Introduction to

Engineering Design
Del Institute of Technology
9 February 2015
 Outline
• What is Engineering Design?
• Phases of Engineering Design
• Concluding Remarks

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 Foundational Questions
• What is an engineer?
• What is engineering design?
• Difference between engineering analysis and
engineering design
• What is the difference between product and
process design?
• What is the context of the design process?
• Engineering design vs. design in other academic
disciplines?
• Why design?

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 “Technological activity
Engineering to solve problems”

• Engineer: One versed in the design,

construction, and use of machines
• Engineers use methodical application of
scientific knowledge and technology
– Math, science, and fundamental technologies

Innovation + Methodical Application of Science

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Effective Engineering/Design 4
 Engineering as a “Thinking-Making”
Activity
• The use of technology to make products and
systems for societal benefit.

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 Historical Questions
What role of engineers in history?
Irrigation and farming equipment, dam projects, water and wind mills building construction,
the Pyramids, the Great Wall, Leonardo’s contraptions, the printing press, the Wright brothers’ aircraft,
fermented beverages, nuclear power, the Space Shuttle, Tacoma Narrows Bridge, electric appliances,
petroleum products, pharmaceuticals.

When did the engineering disciplines begin?

3000 BC Civil
1000 BC Military
AD 1700 Mechanical
AD 1800 Materials
Agricultural
Electrical
AD 1900 Chemical
Aerospace
AD 1950 Computer, Nuclear, Biochemical
Biomedical
[ Holtzapple, M. T., Reece, W. D. (2005) ]
 Process of Engineering

Think Think Math Politics

Analysis
Sketch Sketch Physics Law
Make Make
Chemistry
Show Show Ethics
Use Use Biology
Environmental

Economy

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 What is engineering design?
• Engineering design is the set of decision-making processes
and activities used determine the form of an object given the
functions desired by the customer. (Gov of MA)
• 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 the 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. (ABET)

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 The Nature of Design
Designers have to:
•Communicate - a final design proposal
•Evaluate - alternative possible solution
concepts
•Generate - some solution concepts
•Explore - the problem ‘territory’
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 Context of Design Historical
Precedents
Cosmological

Government Global

Regional
Non-profit NGO’s
State
Military
City
Industry Biology
Ward
Chemistry
Commercial House
Physics

Family Mathematics Person

Bodypart

Organ
Cell

Organelle

Molecular Ideal Society

Atomic Projections

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 Product Design
• New products are critical for corporate
prosperity
• Approximately 33% of revenues come from
products that did not sell 5 years ago
• Successful new products are profitable
– Median achieve 33% ROI or better
– Median have payback of 2 years or less
– Median achieve market share of 35%

• Significant R&D expenditures and investment

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 Manufacturing of Chemical Products

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 Process Engineering Design

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Engineering Design vs Engineering Analysis
• Engineering analysis: Predicted behavior is the solution to an
analysis problem
– Formulating
– Solving
– Checking

• Engineering design:
– Formulating
– Generating
– Analyzing
– Evaluating

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 Achieving Excellent Project
• To achieve success in executing
engineering and design projects,
it takes an understanding of the
design process, strong knowledge
of design tools, and professional
skills.

Success of Product:

Yesterday  Competing cost

Today  Quality
Tomorrow  Design

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 Design Process:
Prescriptive or Descriptive?
• Prescriptive process for problem identification and
requirements selection
– Formal, exact sequences are defined
– All aspects are clear
– Good for defined problems and solutions

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 Descriptive Process
• Descriptive overview of the design process
– Less formal
– Less emphasis on exact sequencing

A typical design is
somewhere between
Descriptive and Prescriptive
Design Process

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 Course Objectives
• Apply the engineering design process
• Define a problem (need) and develop
alternatives for solving
• Build, test, evaluate prototypes
• Create and use engineering drawings
• Demonstrate drafting techniques

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 The World-Class Engineer
(Leonhard Center for the Advancement of
Engineering Education,
The Pennsylvania State University)

Strong technical
skills and
understanding of
the design process

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 Phases of Engineering Design

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 Problem Characteristics
• Engineering Problem • Science Problem
– Problem statement – Succinct problem
incomplete, statement
ambiguous
– No readily – Identifiable closure
identifiable closure – Unique solution
– Solutions neither – Problem defined and
unique nor compact solved with
– Solution needs specialized
integration of many knowledge
specialties

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 Typical Design Problems
• “Design a system for lifting and moving loads
of up to 5 ton in a manufacturing facility.
• The facility has an unobstructed span of 15
meters.
• The lifting system should be inexpensive and
satisfy all relevant safety standards.”

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 Design is an Iterative Process
• Begins with a recognition • Models or prototypes are
of need for a product, made and problems that
service, or system arise may require new
• During the idea phase ideas to solve and a
encourage a wide variety return to an earlier stage
of solutions through in the process
brainstorming, literature
search, and talking to • Finally drawings are
users released to
• Best solutions are manufacturing for
selected for further production
refinement

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 Need Identification
Problem Definition
(Client statement?)

Conceptual Design

Preliminary Design

Detailed Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation)

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 NeedNeed Identification
Identification Problem Definition
(Client statement ?)
(Client statement?)

Conceptual Design

Preliminary Design

Detailed Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation)

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 Problem
Need Identification
(Client statement ?) Definition
Problem Definition

Conceptual Design

Preliminary Design

Detailed Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation)

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 Problem Definition
Methods:
Objectives tree
Input:
Sources of Information: Function-means tree
Client’s statement Requirements matrix
Literature on the state-of-the art
Experts
Tasks: and codes
Standards
Clarify design objectives (1)
Regulations
Establish user requirements (2)
Identify constraints (3)
Establish functions (4)

Output: Means:
Literature
Revised problem review
statement
Brainstorming
Refined objectives
Constraints User surveys and questionnaries
Interviews
User requirements
Functions
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 Needs
• Needs (also called the problem you are solving or the engineering goal)
are frequently identified by customers--the users of the product.
• Customers may express needs by describing a product (I need a car) or as
a functional requirement (I need a way to get to school).
– Missile for launching satellite
• The need should be described in a simple statement that includes what
you are designing (the product), who it is for (customer), what need does
it satisfy (problem to solve), and how does it improve previous designs
(easy to use, less expensive, more efficient, safer).
– Little pieces of paper which could stick onto almost anything but could be removed
easily without leaving any trace

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 Criteria & Constraints
• “Design criteria are requirements you specify for
your design that will be used to make decisions about
how to build the product”
Aesthetics
Geometry
Physical Features
Performance
Inputs-Outputs
Use Environment
Usability
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 Need Identification
Problem Definition
(Client statement ?)

Conceptual
Conceptual Design
Design
Preliminary Design

Detailed Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation)

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 Conceptual Design Sources of
Information:
Competitive products
Input:
Revised problem statement
Refined objectives
Constraints
User requirements
Methods:
Functions
Quality function deployment (QFD)
Tasks: Morphological chart
Establish design specifications (5)
Generate design alternatives (6)

Output: Means:
ConceptualBrainstorming,
design(s) synectics and
analogies, benchmarking and
Design specifications
reverse engineering
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 Specifications
• How can I express what the client wants in terms
that helps me as an engineer
• Expressible as numbers and measures
• Precise description of the properties of the object
being designed
• Specification types:
– Design specs: provide basis for evaluating the design
– Functional specs: what the thing must do?
• Input-output relations
• Black boxes and transparent boxes
– Performance specs: tells us how well the design is
– Metrics : Tools for testing and measuring the performance

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 Need Identification
Problem Definition
(Client statement ?)

Conceptual Design

Preliminary
Preliminary Design
Design
Detailed Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation)

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 Preliminary Design Means:
Laboratory experiments,
prototype development,
simulation and computer analysis
Input:
Conceptual design(s)
Sources
Design of Information:
specifications
Rules of thumb
Simple models
Known physical relationships
Tasks:
Model and analyze conceptual design (7)
Test and evaluate conceptual design (8)

Methods:
Output: Refined objectives tree
Comparison charts
A selected design
Test and evaluation results

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 Simulation

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 Best Design
• Choose best design that meets criteria
• Demonstrate tradeoff analyses (among
criteria and constraints) are high quality
• Cost (lifecycle) is always consideration
• Resist overbuilding; drives complexity, cost,
time, resources

A quality design meets customers expectations!

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 1. An original model upon which something is patterned (Webster)
2. A standard or typical example. 3. A first full scale and usually functional

Prototype form of a new type or design

By definition represents the chosen alternative
Expected in a science project.

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 Test it Well
• Test and optimize design against constraints
and customer expectations.
• Create a test plan showing how to test
• Test in the conditions of use
• Good test plan shows what test, expected
results how to test, and what analyses will be.
It relates to specification requirements
• e.g. test plan for light bulb (activity)
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 Activity: Light Bulb Test
Production assembly-time-demonstration

Robustness-vibration,
temperature-test
article
Life-hours-statistical sample
Duty cycle-count
on/off-prototype
Brightness-lumens-measure

Packaging-drop test-do last

Base fit-yes/no-first article demo

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 Test and Redesign

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 Test Results

Successful Test:
Satisfying

Test Failure:
Priceless

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 Need Identification
Problem Definition
(Client statement ?)

Conceptual Design

Preliminary Design

Detailed
Detailed Design
Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation)

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 Detailed Design

Input: Means:
A selected design Formal review
Test and evaluationPublic hearing
results

Tasks: Methods:
Sources
Refine of Information:
and optimize the chosen design (9) CADD-Computer Aided
Design codes Design and Drafting
Handbooks
Local
Output:laws and regulations
Suppliers’ component
Proposed manufacturing
specifications
specifications
Final design review for
client

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 Importance of manufacturability
and communication

Second floor collapsed, 114 people died

44
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 Need Identification
Problem Definition
(Client statement ?)

Conceptual Design

Preliminary Design

Detailed Design

Final Design
(Fabrication Design
Design
Specifications & Communication
Documentation) Communication
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 Design Communication

Input:
Manufacturing specifications

Sources of Information:
Feedback from clients and
Tasks:
users
Document the completed design (10)

Output:
Final report to client
containing manufacturing
specifications

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 The designer’s real product is
the description of a design from
Documentation which others will build the
product.

• Project data book

A complete record
All key decisions
Good drawings
Test plans
Results
Conclusions
Things learned

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 Documentation
• Overview (executive summary)
• Statement of the problem
• Operational description (draft user’s manual)
• Requirement specifications
• Design deliverables
• Preliminary system test plan
• Implementation considerations
• Service and maintanence
• Manufacture
– Appendices
• A: Studies (experimental results)
• B: Relevant standards and legal and regulatory restrictions

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 Draw a Good Picture
• Drawings for project notebook, application, display
• Photos, sketches, CAD 2-D or 3-D
• Show assembly, components, materials

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 Product Sketches

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 Circuit design - Functional diagrams
Other Drawings Configuration - Connections - Flow Charts

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 Paper Work

No Job's
Finished Until
the
Paperwork is
Done

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 Concluding Remarks

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 Summary
• Engineering design is an iterative
process.
• Design problems are open-ended with
many potential solutions.
• Design processes represent best
practices for realizing a system.
• Design processes may be prescriptive or
descriptive.
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 Assignment 1
• Search for articles on product and process design.
Read and make notes, especially those related to
your discipline such as electrical engineering,
informatics, bio-based products and processes,
and engineering management.
• List your favorite three examples and explain
their design process, for example: what is the
problem (from client’s perspective)? What are
the alternative solutions? Why they choose the
one and how do they do that?

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 Advice for young design engineers...
When doing detailed design of a well-specified block,
spend equal time on:
• Design (synthesis, analysis, debugging)
• Testing
• Documentation

Thank You

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