XVI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Challenges and Maturity of Production Engineering: competitiveness of enterprises, working conditions, environment. São Carlos, SP, Brazil, 12 to 15 October – 2010. A PROPOSAL FOR INTEGRATING THE ‘DESIGN FOR UPGRADE’ CONCEPT IN CAR PROJECTS Samuel Borges Barbosa (UFSC)
[email protected] Cristiano Roos (UFSC)
[email protected] Fernando Antonio Forcellini (UFSC)
[email protected] The aim of this paper is to propose a car development model based on the Design for Upgrade concept. The Design for Upgrade concept refers to a product development method that is characterized by the balance between development and sustainaability. Based on its objectives, the research presented here is classified as exploratory, and based on its technical procedures, is classified as a case analysis. The work’s main result is the obtaining of a car development model, based on the Design for Upgrade concept. Following the results of this work, some discussions have been raised. These discussions expose some research problems, which can guide the future of the proposed model improving environmental sustainability, in relation to the automotive market. If it is judged that the hypothetical model is technically and economically feasible, the following results are expected: a decrease in car sales, a extension of the product life cycle, a correct final destination for cars at the end of their useful life, as well as the removal of the components and parts as part of the process of upgrading. Finally, this work provides a greater understanding about integrating the Design for Upgrade concept in car projects, and shows the importance of the product development model, which aims to improve environmental sustainability.