ME 1201 Chapter 11 Introductory Systems Thinking and Systems Engineering Concepts

The complexity of the products and manufacturing systems designed by engineers is…

Imcreasing at a very rapid pace

As time progresses the purchasers and users of products have greater…

Expectations regarding their features, performance, quality, and reliability

What do Systems Thinking and Systems Engineering help engineers face?

Challenges associated with the development of complex products and manufacturing systems

What is a system?

A combination of interacting elements organizes to achieve one or more purposes

What is a system function?

What the system does and the purpose of the system

Example of a system functiom

Lawn mower and its function to cut grass to an even height

The human heart is an example of a

Natural system

An artificial heart is an example of a

Man made system

What is a system element?

A discrete part of a system that can be implemented to fulfill specified requirements

In a aystem element, different points of view are possible depending on…

The system being considered

Examples of system elements

Hardware, software, data, humans, processes, procedure, facilities, materials, naturally occurring entities (water, organisms, minerals)

Whatt is the operating environment or context of a system?

The collection of elements that specifically do not belong to the system but interact with it and includes the users or operators of the system

How is the functionality of a system expressed?

In terms of the interactions of the system with its operating environment

What does the operating environment provide?

An external view of the system

Operating environment or context of a UTV

Driver and passengers, different types of terrain, weather, cargo, attatchments like snowplows, farm equipment, hunting gear, items stored inside, repair shops, dealerships

What creates the concepts of a system boundary?

The internal and external views of a system

What is a system boundary?

A “line of demarcation” between the system itself and its operating environment (context)

Internal view or the interior includes

System elements or what is part of the system

External view or the exterior includes

The operating environment or what is not part of the system

What does the system boundary define?

What belongs to the system and what doesn't

What do engineers have control of when designing a system?

What is part of the system

What do engineers not have control of when designing a system?

The operating environment (context) of a system

What is a SOI

System of interest

For the operating environment of the SOI, what do you need to identify?

What is relevant and what is not and the context boundary

What is a subsystem?

A group of interconnected and interactive parts that perform an important job or task as a component of a larger system

What can also be applied at the subsystem level?

The concepts of function, element, operating environment or context, and boundary

How do we effectively design systems involving many components?

Divide the system into subsystems

What way is there to divide a system into subsystems?

No unique way and companies developimg similar systems don't divide in the same way

What factors are considered when dividing a system into subsystems?

Capabilities of suppliers, need for geometric integration and precision, possibility of future upgrades

Hierachery

System, subsystems, components

UTV possible subsystems

Frame and body, engine, drivetrain, steering, suspension and tires, braking, electronics, safety

What is Systems Thinking?

A unique perspective on reality that sharpens our awareness of whole and how the parts within those wholes interrelate

What type of approach to analysis does Systems Thinking have?

Holistic

What is holistic?

Relating to or concerned with wholes or complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts

Characteristics of a Systems Thinker

Seeks to understand the big picture, changes perspective to increase understanding, considers an issue fully and resists the urge to make quick conclusions, considers both short and long-term consequences of actions, finds where unintended consequences emerge, recognizes that a system’s structure generated behavior

What is Systems Engineering according to INCOSE

An interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems

What is the complete problem?

Operations, cost, schedule, performance, training and support, test, manufacturing, and disposal

What does Systems Engineering focus on?

Defining customer needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documentimg requirements, and proceeding with design synthesis and system validation while considering complete problem

What is the first definition of an interface?

A shared boundary between two functional units, defined by various characteristics pertaining to the functions, physical signal exchanges, and other characteristics

What is the second definition of an interface?

A hardware or software component that connects two or more other components for the purpose of passing information from one to the other

Internal interfaces

Between elements that are part of the system

External interfaces

Between system elements and elements outside the SOI

What does defining the logical and physical aspects of internal and external interfaces require?

Careful consideration and is an important aspect in the design of a system

Imteraction

Mutual or reciprocal action or influence

Dependency

Something that is dependent on something else

There can be interactions and dependencies between

The SOI and its environment, system elements

Examples of interfaces, interactions, and dependencies

Systems involving microcontrollers, sensors, and motion

Every man-made system has a

Life cycle

What is a life cycle

Series of stages through which something passes

Life cycles vary according to the

Nature, purpose, use, and prevailing circumstances of the system

During the design of a system what needs to be considered and defined

Life cycle of the system of interest (SOI)

What can be used to determine the readiness to move from one life cycle stage to the next?

Decision gates

System life cycle stages

Marker opportunity, planning, design and development, production/fabrication, utilization, maintenance and support/upgrades, retirement and disposal

What are stakeholders?

All groups of people affected by success or failure of the product/system

Another definition of stakeholder

An individual or organization having a right, share, claim, or interest in a system or in its position of characteristics that meet their needs and expectations

Stakeholders include

End users, end user organizationa, supporters, developers, producers, trainers, maintainers, disposers, acquirers, customers, operators, supplier organizations, regulatory bodies

Stakeholders that are internal to the company/organization developing the product

Production department, sales department, service department, legal department

External stakeholders

End users, purchasers, suppliers, dealerships, repair shops, government regulations

Internal stakeholders

Production department, sales department, service department, legal department

What does customer refer to?

Any group of people or organization that has requirements that should be taken into consideration during the development of the product/system

When must customer needs be identified?

At the beginning of the product/system development effort

Verification

Confirmation through the provision of objective evidence, that specified requirements have been fulfilled

Validation

Confirmation through the provision of objective evidence, that the requirements for a specific intended use or application have been fulfilled

Verification is always against

The technical specifications

Validation is always against

The real world or user needs

Validation expressed by

Are you building the right thing

Verification expressed by

Are you building it right