An Optimization Model For Products' Conceptual Design Scheme And It's Application--Based On Customer Segmentation And Price Prediction

A design scheme, especially the optimization of a conceptual design, is not only the core link of an enterprise'new product development, but also an important way to improve the quality of products, reduce production cost and enhance enterprise's competitiveness. According to statistics, about 90% of a product'development cost has been determined during the product's design stage,70% to 80% of which is determined in the phase of conceptual design. The conceptual design scheme finalized in this phase has a crucial influence on the product's design features, performance and price as well as the environment. The optimization of a product's conceptual design scheme is a difficult task, involving the knowledge of multiple subjects and areas. Currently a lot of study and research has been conducted on the conceptual design along with dozens of theories and methods of design optimization proposed. However, there are still many shortcomings in the optimization of products'conceptual design scheme. In this paper, on the basis of previous studies, according to the lack of customers'full involvement and insufficient consideration of products'price elements in the process of optimizing products'conceptual design scheme, an optimization model of products'conceptual design scheme based on customer segmentation and price prediction is proposed to conduct in-depth research to the optimization of products'conceptual design scheme by means of theories and methods of fuzzy clustering analysis, AHP, BP neural network and gray prediction.Main work of this paper is as follows:(1) To put forward a method of customer demands classification based on the fuzzy set theory. According to such problems as the ambiguity and uncertainty existing in the expression of customer demands, we can use fuzzy sets to conduct conversion processing for different types of language information of customer demands. On this basis, we can continually use fuzzy cluster analysis to divide customer demands into several groups.(2) Combining customer demands classification with design schemes, by calculating their similarity a method of customer important ratings calculation is proposed to represent customer groups'importance.(3) To build up a BP-GM(1, N) model for products'price prediction. According to single prediction method's failure to fully analyze and predict, a combined prediction model, which is combined BP with grey theory, is put forward. On the basis of the relations between products'prices and main functional parameters, this model can offer us a way to predict products'price in the current design scheme.(4) With the incorporation of customer demands and products'price prediction into the optimization of products'design scheme, we can set up an optimization model for products'conceptual design scheme based on customer segmentation and price prediction. We can calculate the similarity of each group's customers and design scheme by customers'demands segmentation, in turn on this basis, we can work out the importance ratings of each group of customers. And then by predicting products' price in the current design scheme, we can evaluate and optimize a design scheme where price is a crucial index for evaluation. According to the evaluation results, we can use the method of fuzzy and comprehensive evaluation to get the total support rating of a scheme and the support rating of functions, parameters, forms and prices. In turn, we can determine the final optimization strategy by establishing optimization principles.(5) To set up an iteration and optimization framework for products'design schemes, in which reevaluation and retroaction of optimization schemes is available with customers'full involvement in the whole process. With customers'continual retroaction and evaluation for design schemes, an ideal balance is achieved between design schemes and customer demands. (6) To establish an optimization system for bassinets'design schemes. An optimization system for bassinets'design schemes based on customer synergy is achieved with the application of optimization model for product's design schemes in the product designing process of a bassinet manufacturing business.