Design Process

5 Major Design Stages

1. Idea

Conceptual Design - several options without details

#

Generation 2. Conceptual Design 3. Detailed Design (Design Embodiment) 4. Prototype/Verifications 5. Refinement/Final Design/Documentation

What are the functions? (We already knew them from the functional structures) # What are the solution alternatives? # Can the solutions meet the technical and economic criteria? # What are the better rough designs (how do we evaluate the options)?

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Conceptual Design
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Start from the engineering characteristics and functions of the design # Propose several concepts to implement each function (sub-function) # Refine the concepts and find combination of concepts to implement all functions # Evaluate the design combinations and find a combination of concepts to implement the product, which:

Example: Automate opening/closing of air vents

Functional Structure of an Automatic Vent

Best performs all functions which were determined from Idea Generation Proves engineering characteristics Provides attributes, while meeting constraints

Select Vent

Send Signal

Receive Signal

Convert Signal

Activate Vent

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Ex: Automate opening/closing of air vents - from Functions to Options (Morphological Chart)

Steps to Develop Concepts from Functions

1. Identify functions and construct functional structure 2. Develop concepts, list methods for each function
a.

Generate as many options for a function as possible (effective Brainstorming)

3. Morphological
a. b. c.

chart is constructed from the functions

Sketches or words can be used on the chart Left-hand column lists each function Each row lists as many methods as possible to implement the same function (5-7 methods will be great)

4. Identify
a. b.

feasible combinations (Design Solutions)

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c.

Combine the options into several possible/feasible solutions Screen the combinations of options for each function for possible solutions Identify better combinations for feasible solutions

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Example: Wheelchair Retrieval Unit

Retrieve the wheelchairs after performing walking activities by patients at a hospital

Ex: Retrieval of Chairs - Morphological Charts

Draw a function diagram:

Move Wheelchair Align Wheelchair Steer Wheelchair Stop Wheelchair

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Refine Concepts
Morphological chart of a dc motor speed controller, and combination of options.
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The morphological charts may help us to refine the concepts, by combining the options of functions or changing the functional structure. # New ideas may be generated at this stage, which leads to innovation # Some degree of verifications to concepts may be done using mock-up models, small scaled tests/experiments, computer simulations etc.

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Screen and Evaluate Concepts

#

Concept Evaluation - Simple Scores

Scoring Concept Combinations against evaluation criteria which reflects engineering characteristics
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If a concept doesnt satisfy the specification requirement, it will be dropped. # If the technology is not yet available to facilitate the concept, or if the concept doesnt lead to a feasible product, the concept will be dropped (based on designers experience or engineering sense). # Concepts are evaluated with respect to each other using measures defined by criteria (specifications and attributes) using Simple Scores or Pugh Method).

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Criteria Weight: Criteria are rated (weighted) for their importance on a scale of 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). Identify feasible concepts. Concept Rank: Rank a combination of concepts against each criteria on a scale of 0 (does not meet the criteria) to 10 (highly meets the criteria) Scores = 3Criteria Weight * Concept Rank. Concepts with higher scores may be better. Refine the evaluation in your design team.

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Scores:
Scoring the concepts for the DC motor controller: Analog design or Microprocessor design as solutions The total score of a concept = sum of (individual criteria score*importance weight). The concept with the highest score wins

Concept Evaluation: Pugh Method

The concept should meet customers demands, or it will be dropped. The concept should be feasible, or it will be dropped.
1. Choose

the comparison criteria and criteria weights (say from 0 to 10). 2. Select the concepts to be compared from the morphological chart (screen the concepts) 3. Generate scores for each criteria:
a. b. c. d.

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Use a commercial product or an obvious solution (or one othe the solutions as Benchmark for comparison If the concept is better than the Benchmark: + If the concept is worse than the Benchmark: - If the concept is similar to the Benchmark: 0"

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Concept Evaluation: Pugh Method

Computing the total score:
1. The

overall total is the difference between the number of + and the number of -. 2. The weighted total is the sum of each score multiplied by the corresponding criteria weight.
a. b.

Notice the concept with high + scores: what strengths it has? Notice the criteria with many -: which requirements are difficulty to meet?

3. Redo

the comparison with the highest scoring concept as the Benchmark, until you find the satisfied concept(s).

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A Previous Power Supply Project

Conceptual Design
Functional Blocks
Input Step-Down Rectify Re gulation

Output

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Dec 1, 200 6

B rad Gre er, J es se Cra nme r, Mike Wylie , and U sma n Ha mee d

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A Previous Power Supply Project

Electrical Circuit Diagram
Output Voltage
Rectified Voltage Rectified Voltage
Amplitude (Volts) 30 Amplitude (Volts) 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.01 0.02 Time (sec) 0.03 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 0.005 0.01 Time (sec) 0.015 30

A Previous Design Project - A Working Power Supply

Input Voltage
200 150 Amplitude (Volts) 100 50 0 -50 0 -100 -150 -200 Time (sec)

16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 0.005 0.01 Time (sec) 0.015

Step-Down Voltage

Amplitude (Volts)

80 30 -20 -70 -120 0 0.005 0.01 Time (sec) 0.015

Amplitude (Volts)

Dec 1, 2006

Brad Greer, Jesse Cranmer, Mike Wylie, and Usman Hameed

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