An industrialization process for academic functional prototypes

Abstract

Undergraduate students, especially in programs with projectbased learning pedagogy, develop functional prototypes for academic purposes -- Most of these ideas, many of them promising, are left behind once the academic term is over -- Only a slight percentage of them are followed by an industrialization process, which is not formalized and it is based on third-hand experiences -- Even if well-known product design methodologies include some methods and activities oriented to evolve the product along its life cycle, they are not suitable for academic projects or they leave out some aspects of the local context -- This has become an issue and a constant source of complaints from students who do not see much transcendence with their projects; especially after all the time, effort, and creativity employed into a potentially profitable idea -- So, the authors have developed a methodology intended to allow the transition from academic functional prototype to a product ready to be industrialized according to the capabilities of the local context (Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia) -- The development of the methodology has been supported by a case study with a small electric vehicle -- This vehicle was developed by the Design Engineering Res earch Group (GRID) and it is intended to transport messengers along with mail, and packages within University campus -- The object of such exercise is to study the feasibility to promote this vehicle from functional prototype to a product ready to be industrialized under local conditions