ME 362

MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING DESIGN
Part 1.2

Muhammad Ilyas
ENGINEERING DESIGN

Is Design a Science or Art?

Is it a Discovery or Invention?

Examples
ENGINEERING DESIGN
Ability to Design is both a Science and an Art
Science : can be learned by techniques and methods
(covered in textbook)
Art : is best learned by performing the activities
(design)
Discovery : is getting the first sight of, or first
knowledge of
something (e.g. North America, Graphene)
We can discover what has already existed but has not been
known before
Design should not be confused with Discovery
Design is the product of Planning and Work
Invention:
Design may or may not involve invention
ENGINEERING DESIGN

Conclusion
Engineering Design extends beyond the boundaries of
Science
Why??
Because
As a Design Engineer during professional career, you may
have the opportunity
To create dozens of designs
Have satisfaction of seeing them become working reality
As a Scientist during professional career, you may have the
opportunity:
To make one creative addition to human knowledge in your
whole life and many never do so
Can discover a new star but can not make one
Have to ask an Engineer to do it (e.g CERN)
ENGINEERING DESIGN

What is a Good Design ?

Good design requires both Analysis and Synthesis
Analysis
Decomposing problem into manageable parts
To understand performance / behavior of parts in service
using appropriate discipline of science / engineering and
computational tools
Usually involves simplification of real world problems
through models
Synthesis
Identification of Design Elements that will comprise
Product
Sometimes, its decomposition into parts
Combination of part solutions into a total workable system
 ENGINEERING DESIGN

Analysis offers a science of parts you take portions of

a part and study / work on it

Synthesis a science of the integration of parts you

combine parts and study / work on it
 Electronic
ENGINEERING DESIGN Design

Industrial

What is a Real World Problem that you Design

Civil
intend to design? Design

Partial Design Vs Total Design

Rarely neat and defined
Electronic
May need many engineering (fluid, Hydraulic
Mechanical
Electrical
solid mechanics etc) and non- Biochem Civil

engineering discipline (economics, Technical Facto

finance, law etc)
Input data may be best but out of the
scope of the individual Non-Technical Fac
Constraints may be time, money,
societal, environmental or energy That impinge o
regulations etc.
Product Design
 ENGINEERING DESIGN
How the Final Design will fare ?
Is it the best, most efficient?
The correct answer -- rarely known (a priori)
Only time will tell.!!!!!
One is hopeful that His Design will Work
 DESIGN PROCESS

The process through which a product is designed from

scratch to the product realization : Engineering Design
Process
Engineering design process can be used to achieve
several different outcomes:
Design of products
consumer goods (e.g. refrigerators, power tools, DVD
players etc) or
complex products (e.g. a missile system, jet transport plane)
Design of complex engineered systems
such as an electrical power generating station or a
petrochemical plant, a building or a bridge
THE DESIGN PROCESS

Problem identification Specifications

(Market analyst)

Conceptual design Concepts

(Product designer)

Embodiment design Layouts

(Design Analyst)

Detail design Drawings

(Development & Research Engineer)

Manufacture Product
(Process Planner and Production Engineer)
 IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN PROCESS
Any product development involves
Planning
Design
Manufacturing & QC
Marketing
It is important to devote due time to all of the above
The quality of a product is dependent on all of the phases
involved in the development
Design process is one of the major contributors towards
achieving the quality products!
Although, the cost of design may be smaller compared to
manufacturing costs the decisions made during design
stage affects 70 to 80% of manufacturing cost of the product
 IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN PROCESS
In the early 80s,
US companies start to feel pressure of quality products from
overseas
Response: emphasis is placed on reducing the manufacturing
costs
US NRC study (1991)
Companies realize: the key to world-competitive products lies
in high-quality product design
The competitiveness of product based on design can be
seen through the following three parameters:
Cost
Quality
Product cycle time
IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN PROCESSDESIGN COST
Product cost commitment during phases of design process
manufacturing
70~80% = for Design commitment decisions are
25% = for manufacture responsible for about
~ 25% cost of the
product

~ 95% of cost incurred

Design decisions are
responsible for about
~ 70% cost of the
product
5% = for design
95% = for material,
manufacture, labor,
capital
~ 5% of cost incurred
 IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN
PROCESS
Product cost commitment during phases of design process
 IMPACT OF DESIGN DESIGN
COST
Decisions made in the design process are very important and it
will affect the cost of the product

Although design costs are very little in terms of the overall

product cost but have a major effect on the cost of the
product
If the design proves to be faulty just before the product
goes to market, it will cost a great deal of money to
correct the problem
IMPACT OF DESIGN PRODUCT QUALITY

The conventional concept of product quality : inspect the

product as it comes off the production line
However, today quality of the product means that quality
should be built into the design
One cannot compensate for the defects introduced in
the design phase in the manufacturing of the product
To incorporate quality within the product the
performance and features that are truly desired by the
customer who purchases the product are to be
incorporated in the product
IMPACT OF DESIGN PRODUCT CYCLE TIME

Cycle time : the development time required to bring a new

product to market
The use of new organizational methods, the widespread use
of computer-aided engineering, and rapid prototyping
methods are contributing to reducing product cycle time
Not only does reduced cycle time increase the
marketability of a product, but it reduces the cost of
product development
The design process should be conducted so as to develop
quality, cost-competitive products in the shortest time
possible
 STATIC PRODUCT VS DYNAMIC PRODUCT
Static Product
Products for which change in design
concept takes long time period e.g.,
refrigerators, automobiles etc
Exists in market where customer is not
eager to change and does not demand
significant improvement
Market characterized by stable number
of large producers
High price competition and little
research
Products are similar to each other
Technology is stable and mature
Users dont demand significant
improvement Industries standards may
even restrict change
Dynamic Product
Basic design concept varies frequently
as the original technology changes e.g.,
telecom systems, software etc
Customers may even drive change.
Customer seeks to reduce product cycle
time
Market is characterized by many small
producers
Involves active market research
Companies seek new product
Technology is rapidly advancing
There is a high product differentiation
and low industry standardization
TYPES OF DESIGN
 TYPES OF DESIGN
Original design: Original and Innovative concept to achieve a
need e.g. the design of the microprocessor was an original
design
Adaptive design: The design team adapts a known solution to
satisfy a different need, aim: to produce a novel application.
e.g. adapting the ink-jet printing concept to spray binder/glue to
hold particles in place in a rapid prototyping machine
Redesign: Improve an existing design. The task may be to redesign
a component in a product that is failing in service, or redesign
a component to reduce its cost of manufacture e.g. the change
in the shape of a part to reduce a stress concentration, or a new
material substituted to reduce weight or cost
TYPES OF DESIGN

Selection design: In this case, the design task consists of

selecting the components with the desired performance,
quality, and cost from the catalogs of potential vendors e.g. to
select nuts and bolts of available sizes prescribed in the from
the fortress-fasteners catalogue
Industrial design: This form of design deals with improving
the appeal of a product to the human senses, especially
its visual appeal. While this type of design is more
artistic than engineering, it is a vital aspect of many kinds
of design. e.g., design of office wares
 DESIGN PROCESS
PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY IN DESIGN
PROCESS

Problem Definition
Gathering Information
Generation of Alternative
Solution
Evaluation of Alternatives
Communication of Results
 DESIGN PROCESS
PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY IN DESIGN
PROCESS

Problem Definition
Gathering Information
Generation of Alternative
Solution
Evaluation of Alternatives
Communication of Results
PROBLEM DEFINITION
Most critical step in the solution of a problem
True Problem is not always as it seems at first glance
As this step takes a very small time as compared to total time
for finding a solution, this step is normally overlooked
Example
PROBLEM DEFINITION
Different solutions (or final design) of a problem based on
individual who defines the problem
 PROBLEM DEFINITION
The Formulation of a problem should start by writing
down problem statement
o This document should express as specifically as
possible what the problem is
o Should include objectives and goals
o The current state of affairs and the desired state
o Any constraint placed on solution of the problem
o Definition of any special technical terms
 DESIGN PROCESS
PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY IN DESIGN
PROCESS

Problem Definition
Gathering Information
Generation of Alternative
Solution
Evaluation of Alternatives
Communication of Results
GATHERING INFORMATION
Most frustrating for solving the problem
Problem may be of the technical area not related to your
previous background or you may not have even a single
basic reference on the subject
You may get a mountain of reports of previous work
So whatever the situation is, the immediate action is to
identify needed pieces of information and find or develop
that information
 GATHERING INFORMATION
The important thing in gathering information for design is that
Textbooks and articles published in the scholarly technical
journals usually are of lesser importance
The need often is for more specific and current information
such as
Technical reports published as a result of government-sponsored
R&D,
Company reports
Trade Journals / Patents
Catalogs / handbooks and literature published by vendors and
suppliers of material and equipment
Internet search or a telephone call or an e-mail to a key supplier
Discussions with in-house experts and outside consultants
 GATHERING INFORMATION
Questions concerned with obtaining information
What do I need to find out?
Where can I find it and how can I get it?
How credible and accurate is the information?
How should the information be interpreted for my specific
need?
When do I have enough information?
What decisions result from the information?
 DESIGN PROCESS
PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY IN DESIGN
PROCESS

Problem Definition
Gathering Information
Generation of Alternative
Solution
Evaluation of Alternatives
Communication of Results
 GENERATION OF ALTERNATIVE
SOLUTIONS
The ability to generate high-quality alternative solutions is vital
to a successful design
Generating alternative solutions or design concepts involves
Use of creativity
Application of physical principles and qualitative reasoning
Ability to find and use information
 DESIGN PROCESS
PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY IN DESIGN
PROCESS

Problem Definition
Gathering Information
Generation of Alternative
Solution
Evaluation of Alternatives
Communication of Results
 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES
The evaluation of alternatives involves systematic methods for
selecting the best among several designs, often in the face of
incomplete information
Evaluation basis involve
Engineering analysis (about service
performance)
Cost estimation (cost comparison)
Design for manufacture (life cycle)
Simulation and simulated service testing
Experimental testing of full sized
prototypes
 DESIGN PROCESS
PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY IN DESIGN
PROCESS

Problem Definition
Gathering Information
Generation of Alternative
Solution
Evaluation of Alternatives
Communication of Results
COMMUNICATION OF RESULTS
Purpose of design is to satisfy the needs of a customer / client
Final design must be communicated properly
Communication is usually oral or in written design report form
Typically design engineers spend their time:
60% in discussing designs and preparing written
documentation of designs
40% in analyzing / testing design and doing designs (detailed
drawings, 3D models etc)
Deliverables: detailed engineering drawings, computer programs,
working models
Not only one time occurrence but a continual oral and written
dialogue