Rapid Product Development of Machine Tools Collaborative Product Development Network Approach

Chinese Machine Tools manufactures are facing unprecedented challenge to develop quality new products faster to market as local manufacturing enterprises become more specialized and demand for high degree of customization. The observations made in this paper are based on questionnaires and field interviews with 6 machine tools manufacturers in Jiangsu province of China in plotting the suitability of rapid product development through collaborative product development networks. In the business and product development strategies level and the basic digital design tool, ICT and network infrastructure, these companies were aligned to collaborate, however the embedded routines and without an evolution process to exploit and utilize knowledge through collaborative product network limited greater information sharing to enable the sustainable development of the machine tools industry.