ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

 A machine is a combination of mechanisms and

other components which transforms or utilizes
energy, force or motion for a useful purpose.

 Ex: Engines,turbines,vehicles,washing machines,

Movie cameras
 Many of the principles and methods of design that apply to machines also apply to
manufactured articles that are not true machines.
 Ex: Hub caps,filing cabinets and pressure vessels

 Therefore We’ ll be using the term “mechanical design” in a broader sense than
‘machine design” to include them as well.

 DESIGN

 To design is either to formulate a plan for the satisfaction of a specified need or to solve a
problem.
 If the plan results in the creation of something having a physical reality then the product
must be functional,safe,reliable,competitive,usable, manufacturable and marketable
 PHASES IN ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS
1)PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
a) Identify and establish the need
 Engineering design activity always occur in response to a human need.
 Recognize the need for a new product, system or machine before defining the
problem.
 Before engineers can clearly define a problem they must see and understand the
need.
 The need may be recognized by the marketing information.
 Existing apparatus may need improvements in durability ,efficiency,weight,speed or
cost
 New apparatus may be needed to perform a function previously done by humans.
Define the problem
Definition of the problem is more specific and should include all the specifications of the
object to be designed.

Make sure enough information is available to generate a clear unambiguous problem

definition that addresses the real need.

Specifications: I/P and O/P quantities the characteristics and dimensions of the space the
object must occupy.
EX: Auomobile Air Bag Inflation

Problem: Unacceptably high rate of failure in the inflation of the bag. During testing 10% of
the bags do not fully inflate.
Problem statement: Failure in the materials and construction of the inflation device.
Engineer discovers that improving the inflation device does not change the failure rate in the
bags.
Reexamine the initial definition of the problem and discovers that at the time air bags were
folded and packed manually on an assembly line variability in the tightness of folds is
responsible.
With more complete understanding of the need redefined the problem: Increase the
consistency in tightness of the folds in the bags
Final solution: A m/c that automatically folds the bag.
“Apparent need is not the Real need”
 PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Design a cork screw

PROBLEM STATEMENT : Design a device for removing a cork from a bottle.

 Problem Statement: Design a device for removal of wine from the bottle???????

c) Establish a criteria of success

Criteria of success are the specifications a design solution must meet or the attributes it must
posses to be considered successful.
It should be included in the problem statement to provide direction towards the solution.
2) GATHER PERINENT INFORMATION
 Collect all the information available that relates to the problem.

3) GENERATE MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS

 Generate new ideas that may solve the problem.
 Start with existing solutions and then tear them apart and find out what is wrong with
those solutions and focus on how to improve their weaknesses.
 Combine new ideas ,tools and methods to produce a totally unique solution to the
problem. (SYNTHESIS)
 “Brainstorming” at this stage is helpful.

4) ANALYZE AND SELECT A SOLUTION

While several solutions may be plausible ,all of them may not be possible or
worthwhile.
Taking the constraints and restrictions into account only the solutions that are feasible
have to be selected.
 Constraints: cost,size, time to develop,means of production,material,weight,operating
environment
Same problem will have different solution depending upon constraints.
Analyze the solutions against the selection criteria and then decide which solution is best
suited for implementation.
Different types of analysis that may need to be considered:
Functional Analysis
Industrial design/Ergonomics
 Strength Analysis
Manufacturability/Testability
Product safety
Economic and market analysis
Regulatory and compliance

Functional Analysis:
Check whether the given design solution will function the way it should
A design solution that does not function properly is a failure even if it meets all other criteria.
Ergonomics:
Ergonomics is the human factor in engineering.
It is the study of how people interacts with machines.
Design solution is successful if the design fits the people using it.
 Product Safety & Liability
Assure that the use of the design does not cause injury to humans and cause property and
environmental damages.
The only way to assure that the design will not cause injury or loss is to design safety into
the product.
Three methods of designing safe products
 Design safety directly into the product (Inherent Safety)
 Include adequate protection for the users of the product
 Use of warning signs

Economic & Market Analysis

 The purpose of most engineering designs is to produce a product that generates a profit for
the company.
Each solution has to be evaluated against criteria such as sales features, potential market,
cost of manufacturing.

Strength Analysis
Each design should be analyzed to check whether the device or structure support the
maximum loads that it will be subjected to.
The Decision Process
Evaluate each solution objectively against the stated design criteria or requirements.
Quantitative method called design matrix is used for this purpose.

STEP 1: Desirable attributes or criteria are ranked for the design solution.
These attributes can be: Safety, Manufacturability,Ease of fabrication and assembly, cost,
portability, compliance with government regulations etc.

STEP 2: Assign a value factor to each attribute(criteria) in relation to the relative importance of
that attribute.

STEP 3: Evaluate each design solution against the stated criteria. A rating factor is assigned to
each based on how well that solution satisfies the given criterion. The rating factor is on a scale
of 0-10

Scale for the rating factor R : Excellent 9-10

Good 7-8
Fair 5-6
Poor 3-4
Unsatisfactory 0-2
EX: Aluminium Can Crusher
Design a simple device to crush Aluminum cans.
Four solutions.
Developed six criteria (desirable attributes )that are important to a successful design.

CRITERIA ASSIGNED WEIGHT

SAFETY 30 %
EASE OF USE 20%
PORTABILITY 20%
DURABILITY AND STRENGTH 10%
USE OF STANDARD PARTS 10%
COST 10%

FOUR SOLUTIONS :
1)A spring loaded crusher
2) A foot operated device
3) A gravity powered dead weight crusher
4) An arm powered lever arm crusher
After analyzing each solution against the six criteria the team evaluates each design
alternative.

Scale for the rating factor R : Excellent 9-10

Good 7-8
Fair 5-6
Poor 3-4
Unsatisfactory 0-2

Design 4 was chosen to be the best.

5) TESTING & EVALUATION
When the product of this preliminary design is put into test (Analytical or Experimental)
it should satisfy all the specified constraints ,restrictions and is a solution to the problem.
Optimize the solution.

6)REVISING THE DESIGN

Before working drawings are made from the sketches of the preliminary design, they must
be revised to take into consideration every practical requirements in terms of
 Manufacturing requirements
 Operational requirements
 Assembly requirement – Prepare the assembly drawing

7) FINAL DESIGN
After the assembly drawing has been made and all revisions have been taken place
Working drawings or shop drawings are made.

8) MANUFACTURE
From the drawings made the product can be manufactured.
9) TESTING & MARKETING
After the manufacture of the system the trial runs and final testing is carried out before
marketing
5) SYSTEM EVALUATION
When the product of this preliminary design is put into evaluation (Analytical or
Experimental )it should satisfy all the specified constraints ,restrictions and is a solution
to the problem.
Optimize the solution.

6)REVISING THE DESIGN

Before working drawings are made from the sketches of the preliminary design, they
must be revised to take into consideration every practical requirements in terms of
 Manufacturing requirements
 Operational requirements
 Assembly requirement – Prepare the assembly drawing

7) FINAL DESIGN
After the assembly drawing has been made and all revisions have been taken place
Working drawings or shop drawings are made.

8) MANUFACTURE
From the drawings made the product can be manufactured.
9) TESTING & MARKETING
After the manufacture of the system the trial runs and final testing is carried out
before marketing
.
SAFETY FACTOR
σeq - Equivalent Stress -Maximum stress that exists in a section of a machine
component. This stress determines the dimensions of the section being designed.

σL - Limit Stress - Maximum stress to which a machine part can be subjected

without being damaged.
It is a characteristic of the material but it’s value depend on method of determining
,the type of loading, the thickness of the section, method of manufacturing and the
surface condition.

[σ] - Design Stress, Allowable Stress,Working Stress,Permissible Stress

Maximum stress which should never be exceeded in a properly designed machine part.

Therefore [σ]< σL

Factor of Safety (n)

The amount by which the design stress [σ] is kept below the limit stress is expressed
by their ratio and is called the design factor of safety


n
L

[ ]
Actual Safety Factor


n' 
L

 eq

EX: A rod is loaded in tension with an axial force P =2000lbf using a material strength of
24kpsi and design safety factor of 3.0 determine
8000  the minimum diameter of a solid circular
rod.

Allowable Stress = 24/3=8 kpsi

Maximum stress in the material P 2000

eq   2
A d / 4

2000
8000  2
d / 4
 d  0.564inch
Closest standard size available is 5/8”= 0.625 in.

Now the maximum stress in the material

2000
eq   6518.99 psi
 * (0.625) / 4
2

Actual safety factor

24000
n'   3.68
6518.99
Therefore rounding off the diameter has increased the safety factor.
Ex: We are going to market a new jack stand to be used by amateur mechanics to
support a car on which they are working.
The overriding need is that
a) the stand should not collapse under the weight of whatever car it supports
b) Tip over as a result of some ordinary disturbance.
c) The jack stand must be adjustable in order to support the frame heights of cars.

The jack stand must be ‘idiot proof” as possible.

1) The need is descriptive enough.

2) Specifications:
The need is expanded to include pick up trucks as well.
Weight of an empty pick up truck= 5000 Lb
Assume 60% of the load is supported by the font wheels
Therefore load on a stand placed under one of the heavily loaded pair of wheels
5000 X 0.6
  1500lbs
2

Taking into account the consequence of a collapse and the uncertainties of usage,select
A large safety factor n=5

Therefore Design Load =1500X5= 7500 Lbs

Non tip over requirement:
Calculate the impulse delivered by a person weighing 200lbf walking full tilt
(@ 6 ft/s) into the side of the vehicle and assume that the collision lasts 0.2 s.
Force exerted on the side of the vehicle

200 6
 .  187.5Lbs
32 0.2
Vehicle jacking points ranges from 8”- 16” above the ground.

1500 lb
187.5 lb
16”

187.5 lb

w
187.5  16  2
w  4in
1500
Check the extreme case:
Will the stand of that width stable under a smaller weight?

Smallest vehicle which is likely to be encountered : 2200 lb

Assumed load on the rear wheel :40%
Corresponding load per wheel
2200  0.4
  440lb
2
Therefore width of the stand has to be increased to

187.5 16  2
w  13.6in
440
Generate ideas:
a) A tripod with an adjustable top
b) A tripod with adjustable legs
c) A round or square box that adjusts
d) An air bag that inflates
e) A locking jack with square base
f) A hydraulic jack
Select the best idea:
The tripod with an adjustable top has been selected. There is a round tube sliding up and
down in the tripod.
Select the material as steel because it combines low price ,easy formability with high
Strength.
Check that the stress in the tube is within the limits.

Yield stress of steel = 30ksi

Approximate cross sectional area of a thin tube

A  dt
Design load= 7500 lb
7500
Therefore maximum stress   30000
dt
Assuming a tube thickness of 1/16”

7500 16
d  1.26in
30000

We’ll select the next standard largest size 1 3/8”=1.375in

Check the buckling of the tube.

Minimum effective width of the base of the tripod

w min  14"
Therefore the radius of the circle that circumscribes the legs must be at least

w min  2 10in
Min Height of the jack = 8” Max. Height of the jack= 16”

This problem has to be reported to the marketing dept.

ERGONOMICS
Scientific study of human factors in relation to working environment and equipment
design.
Ergonomics aims promoting safety, comfortability at work situation in industry through
arranging better relationships between man,machines and environment.
 Ergo: Work
Nomos : Law
Ics : Learning
“Learning of the laws of human work”
To fulfill this objective “Well integrated man and machine, and man and work space
environment has to be produced.

MAN

MACHINE

WORKSPACE

ENVIRONMENT
EX: The work table must be of such a height that it suits the elbow level of the operator
whether he stands or sits at his work.
Recommended dimensions of work table , work and foot rests: