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Engineering design process

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The engineering design process is a common series of steps that engineers use in creating functional products and processes. The process is highly iterative - parts of the process often need to be repeated many times before another can be entered - though the part(s) that get iterated and the number of such cycles in any given project may vary.

It is a decision making process (often iterative) in which the basic sciences, 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.[1]

Common stages of the engineering design process

Some delineate the design process in the following stages: research, conceptualization, feasibility assessment, establishing design requirements, preliminary design, detailed design, production planning and tool design, and production.[2] Others have suggested more simplified/generalized models - such as problem definition, conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, and design communication [3] or clarification of the task, conceptual design, embodiment design, detail design.[4]

In a design process, it is important that the framework conditions and affected processes such as testing, certification, and inspection are taken into account. The German ICE train disaster is an example where it was inadequately understood how a design change affects the related processes around it.[5]

Research

Stages of the design process can involve a significant amount of time spent searching for information and researching.[6] This includes studying existing applicable literature, problems and successes associated with existing solutions, costs, and marketplace needs.[6]

Reverse engineering can be an effective technique if other solutions are available.[6] Other sources of information include the Internet, local libraries, government documents, trade journals, vendor catalogs and experts.[6]

Concept Generation

Once an engineering issue or problem is defined, potential solutions must be identified. These solutions can be found by using ideation. The following techniques are widely used:[2]

  • trigger word - a word or phrase associated with the issue at hand is stated, and subsequent words and phrases are evoked.
  • morphological analysis - independent design characteristics are listed in a chart, and different engineering solutions are proposed for each solution. Normally, a preliminary sketch and short report accompany the morphological chart.
  • synectics - the engineer imagines him or herself as the item and asks, "What would I do if I were the system?" This unconventional method of thinking may find a solution to the problem at hand. The vital aspects of the conceptualization step is synthesis. Synthesis is the process of taking the element of the concept and arranging them in the proper way. Synthesis creative process is present in every design.
  • brainstorming - this popular method involves thinking of different ideas, typically as part of a small group, and adopting these ideas in some form as a solution to the problem

Various generated ideas must then undergo a concept evaluation step to compare and contrast the relative strengths and weakness of possible alternatives.

Feasibility

The purpose of a feasibility assessment is to determine whether the engineer's project can proceed into the design phase. This is based on two criteria: the project needs to be based on an achievable idea, and it needs to be within cost constraints. It is important to have engineers with experience and good judgment to be involved in this portion of the feasibility study.[2]

Design requirements

One of the most important elements in the design process is establishing the design requirements and conducting requirement analysis.[7] It include basic things like the functions, attributes, and specifications that will be used in the process. Some design requirements include hardware and software parameters, maintainability, availability, and testability.[2] As a whole the design requirements provide a direction for the subsequent design steps.

Preliminary design

The preliminary design, or high-level design includes (also called FEED or Basic design), bridges a gap between design conception and detailed design. In this task, the overall system configuration is defined, and schematics, diagrams, and layouts of the project may provide early project configuration. (This notably varies a lot by field, industry, and product.). Preliminary design focuses on creating the general framework to build the project on.[2]

S. Blanchard and J. Fabrycky describe it as: “The ‘whats’ initiating conceptual design produce ‘hows’ from the conceptual design evaluation effort applied to feasible conceptual design concepts. Next, the ‘hows’ are taken into preliminary design through the means of allocated requirements. There they become ‘whats’ and drive preliminary design to address ‘hows’ at this lower level.”

Detailed design

Following FEED is the Detailed Design phase, which may consist of procurement of materials. This phase further elaborates each aspect of the project/product by complete description through solid modeling, drawings as well as specifications.

Computer-aided design (CAD) programs have made the detailed design phase more efficient. For example, a CAD program can provide optimization to reduce volume without hindering a part's quality. It can also calculate stress and displacement using the finite element method to determine stresses throughout the part.[8]

Production planning

The production planning and tool design consists of planning how to mass-produce the product and which tools should be used in the manufacturing process. Tasks to complete in this step include selecting materials, production processes, sequences of operations, and tools (such as jigs, fixtures, metal cutting and metal or plastics forming tools). This task also involves additional prototype testing iterations to ensure the mass-produced version meets qualification testing standards.[2]

Ethical issues during the design process

Ethical considerations are integral to the design process, and designers must be mindful of the potential social, environmental, and ethical impacts of the technologies they develop. By incorporating ethical principles and guidelines into the design process, designers can help ensure that the technologies they develop align with broader social values and goals.

Engineers can take several steps to address ethical concerns in the design process, such as involving diverse stakeholders, engaging in ethical reflection and analysis, and incorporating ethical principles and guidelines into the design process.

Most engineers work as corporate employees rather than being self-employed. As such engineers should know that and how organizational culture and decision making schemas can influence engineers in their decisions. A well studied example for the pressures that engineers can face in the work environment is the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.[5]

Comparison with the scientific method

Engineering is formulating a problem that can be solved through design. Science is formulating a question that can be solved through investigation. The engineering design process bears some similarity to the scientific method.[9] Both processes begin with existing knowledge, and gradually become more specific in the search for knowledge (in the case of "pure" or basic science) or a solution (in the case of "applied" science, such as engineering). The key difference between the engineering process and the scientific process is that the engineering process focuses on design, creativity and innovation while the scientific process emphasizes Discovery (observation).

Degree Programs

Methods are being taught and developed in Universities including:


See also

References

  1. ^ "Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, 2019 – 2020". ABET. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Ertas, A. & Jones, J. (1996). The Engineering Design Process. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  3. ^ Dym, C.L. & Little, P. (2009). Engineering Design. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  4. ^ Pahl, G. & Beitz, W. (1988). Engineering Design: a systematic approach. London, UK, The Design Council.
  5. ^ a b van de Poel, Ibo; Royakkers, Lamber (2011). Ethics, Technology, and Engineering. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-444-33095-3.
  6. ^ a b c d A.Eide, R.Jenison, L.Mashaw, L.Northup. Engineering: Fundamentals and Problem Solving. New York City: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.,2002
  7. ^ Ralph, P., and Wand, Y. A Proposal for a Formal Definition of the Design Concept. In, Lyytinen, K., Loucopoulos, P., Mylopoulos, J., and Robinson, W., (eds.), Design Requirements Engineering: A Ten-Year Perspective: Springer-Verlag, 2009, pp. 103-136.
  8. ^ Widas, P. (1997, April 9). Introduction to finite element analysis. Retrieved from "Introduction to Finite Element Analysis". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
  9. ^ Dieter, George; Schmidt, Linda (2007). Engineering Design. McGraw-Hill. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-07-283703-2.
  10. ^ Bristol, University of. "Engineering Design | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol". www.bristol.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
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