The Design Process

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The Design Process

• Engineering Graphics
• Dr. Stephen Crown

2
Objective

• To understand the role that engineering graphics
  plays in the world of engineering
• To understand the process of design

3
Overview

• Embark on an adventure
• Africa / Engineering
• The design process
• Six Steps
• Application
• Garage door problem

4
A Trip into Africa

• You need to learn the language
• You need to learn the culture
• How are things done?
• What is important?
• An exciting experience that opens up new
  opportunities
• A new perspective
• A new way to communicate

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A Trip into Engineering

• You need to learn the language
• Engineering Graphics
• Definition The use of drawings in the
  engineering design process based on a system of
  well established rules and conventions that
  clearly conveys information about an object
• Imagine trying to describe a simple physical
  object that you have never seen without being
  able to draw it
• Standard conventions (like vocabulary in
  language) allow us to communicate more
  effectively and with clarity

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A Trip into Engineering

• You need to learn the culture
• How are things done?
• Consideration of how a part is to be manufactured
  is essential in design
• What is important?
• Example A radio button
• Finish The part will be painted
• Color The red color shows through when
  illuminated
• Cost The company may make thousands each day
• Shape The part must be aesthetically pleasing

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A Trip into Engineering

• An exciting experience that opens up new
  opportunities
• A new perspective
• Able to better visualize an object
• The act of creating a drawing is often an
  iterative process as the drawing reveals critical
  information
• A new way to communicate
• Allows for simple clear communication with other
  engineers and technicians
• When added to other forms of communication gives
  richness and strength to the presentation of an
  idea

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A Six Step Design Process

• Design
• Definition The process of bringing together
  engineering principles, material resources, and
  creativity to produce a new solution to a well
  defined problem
• A non-linear process
• Concurrent engineering
• Many of the processes in design may be revisited
  several times
• Engineers are just some of the players

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A Six Step Design Process

• Step One Problem Identification
• What is the problem?
• Defining the problem is the most important step
  in the design process
• Be creative even at this step (brainstorm)
• What part of the problem do we hope to solve?
• What is the design criteria?
• What limitations or conditions will restrict the
  design?
• Make a formal problem statement

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A Formal Problem Statement

• Problem Description
• A concise description capturing the main problem
• Requirements
• Conditions that must be satisfied
• Prioritize other items
• Limitations
• Determine constraints (cost, space, weight,
  environment, etc.)
• Additional information
• Has this problem been addressed in the past?
• Are there solutions to similar problems?

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A Six Step Design Process

• Step Two Preliminary Ideas
• Brainstorm
• Wild ideas are encouraged
• Use your imagination (be creative)
• Make sketches
• Step Three Preliminary design
• Select best of preliminary ideas
• Combine ideas
• Refine sketches
• Develop simple computer models
• Evaluate the merits of each design

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A Six Step Design Process

• Step Four Refinement
• Look at the most promising ideas from the
  previous step
• Work out the details of each design
• More sophisticated computer modeling (design
  visualization)
• How will the proposed design interact with other
  systems?
• How will the parts be made?
• What materials will be used?
• Rapid prototyping
• Step Five Analysis
• Apply engineering and scientific principles to
  evaluate the design
• Stress, fatigue, or wear analysis
• Thermal analysis, etc.

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A Six Step Design Process

• Step Six Implementation
• Choose the best design based on results of the
  previous steps (refinement and analysis)
• Documentation
• Design drawings (needed for patent application)
• Create working drawings (production drawings)
• Technical illustrations
• Build a prototype
• Do thorough testing
• Marketing
• Production planning

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A Six Step Design Process

• Application The garage door problem
• Assignment Write a formal problem statement
  addressing all the elements discussed in class
• Begin discussions (brainstorming) about the
  problem and write a concise description of the
  problem
• Come to lab prepared to continue this process
• Read the assigned section in your text for this
  week
• Review your class notes