In product design, there will always be shortfalls. Our product ACMS is no different and its potential hazards can be classified under one of these categories:
Malfunction
System level
App crashing
Lifetime changes
Fan replacement/disposal
Not all fans are created equally
Switching to another type of cooling system
Disposal
Hardware components are build into the computer
App can be deleted at any time
System information will not be stored
As a team, we are working to iron out or eliminate potential engineering failures by performing work with care, knowledge, precision, and thought.
In order to mitigate the number of issues the team faces over time, we have thought of a couple of solutions that will help us out now.
System - level solution:
If the product malfunctions on a system level, there will be a 100% certainty that the customer will have doubts about the product. In business, a healthy relationship with the customer is extremely important. To avoid the problem of the system malfunctioning, the product will be bombarded will a number of different test in a simulation to ensure it will not crash at a site.
App solution
One of the worst errors we could experience is if for some reason the app reported the wrong data and the customer incorrectly set the fan RPM speed. The most simple solution we could implement is too limit the interaction of the user and system through the app. Incorrectly sending data will result in a HUGE error so one way to prevent that is to not give the user control through the app. It will be beneficial to check system diagnostics through the app, if there is an actual problem an onsite visit should be enough.
Component Replacement
It is known that heat sink fans are replaced throughout a computer's lifetime. The type of fan installed may affect the product's reliability because of the fact that not all fans are created equally, some fans have different CFMs and a change in RPM speed does not necessarily cool the computer by the same amount it would with a different fan. One way to circumvent this problem is by scheduling component replacement. This will ensure that the ACMS team successfully run diagnostics rather than have an external party do it.
Switching to another cooling system
A good way to ensure our dominance in this industry is by provided a wide array of different products. Our company is solely focused on optimizing cooling systems using fans, if there was a switch to liquid cooling there would be a major problem. One way to cover our bases is to offer coverage for a certain period after which the customer will need to resubscribe to the service. If the customer were to uproot their cooling system after the guarantee expires, it will no longer be our responsibility. Another thing we could do as a company is to provide liquid cooling services, this will increase our dominance in the industry.
Hardware Solution
ACMS produces hardware and software but the hardware business segment leaves us with some problems. The hardware components we produce will last as long as the computer. We want to reduce our carbon footprint by controlling where these computers go at the end of life cycle. One way we could limit pollution is by rolling out a 'Trade in program' where customers come in and drop of their old components.
App data solution
As the popularity for iot and cloud storage increases, so does the amount of data that needs to be stored and/or processed. One of the issues that arise at the products end of life is the question of what to do with all the app data. Customers may have questions about the privacy of their data. To combat this the app will only collect the machines IP address for reporting purposes. To access the machines diagnostic reports, the user will have to input an IP address of the machine. At the end of the products life cycle, if the user wants to delete the app they may do it without a problem.