-line process could then calibrate and test the units after the molding process was complete and sealed via PC connection. Then the microprocessor base could adapt easily to the vehicle's in-board computer for completion after test.

Increased Quality: Because the product had fewer parts (increased reliability), it was integrated (more robust design/durability) and able to be calibrated and tested more rigorously. Therefore, the quality improvement offered multiple benefits besides cost reduction.

Reduced Costs: The new product offered a 55% per unit cost savings.

This example illustrates how the Anderson Group approach can provide many benefits to a project by exploring many technologies to apply to a focused issue in a team directed manner. In this case, all functions in a Process-Centered operation were addressed.

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