1 Proceedings of 14th International Conference. Mechanika. 2009 Influence of Strength Parameters to Product Functionality M. Rimašauskas *, P. Griškevičius ** * Kaunas University of Technology, Kęstučio str . 27, 44312 Kaunas, Lithuania, marius.rimasau skas@ktu.lt ** Kaunas University of Technology, Kęstučio str . 27, 44312 Kaunas, Lithuania, paulius.griskevicius@ktu.lt Abstract The increasing of products functionality according to the strength parameters is discussed in this paper. The influence of design to the strength and functionality of products and efficiency of material consumption is presented in this work. The Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to evaluate the strength of initial design and to optimize it. In the base on virtual production principles the model of increasing products functionality are proposed. Also the production time is estimated using FDM rapid prototyping methods taking in to account the consumption of subsidiary materials. KEY WORDS: product functionality, product design, virtual manufacturing 1. Introduction 21 st century is an age of information and high technologies. The demand of high quality products, shorter delivery times, lower prices has significant role in the global manufacturing environment. With strong competition from all over the world and a strong customer awareness of quality, manufacturers have to look hard at how they can achieve that competitive edge that will keep them alive and hopefully take them into a leadership position [1]. At the initial stage of new product and process design the problems exist of finding appropriate information about various companies’ possibilities, human resources, facilities, suppliers, partners and customers. The models for work in virtual manufacturing environment can help to solve above-mentioned problems. They can modeling and optimize various available alternatives where is better to product design and manufacturing. Virtual manufacturing fills the technology gap between design and manufacturing. It gives engineers the technology they need to perform their complex tasks [2]. This research reports how virtual manufacturing can facilitate and accelerate the product and process design upgrading their functionality in the modern manufacturing environment. 2. Estimation of product functionality The requirements of the customers to the new products are increasing. The main criteria are:  functionality,  reliability,  quality,  delivery time,  service,  price. Usually, the manufacturers meet conflicting requirements. Increasing of quality or functionality needs to increase the manufacturing consumptions and product price. Therefore the main goal of manufacturing organizations is to find optimal solution between the products quality, functionality and consumption to increase them. Fig.1 Main tasks of the manufacturing organizations The goal of using the methods of virtual manufacturing is to improve the functionality of products and to decrease the consumption of material. At the design period the designer has to evaluate the parameters of the product according to the predictable functionality. At the improving period the main parameters of the product are known and invariable, the increasing of quality and functionality are reached by the variation of secondary parameters. The second period of designing is the looking for alternatives of solutions. In this period is used the database of earlier products which can be as basement for the new product. Also using the earlier products you will not spend time for the invention of design peculiarities and will avoid the design mistakes. The very important period is using of virtual design methods. It let us Product price Delivery time Manufacturability Quality Functionality Service Manufacturer