A New Methodology for Systematic Conceptual Design by means of Generalized Discrete Representations Research group conducted by Dr. Offer Shai Department of Mechanics, Materials and Systems Faculty of Engineering Tel-Aviv University

The methodology developed in this research group offers a mathematical apparatus enabling engineers to systematically come up with new designs by drawing them from completely different engineering fields. In this presentation you will see this ability through a very simple example

In this presentation you will see a demonstration of applying our design methodology for solving the following design problem: The force acting upon the system is alternating, while the internal spring should sustain forces of type compression only. Design the system that will satisfy this constraint. Our approach makes possible to detect a system in completely different engineering domain – that upon transformation will yield a system satisfying given design requirements. Such a transformation is demonstrated in this presentation. F in F out

Example of transforming electrical circuit to a new mechanical device A BC D Bridge rectifier circuit Stage 1: constructing the graph representation of the electronic circuit. The representation is built in accordance with the structure and other properties of the engineering system.

A BC D B A D C Example of transforming electrical circuit to a new mechanical device Stage 2: Constructing a new mechanical system from the representation. The same representation can be interpreted as a representation of an engineering system from some other engineering domain. In this example you will see how a mechanical system is constructed from the graph. Cable Strut

A BC D B A D C Example of transforming electrical circuit to a new mechanical device Stage 2: Constructing a new mechanical system from the representation. The same representation can be interpreted as a representation of an engineering system from some other engineering domain. In this example you will see how a mechanical system is constructed from the graph. Cable Strut

As you have noticed, till now we have not used any analysis operations. We just transformed the structure of the system from one domain to the other through the common representation. Since both systems are represented by the same graph representation, there should be correspondence between their behaviors. We shall now check this hypothesis through simulation of both systems

Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems.

I in F in F out I out Behavioral mode 1: In mechanical system: F in >0, F out >0 In electronic circuit: I in >0, I out >0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems.

I in I out F in F out Behavioral mode 1: In mechanical system: F in >0, F out >0 In electronic circuit: I in >0, I out >0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems.

I in I out F in F out Behavioral mode 1: In mechanical system: F in >0, F out >0 In electronic circuit: I in >0, I out >0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems.

I in I out F in F out Behavioral mode 1: In mechanical system: F in >0, F out >0 In electronic circuit: I in >0, I out >0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems.

F in Behavioral mode 2: In mechanical system: F in 0 In electronic circuit: I in 0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems. F out I in I out

I in I out F in F out Behavioral mode 2: In mechanical system: F in 0 In electronic circuit: I in 0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems.

F in F out Behavioral mode 2: In mechanical system: F in 0 In electronic circuit: I in 0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems. I in I out

F in F out Behavioral mode 2: In mechanical system: F in 0 In electronic circuit: I in 0 Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems. I in I out

Verifying the correspondence in behavior between the two engineering systems. Conclusion: in the resulting mechanical system - the force in the output element (spring) is positive (compression) no matter the direction of the Input force. Thus the behavior is the same as in the diode bridge circuit, where the current through the output element (resistor) is always positive - no matter the input current

The methodology developed in this research group has been applied to develop a series of new devices. You are going to see now only a number of such devices.

Some of the devices developed through the approach in out A A’ O B