Interfaces: Integrating product design and process engineering in manufacturing and construction

Manufacturing and construction have been traditionally regarded as fundamentally separate industries, producing different products for dissimilar markets. In response to intense competitive pressures for shorter development times, lower costs and higher quality, progressive manufacturers are now integrating product design and process engineering. This trend towards integrating the two functions is often termed designing for manufacturability, simultaneous engineering, concurrent product and process design, or simply integrated manufacturing. Construction's current equivalent, constructibility improvement, is both less developed and less a force for integration. However, the increasing complexity of the constructed product, the diversity of possible construction methods, and the sequential nature of the traditional approach to design and construction indicate that the application of integrated manufacturing approaches may be an effective approach to the delivery of constructed projects. This research examines fundamental mechanisms of project integration in both sectors of the economy. The purpose of this research was to understand and describe the integrated manufacturing environment and to assess the extent of similar attributes in a selected group of construction projects. This research began with the induction of a framework composed of twelve variables that describe the integrated manufacturing environment. This framework guided data collection on a series of eight cogeneration projects, each of which is presented as a case study. Each of the eight construction projects was then ranked on the degree of conformance to each of the twelve framework variables. The resulting matrix of conformance values formed the basis for quantitative data analysis using cluster and factor analysis methods. The results of the analysis support five conclusions regarding integration on the group of cogeneration projects. These conclusions support the validity of the framework, present the concept of project integration curves, and provide insights into mechanisms that may drive projects to higher levels of integration. The conclusions also indicate areas of evolutionary and revolutionary change, describe the engineering-construction interface, and identify the project manager as the focal point for change.