Applicability of engineering change management on the “tropicalization” of an industrial equipment

Abstract

Engineering Change Management (ECM) has been a common practice on global industries. However, this does not match with a compatible number of reports regarding its applications to traditional sectors.This article comes to fill this gap, by describing the challenges faced during the “tropicalization” of a sugar centrifugal screen previously developed in the United States.The work applies a qualitative approach and the action research was the chosen methodology. The ECM framework was adapted to fit the business model and the distinctiveness of the examined company. The forms foreseen in the ECM process were adapted to provide sales, engineering and manufacturing areas with relevant sales information. The positive results of applying the ECM technique encouraged the company to use the methodology on all of its product lines. As imported technologies are common on Brazilian industry, this paper suggests that systematic approaches, as the one presented here, can improve industrial competitiveness.