Hewlett-Packard Company: Network Printer Design for Universality

Hewlett-Packard Company: Network Printer Design for Universality

INTRODUCTION

Sarah Donohoe, manufacturing engineering manager of the network laser printer division at Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), listened intently to her colleagues at the project review meeting for the development of their latest new product. With Sarah at the meeting were Jane Schushinski, marketing manager; Leo Linbeck, head of product design; and David Hooper, the controller of the division.

The main topic for this meeting was the decision of whether or not to use a universal power supply for the next generation of network laser printer, code-named Rainbow. Previously, printers in the North American and the European market have distinct power supplies and the associated fusers in the main engine of the printer. For North American printers, a 110-volt power supply was installed. For European printers, a 220-volt power supply was added. This printer engine was built by HP's manufacturing partner in Japan. Due to the long lead time for engine manufacturing, HP had to specify the requirements of the two types of printers at least 14 weeks ahead. The time that it takes the Japanese partner to commit the printers for shipment, the transportation times, and customs clearance totals about four weeks. Hence, if a universal power supply is used, then HP would have the flexibility of postponing the specification of the printer engine by at least two months in the planning process. Consequently, the production team believed that a universal power supply can enable HP to better respond to the changing demand in the individual markets and reduce its inventory costs.

Linbeck had begun the meeting by reviewing a fax he had received from the Japanese partner. “We have been asking our partner for a universal power supply and fuser for a long time, and now, when we are about to finalize our design of the next generation network printer, they are telling us that designing the new power supply is finally...