Study on enhancement of the mobility for new product development in SMEs

In most SMEs in Japan, they have polished their core technologies and delivered new values to a society through the collaboration with members of their supply network of the world. This study discusses small and medium manufactures (SMMs) which are concerned in a social infrastructure construction. In particularly, Matsumoto Machine Corporation is focused as one case company of the object field. They have manufactured machine tool accessories and supplied the products to their customers who contribute to a construction of social infrastructures. This paper consists of two portions: 1) Investigation of transfer processes among main five outputs such as a) customer needs, b) KPI for customer needs, c) specification of products, d) design data and e) product in NPD. 2) Analysis of steps of focused transfer process from b) second output to c) third output through three cases studies. As the result of this paper, the proper use of systematic approach and experience driven approach is realized to keep a mobility of NPD in the SMM company.