1 After specifications phase, we have already committed ~40% of product cost! Specification Development % of product cost committed Conceptual Design Detailed design Time IMPORTANCE OF PROPER PROBLEM DEFINITION

2 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PHASE 1.Specification Development / Planning Phase Determine need, customer and engineering requirements Develop a project plan 2.Conceptual Design Phase Generate and evaluate concepts Select best solution 3.Detail Design Phase Documentation and part specification Prototype evaluation 4.Production Phase Component manufacture and assembly Plant facilities / capabilities 5.Service Phase Installation, use, maintenance and safety 6.Product Retirement Phase Length of use, disposal, and recycle Customer surveys Customer interviews QFD Gantt charts CPM

3 CONCEPT GENERATION Concept - is an idea that can be represented in a rough sketch or with notes of what might someday be a product.

4 If you generate one idea it will probably be a poor idea if you generate twenty ideas then you might have one good idea CONCEPT GENERATION

5 So how do we generate those concepts? Basic philosophy for generating concepts: Form follows function Creativity must be controlled by engineering judgment / expertise / experience CONCEPT GENERATION

6 CONCEPT GENERATION AND SELECTION SUMMARY Need Required functionality Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 … Concept n QFD Functional Decomposition Morphological Analysis Ideation Brainstorming Patents Reference (Books, Trade Journals) Experts’ help Feasibility judgment Technology readiness Go/no go screening Decision matrix method Final concept

7 SOURCES FOR CONCEPT IDEAS 1.Ideation 2.Brainstorming - a group oriented technique 3.Patents - extensive patent search may be required. (Note: there are over 5 million patents in the U.S.) 4.Reference books and trade journals - most reference books give analytical techniques and few design ideas (Trade journals are a good source, but generally are targeted at specific disciplines). 5.Experts to help generate concepts - a good source of information are manufacturers catelogues (check the Thomas Registry). 6. Functional decomposition and morphological analysis

8 1. Get a general idea of the design problem and develop different ways to tackle it Do not worry about practicality Do not refine ideas 2. Find feasible ideas If only some elements of an idea work, extract them for inclusion in the next iteration 3. Pick, choose and recombine ideas Using useful elements from all ideas 4. Refine List three concepts and add elements you really need in the finished product IDEATION

9 Fundamental Principles of Brainstorming 1.Criticism is not allowed - any attempt to analyze, rejecty, or evaluate ideas is postponed until after the brainstorming session. 2.All ideas brought forth should be picked up by the other people - participants should seek ways of improving the ideas of others. 3.Participants should divulge all ideas that enter their mind - the wilder the idea, the better. 4.Provide as many ideas as possible within a relatively short time - the greater the number of ideas, the more likelihood of useful results. BRAINSTORMING

10 Brainstorming is an organized approach for producing creative ideas by letting the mind think without interruption. Brainstorming can be done either individually or in a group; in group brainstorming sessions, the participants are encouraged, and often expected, to share their ideas with one another as soon as they are generated. The key to brainstorming is not to interrupt the thought process. As ideas come to the mind, they are captured and stimulate the development of better ideas. An essential element of brainstorming is putting criticism 'on hold'. Instead of immediately stating what might be wrong with an idea, the participants focus on extending or adding to it, reserving criticism for a later 'critical stage' of the process. By suspending judgment, you create a supportive atmosphere where participants feel free to generate unusual ideas. BRAINSTORMING

11 Procedure for a typical brainstorming session A meeting room is equipped with a flipchart, blackboard, or overhead projector placed in a prominent location. Between six and twenty people with an interest in the subject (although not necessarily experts) are invited to participate. Write on the flipchart (or blackboard) a statement of the subject or problem that will be discussed. This is often presented as a question. Choose one person to write down the ideas generated. Ideas should be written concisely but without paraphrasing. The recorder should state the idea in the words she has written to ensure that it expresses the meaning intended by the originator. Choose one person to facilitate the process. This involves encouraging participation by everyone and maintaining a criticism free, uninhibited atmosphere. Encourage even wild and seemingly ridiculous ideas. After 5 to 20 minutes the facilitator ends the session Review the list from top to bottom to ensure everyone understands the ideas. Eliminate from the list any duplications. Remove any obviously ridiculous suggestions. BRAINSTORMING

12 PATENTS In the 1920s, engineers at Sperry Gyroscope Company developed a clever design for a bearing that would hold the end of the gyro shaft in position with great accuracy both axially and laterally, would support the gyro, and would have low friction. –It was patented and put into service with great success. –However, in 1965 the same basic design was discovered in a notebook belonging to Leonardo da Vinci dating from about [Ullman 1992] A low friction bearing from da Vinci's notebook.

13 SOURCES FOR CONCEPT IDEAS REFERENCE BOOKS AND TRADE JOURNALS sae.org/

14 SOURCES FOR CONCEPT IDEAS – EXPERT HELP

15 FUNCTIONAL DECOMPOSITION TECHNIQUE Step 1:Find the overall function that needs to be accomplished. Goal is to generate a single statement of the overall function based on the customer requirements. All design problems have one or two "most important" functions. These must be stated in a single concise sentence. Example: portable kayak Design a kayak that can be folded into a package small enough to fit in a trunk of a car Step 2:Decompose the function into subfunctions (perform functional decomposition). Goal is to refine the overall function statement as much as possible. Guidelines: 1.Document what not how. 2.Use standard methods and notations whenever possible for describing subfunctions. 3.Consider the logical relationships between the functions to determine their sequence. 4.Match inputs and outputs in the functional decomposition. 5.Break the main function down as finely as possible using a block diagram.

16 Foldable kayak Customer requirements Product functions satisfying customer requirements FUNCTIONAL DECOMPOSITION TECHNIQUE Allows reduction in size when transported and stored unpack Use unpacked pack

17 Decomposing top level function into subfunctions First level decomposition Second level decomposition Third level decomposition FUNCTIONAL DECOMPOSITION TECHNIQUE Unfold skeleton Pump up Assemble form smaller components... unpack Use unpacked pack unpack Pump up

18 Functional decomposition is used to identify the necessary product functionality Morphological analysis is used to explore alternative means and combinations of achieving that functionality. For each element of product function, there may be a number of possible solutions. The morphological chart is prepared and used to develop alternative combinations of means to perform functions and each feasible combination represents a potential solution. * Morphology: The science of the form and structure FUNCTIONAL DECOMPOSITION TECHNIQUE AND MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS*

19 Goal is to generate as many concepts as possible for each of the functions identified in the Functional Decomposition process. If there is a function for which only one conceptual idea exists, then this function needs to be reexamined because there are very few functions that can be fulfilled by only one concept). DEVELOPING CONCEPTS FOR EACH FUNCTION

20 Steps: List product functions (functional decomposition) List the possible 'means' for each function (morphological analysis) Chart functions and means and explore combinations DEVELOPING CONCEPTS FOR EACH FUNCTION Unfold skeleton Pump up Assemble form smaller components unpack

21 Functional decomposition of a wood splitter – in class exercise

22 COMBINING CONCEPTS INTO SINGLE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 Concept 4 Design concept Function hold on ice Goal is to select one concept for each function and combine those selected into a single complete conceptual design. Abstract concepts must now take some form, most often the form of sketches and comments. secure Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 Concept 4

23 SKETCHES AND COMMENTS Terminal cover assembly

24 Assistive writing device. –Rough sketches made in the design notebook provide a clear record of the development of the concept and the product. SKETCHES AND COMMENTS

25 Initial sketches and final design for a reusable syringe. SKETCHES AND COMMENTS

26 1.Develop a confident attitude. [Buhl 1968] SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY

27 2.Unlock your imagination. [Buhl 1968] SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY

28 3.Be persistant. "Invention is 95% perspiration and 5% inspiration" T. Edison [Buhl 1968] SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY

29 4.Develop an open mind. [Buhl 1968] SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY

30 5.Suspend your judgement. [Buhl 1968] SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY

31 6.Set problem boundaries. [Buhl 1968] SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY

32 TECHNIQUES FOR EVALUATING CONCEPTUAL DESIGN Feasibility Judgment Technology Readiness Assessment Go/no-go Screening Decision Matrix Method Numerous Concepts Gut Feeling State of Art Customer Requirements Absolute Relative Type of ComparisonTechniqueBasis of Comparison BEST CONCEPTS

33 EVALUATION BASED ON FEASIBILITY* JUDGMENT What we think about it? Understanding + Experience * Feasibility: The quality of being doable

34 EVALUATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT Objective - is to determine the readiness of the technologies that may be used in the design concept. Immature technology will lead to a poor-quality product or cancellation of a project due to cost overruns. Time-Line for Technology Readiness TechnologyDevelopment Time Powered human flight403(1500 – 1903) Photographic cameras112 (1727 – 1839) Radio35(1867 – 1902) Television12(1922 – 1934) Radar15(1925 – 1940) Xerography17(1938 – 1955) Atomic bomb6(1939 – 1945) Transistor5(1948 – 1953) Digital camera High temperature super conductor ? ? Electric car ? …..

35 EVALUATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT Six measures to determine if a technology is mature: 1.Can the technology be manufactured with known processes? 2.Are the critical parameters that control the function identified ? 3.Are the safe operating parameters known ? 4.Have the failure modes been identified ? 5.Does hardware exist that demonstrates positive answers to the above four questions ? 6.Is the technology controllable throughout the product's life cycle ?

36 Displacement on Demand has been in works for the last 25 years….. finally: GM announces that the 2005 model year GMC Envoy XL, Envoy XUV and Chevrolet trailblazer EXT will be the first vehicles to showcase its innovative Displacement on Demand fuel-saving technology, which enhances fuel economy without compromising performance or the ability to carry heavy loads. Displacement on Demand is to be a standard feature in the vehicles' optional Vortec 5300 V-8 engine. The technology, which boosts the Vortec engine's fuel efficiency by 8 percent, is also to be introduced in other GM engines in the 2006 model year. EVALUATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT

37 Hybrid car EVALUATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT

EVALUATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT Electric car

39 EVALUATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT Film cameraDigital camera