1. GET130 Intro to Engineering Technology Fall 2015 J. Sumey
4: Engineering Design
GET130 Intro to Engineering Technology
Fall 2015
J. Sumey

2. What is Design? From Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary:
design n: a mental project or scheme in which means to an end are laid down; the arrangement of elements that go into human productions (as in art or machinery).
design vb: to conceive and plan out in the mind; to devise for a specific function or end.

3. Design Example
“create a device that safely transports people and goods through the air”

4. The Designer one of 3 roles in product design
designs are motivated by a client
designer must ascertain/clarify client wants and translate into an engineered product
while maintaining obligations to the profession and to the public
Client
Designer
User

5. Design Example 2
“create a personal mobile device to transport people who are unable to use their legs”

6. Engineering Design def:
engineering design is a systematic, intelligent process in which designers generate, evaluate and specify designs for devices, systems or processes whose form(s) and function(s) achieve clients’ objectives and users’ needs while satisfying a specified set of constraints

7. ABET Definition of Design
Engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which basic science and mathematics and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective.
Among the fundamental elements of the design process are the establishment of objectives and criteria, synthesis, analysis, construction, testing and evaluation.
Engineering design features:
development of student creativity
use of open-ended problems
development and use of modern design theory and methodology
formulation of design problem statements and specification, consideration of alternative solutions
feasibility considerations
production processes
concurrent engineering design
detailed system description
realistic constraints, such as economic factors, safety, reliability, aesthetics, ethics and social impact
use of teams in solving problems and performing designs

8. Design Terminology form function means objective constraint metric
requirement

9. Big Picture: Problem Solving
problem: a perplexing question demanding settlement, especially when it is difficult or uncertain of solution.
problem solving: a higher-order cognitive process (psychology)
most complex of all intellectual functions
the world is constantly in need of good problem- solvers!
but problem solving failures are all too common…

10. Problem Solving why does problem solving fail? Claim Rebuttal
inadequate information / ill-defined problems
requirements need to be excruciatingly clear
fear of making wrong decision
but failure becomes success if we learn from our mistakes
cost (time & energy) of solution generation and testing
engineers/technologists must find time
absence of effective problem-solving model
false: models do exist
limitations of the human mind ?

11. 9 Dots Problem
“Here's a pencil. Here's a piece of copy paper with nine dots on it. Without lifting the pencil or folding the paper, connect the 9 dots using 4 straight lines.”
Can you solve this problem with three lines?
With one? ●

12. Problem-Solving Models
Scientific method
used in natural sciences since 17th century
consists of observation, measurement/experiment, hypothesis formulation/testing/refinement
Engineering method
used to mitigate negative effects of product or process failures
has led to engineering design process

13. Engineering Design Process
Overview of steps:
problem identification
research / problem definition
brainstorm / develop possible solutions
solution analysis / selection
solution implementation
test/evaluation of solution(s)
communication / documentation
refinement
This is often an iterative process…

14. Engineering Design Process
à la NASA Engineering Design Challenge
Lunar Plant Growth Chamber
(Link)

15. 1: Problem identification
Identifying problem / need
Recognition of opportunities
Collect & interpret information
Organize/prioritize needs
Document results
typically results in requirements document
text example:
technology student consistently gets D grades on lab reports with no other instructor markings
is this a problem?
from student perspective? from instructor perspective?
"students have the right to fail"

16. Example Requirements Performance/functionality Energy Reliability
identify skin lesions with 90% accuracy
measure within 1mm
Energy
battery-operated, avg. power consumption of 3 watts
maximum current draw of 1 Amp
Reliability
operational 99% of the time
mean time between failures (MTBF) of 5 years
mean time to repair (MTTR) of 1 hour

17. 2: Research
Examine current state of the issues and existing solutions (if any)
Explore alternative options using reference sources
library: texts, periodicals, journals
handbooks, building/safety codes
datasheets / material safety data sheets (MSDS)
Internet
interviews
etc.

18. 2: Problem definition Clearly define problem & requirements
client’s description is rarely detailed enough
Establish metrics for design requirements
to know how well solution meets objectives
Identify constraints
that pose limitations on solution
Problem may then be clearly defined
typically results in a specifications document

19. Constraints Economic Environmental Ethical and Legal Health and Safety
Manufacturability
Political and Social – FDA, language?
Sustainability

20. 3: Develop possible solutions
Brainstorming various ideas – “conceptual design”
Engage mathematic and scientific models and methods
analyses, simulations, etc.
Document / articulate possible solutions
sketches, 2/3D, block diagrams, flowcharts
Consider possible results/consequences of each
Design solution strategy is then documented
this results in a design document(s)

21. 4: Selection
Intelligently determine which solution or solutions best meet original requirements
based on needs, requirements, constraints
rank order if multiple
Simplest and/or shortest solution may not always be the best!
beware of overly frugal managers

22. 5: Implementation “Make it so” obtain/acquire needed resources
implement process
build model
build prototype
create software

23. 6: Evaluation Does resulting design solve problem?
Requires testing against established metrics
exhaustive testing
sampled testing (SPC)
data recording
analysis
Identify problems/shortcomings/etc.
solution may need refined / adjusted

24. 7: Communication Final documentation of design results
May include a variety of components
written report
drawings / schematics
oral report / presentation
user’s manual
production information

25. 8: Refinement
If problem/solution is on-going process or iterative in nature, the EDP may need repeated once appropriate refinements have be identified.
May be required for ISO9xxx certification
International Standards Organization
quality control
Academic equivalent is accreditation
includes Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)

26. “Simplified Version” Understand the problem
Research/brainstorm solution
High-level design
block diagrams, flow diagrams, flowcharts
Low-level design
mechanical/assembly diagrams, schematics, call graphs
Implementation
Documentation
Testing is done throughout

27. References “Engineering Design Process” ABET. http://abet.org
ABET.
Dym and Little. Engineering Design: A Project-based Introduction. New York: John Wiley, 2009.
“ISO 9000”
“NASA Engineering Design Challenge”