Comprehensive Study Notes on the Engineering Design Process

Stage 1: Define

  • Problem or Market Need Identification:
    • Define the problem or market need.
    • Problem statements must be clear and specific.
    • Format for problem statements: Who needs what because why.
  • Constraint Categories:
    • Device Constraints: Size, cost, reliability, utilities, laundry size, soap, cycle time.
    • User Constraints: Ergonomics, noise.
    • Production Constraints: Materials, space available.
    • Regulatory Constraints: Safety, environmental.
    • Service Constraints: Repairability.
    • Project Constraints: Time to market, cost, personnel.
  • Existing Solutions & Market Environment Analysis:
    • Identify existing solutions and failed solutions.
    • Investigate legal issues and patents.
    • Assess environmental concerns.
  • Working Criteria / Goals:
    • Size
    • Weight
    • Laundry load size
    • Noise
    • Device life time
    • Device cost
    • Cycle time
    • Water extraction after rinse
    • Time to market
    • Regulatory criteria
  • Initial Documentation:
    • Meeting minutes
    • Presentations

Stage 2: Imagine

  • Brainstorming Methodologies:
    • Sequential Round-Robin Brainstorming:
      • 1st person: Proposes an initial idea.
      • Next person: Proposes a 2nd idea based on the 1st idea.
      • Repeat this process until no more ideas are generated.
  • Alternative Ideation Techniques:
    • Crowdsourcing
    • Online research
    • 5 Whys method

Stage 3: Evaluate

  • Initial Filtering:
    • Eliminate duplicates.
    • Ask clarifying questions.
  • Design Evaluation Framework by Complexity:
    • Simple Designs: Vote on the best options.
    • More Complex Designs: Utilize a Decision Table.
    • Very Complex Designs: Perform a thorough analysis encompassing economic analysis, market analysis, and engineering analysis (evaluating criteria such as passengers, range, efficiency, etc.).

Stage 4: Create

  • Core Tasks: Design, Analysis, Document, Prototype.
  • Engineering & Analysis Methods:
    • Finite Element Analysis (FEA): Computational stress analysis where red output indicates high stress.
  • Documentation Artifacts:
    • Engineering notebooks
    • Analysis reports
    • Drawings: Part drawings, Assembly drawings, Installation drawings
  • Production & Prototyping Workflows by Product Class:
    • Infrastructure:
      • Design and analysis by computer.
      • Scale model (optional).
      • Complete documentation.
      • No full-scale prototype.
      • Directly fabricate and assemble.
    • Complex Products:
      • Design and analysis by computer.
      • Documentation for production.
      • Fabricate 2 production models for testing.
    • Less Complex / Small Products:
      • Design and analysis by computer.
      • Documentation for production.
      • Fabricate production models for testing.

Stage 5: Test

  • Testing Categories & Requirements:
    • Performance testing
    • Environmental testing
    • Ergonomic testing
    • Package testing
    • Reliability testing
    • Seismic testing
    • Acoustic testing
    • Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing
    • Use Case testing

Stage 6: Iterate

  • Iterative Process:
    • Redo steps as necessary to address findings from testing and analysis.

Stage 7: Documentation

  • Final Output & Deliverables:
    • Drawings
    • Software
    • Material Specifications
    • Test data & reports

Flash Quiz & Self-Assessment Questions

  • What do constraints do?
  • What kind of atmosphere should you create in brainstorming?
  • Define iteration.
  • Name a way to evaluate design options.

Upcoming Laboratory & Course Deliverables

  • Lab Agenda (Tuesday):
    • Paper quiz
    • Lego sumo battle
  • Upcoming Homework / Assignment:
    • Slide presentation for the following lab session.