Question

In this lesson, you surveyed different types of engineering and products and learned that the concept development process was adapted to meet the needs and requirements of each. For this assignment, identify the customer needs in a market for which you want to design and develop a product. Use the concept development and testing process to explain how you would choose a product idea that would meet your customer’s expectations, be cost effective, and could be developed and manufactured in a timely manner.

For the product or project that you choose, write a short essay (two-three pages) or create a short audio report (three-five minutes) . Set a theme for the essay, state your goal for the product, support it with your basic knowledge of engineering and the product development lifecycle, and express a conclusion. Include at least three sources listed on a reference page at the end of the essay.

The essay or report should:

Address every step of the concept development process.
Identify the types of engineering that would be used to develop the product.
End with a short conclusion based on what you believe the outcome would be if you followed the product development life cycle process.
Submission Requirements

Use standard English and write full phrases or sentences. Do not use texting abbreviations or other shortcuts.
Make the information easy to understand.
Save an audio report in MP3 format.

Answer 1

Theme: Developing a Solar-Powered Water Pump for Rural Communities

Goal: The goal of this project is to design and develop a solar-powered water pump that meets the needs of rural communities in developing countries. The product should be cost-effective, efficient, and easy to maintain.

Introduction:

Access to clean and safe water is essential for human survival. In rural areas of developing countries, many communities still lack access to reliable water sources. The lack of water has a significant impact on the health, education, and economic development of these communities. To address this issue, we propose the development of a solar-powered water pump that is both cost-effective and efficient. This essay will detail the steps involved in the concept development process, the types of engineering involved in developing this product, and our conclusion based on the product development lifecycle.

Step 1: Identify Customer Needs

The first step in the concept development process is to identify the customer's needs. For this project, the primary customer is rural communities in developing countries. To identify their needs, we conducted extensive research on the challenges they face in accessing water. Our research showed that the communities need a water pump that is reliable, easy to maintain, and affordable. They also need a water pump that can be powered by renewable energy sources such as solar power.

Step 2: Generate Ideas

The next step is to generate ideas for the product. We brainstormed various ideas based on the customer's needs and the available technology. We identified the most promising idea as a solar-powered water pump that can operate in remote areas without access to electricity.

Step 3: Evaluate and Select Ideas

The third step is to evaluate and select the most promising idea. We evaluated the feasibility of the solar-powered water pump idea by considering the cost of materials, the efficiency of the pump, and the ease of maintenance. We selected the idea because it met all of the customer's needs, was cost-effective, and could be easily maintained.

Step 4: Develop and Test Concepts

The fourth step is to develop and test the concept. We developed a prototype of the solar-powered water pump and tested it in a remote rural community. The pump was able to draw water from a deep well and pump it to a storage tank using only solar power. The pump was also easy to install and maintain.

Step 5: Refine and Finalize Concepts

The fifth step is to refine and finalize the concept. We made some improvements to the prototype based on the feedback we received from the rural community. We added a filter to remove impurities from the water and made the pump more durable to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Types of Engineering:

The development of the solar-powered water pump involved different types of engineering. The mechanical engineering team designed the pump, while the electrical engineering team designed the solar panels and battery system. The civil engineering team designed the storage tank and the plumbing system. All three engineering teams worked together to ensure that the product was efficient, reliable, and easy to maintain.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the development of a solar-powered water pump is a promising solution to the water crisis faced by rural communities in developing countries. The concept development process allowed us to identify the customer's needs, generate ideas, evaluate and select the most promising idea, develop and test concepts, and refine and finalize the product. By involving different types of engineering, we were able to design a product that is cost-effective, efficient, and easy to maintain. If we followed the product development lifecycle process, we believe that the outcome would be a successful and sustainable product that meets the needs of rural communities.