Conceptual 

Design by Functional Decomposition
(Function Analysis) & Morphology

German “Systematic Design”

Two Principles:
1. Generate many solutions (the divergent
aspect)
2. Double mapping:
Function  Concept  Configuration

what the product

must do the implementation
the idea of how of the idea; the
to do it hardware to do it

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 1 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Function = flow of energy,
material, or information between
objects or change of state of an
object by such flows.

Functions associated with flow of energy:

• Classification based on type of energy (mechanical, electrical, fluid, thermal)
• Classification based on the action in the system (transform, store, transfer (conduct), supply,
dissipate).

Functions associated with flow of materials:

Three main types:
1. Through-flow: material is conserved but manipulated to change its position or shape
(position, lift, hold, support, move, translate, rotate, guide).
2. Diverging flow: material is divided into 2 or more bodies (disassemble, separate).
3. Converging flow: assembling or joining materials (mix, attach, position relative to).

Functions associated with information flow:

Mechanical signals, electrical signals, or software. Usually part of control system or interface
with human operator.

Functions associated with change of state of an object:

When a spring stores energy, its internal state of stress is changed. State changes describe
transformations of potential or kinetic energy, material properties, form, or information content.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 2 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Desktop stapler example:

Downward force from

the user’s hand
Feel increased

Information
Upward reaction resistance to force
Energy force from the desk Function: “Click”
Staple
Insert staples (new)
papers
Materials Insert loose papers Stapled papers
Materials

The main function, “staple papers” can be decomposed into the following
subfunctions:
• Transmit the user’s hand force to the staple
• Store staples
• Allocate one staple at a time
• …

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 3 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Automatic coffee machine example:

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 4 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Functional Decomposition in 4 Steps:

1. Find the overall function that
needs to be accomplished
1-2 sentences of the need statement in “black box”
format with inputs and outputs.
• Conservation of energy and materials,
• Identify all interfaces with other objects, people, the
environment,
• How will the user know that the product is
functioning?

2. Create subfunctions Identify the subfunctions needed and organize them.

3. Order the subfunctions
Subfunctions will later lead to solutions, increase
understanding of the problem, and allow finding existing
components.
Subfunction: an object whose state has changed or that
has input flows from another objects.
Decompose functions as finely as possible.

Add order: flows should be logical or temporal, redundant

functions combined, functions outside the system boundary
eliminated, inputs and outputs matched.

Can any subfunction be further decomposed? Can all

4. Refine the subfunctions subfunctions be satisfied by existing objects?

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 5 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Example: Design a rear suspension for the bicycles in the picture
(from Ullman, 3rd edition)

Background:

The BikeE Corporation manufactures

recumbent bicycles. The first model
(shown in the picture) was the CT. It
had a very primitive rear suspension.
It was decided to design an actual
rear suspension system, and this
model would be named the AT.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 6 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 BikeE Rear Suspension Functional Decomposition Example
(from Ullman, D.G., The Mechanical Design Process, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, 2003)

Step 1: Overall Function

“transform the forces transmitted between the wheel and chain, and the frame of the bikes”
or
“transfer forces between wheel, chain, and frame and absorb peak loads between wheel and
frame” (these are 2 functions)

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 7 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Step 2 and 3: Create and Order Subfunctions
Decomposed further
Not decomposed here
Added while working
22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll
Overall
function
Main part: the important
subfunctions concerned with flow of
energy between components, and
what happens to the energy. Energy
transfer is divided into large and
small bumps. Energy storage is
separated from energy dissipation.
8 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Step 4: Refine Subfunctions

“store energy” is a leaf: it can be satisfied by steel springs, air cylinders, etc.

“attach wheel to suspension system” can be decomposed further:

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 9 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 The function tree for the automatic coffee machine:

The
function
structure
(combining
the black
box and
I/O with
the tree):

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 10 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Morphology (the study of form or structure):

1. List the decomposed functions that must be accomplished

2. Find as many concepts as possible that can provide each function
3. Combine the individual concepts into overall concepts.

Where do you find these concepts?

Where do you look for them?

We’ll talk about it later.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 11 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 BikeE Rear Suspension Morphology Example

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 The Danger with Morphology

1. Too many combinations, requiring too much time to check them all.
2. Some combinations don’t make sense.
3. Erroneous assumption that each function is independent and that each concept
satisfies one function.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 14 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Rube Goldberg design of a pencil sharpener:

Rube Goldberg’s simplified pencil-sharpener:

Open window (A) and fly kite (B). String (C) lifts small door (D) allowing moths (E) to escape
and eat red flannel shirt (F). As weight of shirt becomes less, shoe (G) steps on switch (H)
which heats electric iron (I) and burns hole in pants (J). Smoke (K) enters hole in tree (L),
smoking out opossum (M) which jumps into basket (N), pulling rope (O) and lifting cage (P),
allowing woodpecker (Q) to chew wood from pencil (R), exposing lead. Emergency knife (S) is
always handy in case opossum or the woodpecker gets sick and can't work.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 15 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 4 Structural Concepts for the BikeE Suspension:

S1 Pivot on crank S3 Truss

S2 Pivot on body S4 Linkage

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 16 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 3 Energy Management Concepts for the BikeE Suspension:

E1 Stock Cane Creek air shock E2 Steel coil spring with oil damper

E3 Elastomeric spring with internal damping

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 17 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Hand‐held Nailer
(Adapted from Ulrich & Eppinger)

Task Statement: Develop a new hand-

held nailer for the high-end consumer
market, using conventional nails and nail
magazines.

Some of the design specifications:

• Nail lengths 50 to 75 mm.
• Max. nailing energy 80 J per nail.
• Max. nailing force 2,000 N. A professional hand‐
held pneumatic nailer
• Peak nailing rate 1 nail/s.
• Average nailing rate 4 nails/min.
• Ability to insert nails between standard stud/joists
(368 mm opening).
• Tool mass less than 4 kg.
• Max. trigger delay of 0.25 s.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 18 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Functional Decomposition:

Overall Function
(“black-box” model):

Create
Subfunctions
(without
implying any
physical
solution, or
configuration):

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 19 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Search (internally and externally) for existing solution concepts (=solutions to
subfunctions or subproblems):

Safety concerns.

First 
subfunction

Instantaneous power 
is 10,000 W for a few 
millisecs  TOO 
MUCH  need to 
accumulate energy 
for ~100 msecs and 
release at once.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 20 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 ‫)תא דלק( ‪Fuel Cell‬‬

‫מתוך וויקיפדיה‪:‬‬
‫תא דלק הוא תא אלקטרוכימי‪ ,‬אשר ממיר א‪‬רגיה כימית לזרם חשמלי‪ .‬חשמל ‪‬וצר בתוך התא על‬
‫ידי ריאקציה בין דלק וחומר מחמצן‪ ,‬ב‪‬וכחות אלקטרוליט‪ .‬החומרים שמשתתפים בריאקציה זורמים‬
‫לתוך התא‪ ,‬תוצרי הריאקציה זורמים החוצה מן התא‪ ,‬בעוד שהאלקטרוליט ‪‬שאר בתוכו‪ .‬תאי דלק‬
‫יכולים לפעול בצורה רציפה‪ ,‬ללא הגבלת זמן‪ ,‬כל עוד ‪‬משכת זרימת הדלק והחומר המחמצן אל תוך‬
‫התא‪ .‬תאי דלק שו‪‬ים ממצבר או סוללה בזה שהריאקציה הכימית מתבצעת על חומרים שמסופקים‬
‫אל התא מבחוץ‪.‬‬

‫סכמה של‬
‫תא דלק‬
‫מימ‪‬י‬ ‫תא דלק‬
‫סכרידי‬
‫שפותח‬
‫במכללה‬

‫‪22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll‬‬ ‫‪21‬‬ ‫‪4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology‬‬

 Add the subfunction “Accumulate translational energy”:

One of 
several 
possibilities
Because “accumulate” is added here, it 
implies accumulation of mechanical energy. 
Accumulation of electrical energy could 
have been applied before conversion to 
mechanical energy.

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 22 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 5 Solutions to the subfunction of “apply translational energy to nail”:

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 23 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
 Partial morphological chart:
The subfunctions

The concepts, or 
working principles
Potentially 4 x 2 x 3 = 24 combinations

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 Linear motor:

Railgun:

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 Potato Harvesting Machine
(Adapted from Pahl & Beitz)

Overall Function
(“black-box” model):

Function structure based on the flow of material (the main flow) and the auxiliary
flows of energy and signals:

22745–Advanced Engineering Design–Dr. Ehud Kroll 30 4–Functional Decomposition & Morphology
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