Assessing the effect of design for producibility on repairable product life-cycle cost

Abstract

A life-cycle cost evaluation model is presented to assess the effect of design decisions (made in an attempt to induce higher degrees of producibility) upon a product's life-cycle cost. The model provides a measure of effectiveness in terms of an expected annual equivalent total system life-cycle cost for a deployed population of the product being evaluated.

Parametric relationships are established between aspects of the product and the level to which the product is designed for producibility. These aspects include areas of cost arising during each phase of the product life cycle. The model limits the number of product design alternatives to three scenarios which are defined as a product designed to be highly, moderately, and less producible. The best of the three design alternatives is selected based upon the life-cycle costs calculated.