<p>This report describes the development process of a pipe clamp used on exhaust system for cars. It is made based on the manufacturers desire to improve and make the clamp easier to manufacture and to reduce its price to their customers. This should be done either by manufacturing the clamp in one piece without an expensive and work intensive welding process, or by generating ideas of how to develop a brand new type of clamp. Investigating the market for similar products was done to eliminate intrusion of other manufacturers’ patents but also to generate ideas. Making drawings of the many ideas gave a concept of three concepts called existing clamp in one piece, existing clamp by several pieces and innovation solutions. Some of these ideas were investigated further and were 3D modelled in pro-engineer and necessary drawing files were made to be used in the manufacturing of several prototypes. One of the solutions resulted in a prototype that was manufactured by handmade tools and the results of the tests was very positive. The clamp was strong enough to join the pipes together very well without breaking. It was manufactured in one piece and formed in five steps without any welding operations instead of the seven steps, including welding, that is used on the clamp today. The prototype requires 25 % more material and most of it is scrap from the cutting operation.</p>

This report describes the development process of a pipe clamp used on exhaust system for cars. It is made based on the manufacturers desire to improve and make the clamp easier to manufacture and to reduce its price to their customers. This should be done either by manufacturing the clamp in one piece without an expensive and work intensive welding process, or by generating ideas of how to develop a brand new type of clamp. Investigating the market for similar products was done to eliminate intrusion of other manufacturers’ patents but also to generate ideas. Making drawings of the many ideas gave a concept of three concepts called existing clamp in one piece, existing clamp by several pieces and innovation solutions. Some of these ideas were investigated further and were 3D modelled in pro-engineer and necessary drawing files were made to be used in the manufacturing of several prototypes. One of the solutions resulted in a prototype that was manufactured by handmade tools and the results of the tests was very positive. The clamp was strong enough to join the pipes together very well without breaking. It was manufactured in one piece and formed in five steps without any welding operations instead of the seven steps, including welding, that is used on the clamp today. The prototype requires 25 % more material and most of it is scrap from the cutting operation.