"PRODUCT IN-USE” INFORMATION FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN ACTIVITIES

Within the emerging “extended product” paradigm, manufacturers are increasingly involved in the later stages of the product lifecycle to ensure long-term customer satisfaction. Substantial savings can be made by identifying possible performance issues at the design stage, rather than correcting them once the product is in-service. To support designers, it is proposed to create a framework through which they can take advantage of “product in-use” information, defined as all information collected throughout the lifecycle concerning product performance during use. This paper examines the issues with the creation of such a framework, such as the appropriate content of this information, the necessary format and its transfer to designers.