The Design Process

Lecture 3

Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016

outline

• what is engineering design?

• the design process
› recognition of need
› develop specifications/requirements
› conceptualization and creativity
› feasibility assessment/decision to proceed
› plan for the design process – organization and work breakdown
› preliminary design
› detailed design
› production planning and tooling design
• steps in designing a mechanical system
what is engineering design?

• definition from Dym and Little*:

› “the systematic, intelligent generation and evaluation of
specifications for artifacts whose form and function achieve stated
objectives and satisfy specified constraints”

» artifacts – the things we’re designing

» form – shape, geometry
» function – what the artifact is supposed to do
» specifications – description of the properties of the artifact
• performance parameters – numerical values, constants or
variables that indicate the artifact’s behaviour
• attributes – properties or characteristics
• design specifications – set of values stating what the
artifact is supposed to do; provide targets for evaluation
» objectives – aim, goal (light weight)
» constraints – restriction, limitation (< 460 lb)

*Engineering Design: A Project-Based Introduction

the design process

• steps in the design process from Ertas/Jones1,

Ullman2, Dym and Little3
› some differences, but important activities are common
• overall design process
› from “need” to “production”
• process not linear
› iterative
› order may differ

[1] Atila Ertas and Jesse C. Jones, The Engineering Design

Process, John Wiley & Sons, Toronto, 1993.
[2] David G. Ullman, The Mechanical Design Process, McGraw-
Hill, New York, 1997.
[3] Clive L. Dym and Patrick Little, Engineering Design: A Project-
Based Introduction, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004.
the design process

Figure 1, (from [3])

the engineering design process

Figure 2 (from [1])

the mechanical design process

Figure 3 (from [2])

recognition of need

• before design must establish need for product

› may have design if need can be generated
• 2 sources
› market (customer requirements)
› development of new technology (R&D)
• also:
› desire to redesign an existing product
» market demand for newer model
» fixing problems
• need may be recognized by outside organization
› government projects
develop specifications/requirements

• understand the problem

• especially important at the beginning
• seems simple, but?
• a major undertaking because design problems are ill
defined

Figure 4
conceptualization and creativity

• generate ideas on how to meet requirements

› numerous designs may work
› no such thing as a perfect design
› must find optimal solution
• sketching is important
› sketch possible approaches
› avoid too much detail
• sources of concepts:
› patents
› reference books/trade journals
› expert help
› brainstorming
› existing products – reverse engineering
feasibility assessment/decision to proceed

• purpose:
› ensure project proceeds into design phase
» achievable
• technically
• economically
» requires new technology only where required
› weed out bad concepts
› cost factors?
feasibility assessment/decision to proceed

• smaller projects
› part of conceptualization
• larger projects
› major element of overall program
› e.g. Space Shuttle

Figure 5a Figure 5b
feasibility assessment/decision to proceed

• requires:
› people with broad experience and good judgment
› important to have people in charge who are directly responsible
» “work ownership”
• decision to proceed
› internal or external
› concept documented and reported
› management makes decision
planning/organization/work breakdown

• must plan for the design process

• should precede any commitment of resources
› this is not always easy
• requires commitment of people/resources
› must select design team
› few products or sub-systems designed by one person
planning/organization/work breakdown

• in complex design projects must break the design

down into:
› components/sub-components
› systems/sub-systems
• useful for:
› assigning responsibilities
› scheduling work
› coordinate design work
› project management is based on this
planning/organization/work breakdown

• often use work breakdown structure (WBS):

› family tree subdivision of work
› relates tasks
• developed by:
› starting at end product/process and subdividing it
› manageable elements in terms of size and complexity
› each level reduces in size and complexity
• degree of this depends on size/complexity of project
› small project – might not need complex or formal WBS
› large projects – absolutely necessary
planning/organization/work breakdown

Figure 6 WBS, from [1], [2]

preliminary design

• bridges gap between “design concept” and “detailed

design” phases
› concept is “fleshed out”
› if more than one concept, must select best one
• often done in small groups
› representatives from all technical divisions
› better coordination
› better integration
› later involved in detail design
preliminary design

• during preliminary design:

› requirements more fully established
» computation/analysis
» literature search
» vendor evaluation
» discussion with experts
› requirements form basis for component specifications developed
during detail design
» can’t be too stringent or too lax
preliminary design

• during preliminary design:

› overall system configuration is defined
› schematic layout, definition drawing, etc. created
• layout drawing of entire product developed
› defines geometry
› details of components partially defined
› working drawing
› made to scale
› tolerances usually not included
› Notes
• preliminary analysis/calculations are carried out to
ensure design requirements are met - Important
detail design

• intent of detail design:

› develop system of drawings that completely describes a design so
that it can be manufactured
• layout drawing developed during preliminary design
broken into sub-components
• detail drawing:
› detail individual component
› part number, dimensions, tolerances, materials, etc. specified
› complete documentation of part
detail design

Figure 7 Example of Detail Drawing [1]

 detail design

Figure 8 Revolving clamp assembly [4]

[4] James H. Earle, Engineering Design Graphics, Prentice-Hall Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2001
detail design

Figure 9a Detail Drawings [4]

detail design

Figure 9b Detail Drawings [4]

detail design

• assembly drawings
› lack detail, but show how components fit together
› include:
» assembly instructions, etc.
» limited dimensions
› different types
» exploded views
» “assembled”
• similar to layout drawings, but different purpose
detail design

Figure 10 Assembly Drawings [4]

detail design

• installation drawings
› type of assembly drawing
› used to specify dimensions, services for installation

• bill of materials
› parts list
› maintain separate list for each assembly
› various information required
detail design

• analysis/modelling also takes place

› static stress analysis, fatigue analysis, vibration analysis
› often separate group
• design freeze
› instituted at some point prior to completion
› design process formalized, design changes place under strict and
formal control
› adds complication to the effort of the designer, changes more
difficult
• prototyping and testing
› qualification testing
› acceptance testing
production planning/tooling design

• initiated by review of design drawings

› ID machines, tooling required, machining operations to be used
› tooling:
» jigs, fixtures, tools, gauges
› effort spent on production tryout, developing quality
control/inspection fixtures and instruments
» part design/manufacturing process may change
• optimize production, e.g. odd size hole
production planning/tooling design

• production planning
› selecting machines to be used
› laying out production line flow
› industrial engineering task
production planning/tooling design

• production control
› scheduling work and controlling inventory
› involves:
» routing parts, components, assemblies
» establishing start and finish dates
» issuing required paperwork and instructions
› provides:
» supplies and parts to various workstations plus instructions
› has evolved over time
» new innovations to reduce costs, increase flexibility
• CIM
– integrates CAD/CAM and design/manufacturing
steps in designing a mechanical system

• objective:
› determination of dimensions and materials of components of system
so that it properly and reliably performs its specified function
› will depend on operating conditions, manufacturing, assembly
• components
› sufficient strength and rigidity to resist loads and vibrations
› configurations, materials selected with consideration to environment
› standard parts
› depend on quantity produced
steps in designing a mechanical system

• develop conceptual design

› elemental components
› location and performance identified
• determine loads
• select materials
› environment, properties, availability, cost
• establish principle dimensions of components
› based on preliminary calculations
› standards, material,
• general layout of assembly
› geometric relationships, details of components developed, physical feasibility
established
› consider dimensions, clearances, tolerances, surface finish and treatments,
production requirements, assembly, maintenance, etc.
› final form of design evolves, details fixed
• revised calculations
› check design, optimize
› changes required – iterate
• detail design
› drawings, specifications, instructions, etc. based on final layout drawing
questions?