Manage requirements and confidently achieve compliant equipment
Today is all about emissions. But compliant equipment design is also about aspects like safety, ergonomics, noise, vibrations and more. Unfortunately, around the world, many local variants of regulations apply. For globally operating OEMs, managing those so that their product groups understand and implement them correctly, is challenging. To simplify the problem, it is important that they see the similarities and differences across regions, so that they can translate all regulations into a set that is more concise and easier to work with. This can help, for example, to set up processes for automated design to regulatory requirements. Still, keeping all stakeholders focused on the requirements must be a continuous effort to achieve compliant equipment design. Proper requirement management means they must be captured, shared, and maintained in an integrated repository that participates in standard product lifecycle management services. They must be linked to tasks and resources to drive priorities, for continuous verification and validation, and to study the impact and the risk of change.
Exceed industry standards for compliant equipment by following a systematic verification management approach
Industry standards provide a framework for a common understanding of what appropriate quality or good practice is. To strengthen their reputation and protect their brand, OEMs must adhere to all the methods, processes, requirements, and specifications defined in those standards, and must also be able to proof this. Being a global industrial player as well as a user of the technologies we sell, at Siemens we have embedded vast knowledge of standards and regulations as built-in features in our solutions. With Siemens solutions, OEMs can conduct, for example, ergonomics analysis, visibility studies, and many more during compliant equipment design. Still, it requires a continuous effort to verify if the equipment meets the prescribed standards. Therefore, it is also necessary to deploy a systematic approach to verification and validation, one where all stakeholders can access the same, common up-to-date data set, where they can communicate instantly on information like data, requirements, and status, and where the impact of all decisions can be tracked throughout the entire compliant equipment design cycle.
Be accountable and transparent and provide proof of delivering compliant equipment
The relationship between OEMs and their customers often strongly relies on trust. And with emerging technologies such as autonomous and connected capabilities, this will become even more important as an increasing number of responsibilities will come to the OEMs. In this context, it is crucial for them to be transparent. They must keep track of requirements throughout the lifecycle and document all decisions that are being taken along the way, including changes. They must follow such a systematic and traceable approach to program management so that they are able to provide proof points of good practice for compliant equipment design in case there is a litigation. In fact, it will benefit all stakeholders if program managers, team leaders and designers are connected via a common platform where they share up-to-date information. With execution and planning tied together, everyone has immediate access to what they need for their job. This fosters efficiency, provides a clear view of deliverables, status, risks, and opportunities, and allows traceability of decisions across the program.
