Building the bridge between design and manufacturing

The efforts made by IBM to accommodate the design-to-manufacturing transfer process are presented, and the groundwork that has been laid to accelerate key leverage areas as they become viable is described. Highlights are presented of the changes that have been made-and are continuing to be made-in the design process. This study addresses the design process in product laboratories that enable system engineers to design packaged electronic products specifically to meet their requirements. The technology development process that has become an integral part of the design and release transfer is examined. The complexities of a multilaboratory environment and the impact that it has on the reduction of the total product development cycle time are reviewed. A discussion on managing this entire process, the need to strictly adhere to standards, and the synchronization of engineering changes with system and software enhancements is provided