Prototyping

Teaching materials to accompany:

Product Design and Development
Chapter 14
Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger
5th Edition, Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2012.

Product Design and Development

Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger
5th edition, Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2012.
Chapter Table of Contents:
1.
Introduction
2.
Development Processes and Organizations
3.
Opportunity Identification
4.
Product Planning
5.
Identifying Customer Needs
6.
Product Specifications
7.
Concept Generation
8.
Concept Selection
9.
Concept Testing
10. Product Architecture
11. Industrial Design
12. Design for Environment
13. Design for Manufacturing
14. Prototyping
15. Robust Design
16. Patents and Intellectual Property
17. Product Development Economics
18. Managing Projects

Product Development Process

Planning

Concept
Development

System-Level
Design

Detail
Design

Testing and
Refinement

Prototyping is done throughout the development process.

Production
Ramp-Up

Concept Development Process

Mission
Statement

Identify
Customer
Needs

Establish
Target
Specifications

Generate
Product
Concepts

Select
Product
Concept(s)

Test
Product
Concept(s)

Perform Economic Analysis

Benchmark Competitive Products
Build and Test Models and Prototypes

Set
Final
Specifications

Plan
Downstream
Development

Development
Plan

Prototyping Example:
Apple PowerBook Duo Trackball

Outline

Definition
Steps in prototyping decisions
Purposes of prototypes
Principles for choosing a prototype type

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Definition
An approximation of the product
along one or more dimensions of
interest.
Physical prototypes vs. analytical
prototypes
Comprehensive (with all the
attributes of a product) vs. focused
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Four Uses of Prototypes

Learning
answering questions about performance or
feasibility
e.g., proof-of-concept model

Communication
demonstration of product for feedback
e.g., 3D physical models of style or function

Integration
combination of sub-systems into system model
e.g., alpha or beta test models

Milestones
goal for development teams schedule
e.g., first testable hardware

Types of Prototypes
Physical
alpha
beta
prototype prototype

ball
support
prototype

final
product

trackball mechanism
linked to circuit
simulation
Comprehensive

Focused

simulation
of trackball
circuits

equations
modeling ball
supports

not
generally
feasible

Analytical

Purposes vs. prototype types

Focused analytical
Learning

Focused physical
Learning and communication

Comprehensive physical
Learning, communication, integration, and
milestones.
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Prototype decision
(technical risk vs. prototype cost)
Low risk- low cost (e.g., printed matters)
No need for comprehensive prototypes
Low risk high cost (ships, buildings)
Cant afford comprehensive prototype.
High risk low cost (software)
Many comprehensive prototypes
High risk high cost (airplanes, satellites)
Use analytical models extensively
Carefully planned comprehensive prototypes
Sell the first unit
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Physical vs. Analytical Prototypes

Physical Prototypes
Tangible approximation of
the product.
May exhibit unmodeled
behavior.
Some behavior may be an
artifact of the
approximation.
Often best for
communication.

Analytical Prototypes
Mathematical model of the
product.
Can only exhibit behavior
arising from explicitly
modeled phenomena.
(However, behavior is not
always anticipated.
Some behavior may be an
artifact of the analytical
method.
Often allow more
experimental freedom than
physical models.

Focused vs. Comprehensive Prototypes

Focused Prototypes
Implement one or a few
attributes of the
product.
Answer specific
questions about the
product design.
Generally several are
required.

Comprehensive Prototypes
Implement many or all
attributes of the product.
Offer opportunities for
rigorous testing.
Often best for milestones
and integration.

Principles for choosing a

prototype type
Analytical prototypes are in general more flexible
than physical prototypes
Physical prototypes are
unanticipated phenomena

required

to

detect

Prototypes may reduce the risk of costly iterations

Prototypes may expedite other development steps
Example: add a prototyping step in the part design-mold designmolding process

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Boeing 777 Testing

Brakes Test
Minimum rotor thickness
Maximum takeoff weight
Maximum runway speed
Will the brakes ignite?
Wing Test
Maximum loading
When will it break?
Where will it break?

Some comprehensive
prototypes build (and sold?).

One prototype may be

used for verification.

Few or no comprehensive
prototypes are built.

High

Many comprehensive
prototypes are built.

Low

Technical or Market Risk

Comprehensive Prototypes

Low
High
Cost of Comprehensive Prototype

Prototyping Strategy

Use prototypes to reduce uncertainty.

Make models with a defined purpose.
Consider multiple forms of prototypes.
Choose the timing of prototype cycles.
Many early models are used to validate
concepts.
Relatively few comprehensive models are
necessary to test integration.

Plan time to learn from prototype cycles.

Avoid the hardware swamp.

Prototype technologies
Traditional prototyping methods
3D computer modeling
Free-form fabrication
Stereolithography
Using various materials including wax, resin, paper,
ceramics, and metals.

Lamination
Using paper cut, lay by layer

Rapid prototyping
Laser curing (solidifying) soft materials such as resin, layer
by layer

3D printing
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Traditional Prototyping Methods

CNC machining
Rubber molding + urethane casting
Materials: wood, foam, plastics, etc.
Model making requires special skills.

Rapid Prototyping Methods

Most of these methods are additive,
rather than subtractive, processes.
Build parts in layers based on CAD
model.
SLA=Stereolithogrpahy Apparatus
SLS=Selective Laser Sintering
3D Printing
LOM=Laminated Object Manufacturing
Others every year...

Virtual Prototyping
3D CAD models enable many kinds of
analysis:
Fit and assembly
Manufacturability
Form and style
Kinematics
Finite element analysis (stress, thermal)
Crash testing
more every year...

BMW Virtual Crash Test

From: Scientific American, March 1999

Other Images

Prototyping
Chapter 12
EIN 6392, Product Design
summer 2012

Steps
Define the purpose of the prototype
Establish the level of approximation of the
prototype
Outline an experimental plan
Create a schedule for procurement,
construction, and test
Plan milestones for prototypes (alpha, beta,
pre-production)
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