Engineering Design Overview and Ethics Summary

Importance of Engineering Design

  • Engineering design significantly influences total product cost:
    • 70% of total cost from design, manufacturing, installation
    • 50-80% of life cycle costs influenced by design (maintenance, energy)
    • Key cost components: Material, facilities, tooling, labor, support costs

What is Engineering Design?

  • Process of creating a system, component, or process to meet stated needs
  • Involves applying basic sciences and engineering to optimally convert resources:
    • Key elements: objectives, criteria, synthesis, analysis, construction, testing, evaluation
    • Must consider constraints: economic, safety, reliability, aesthetics, ethics, social factors

Design Process Steps

  1. Define the Problem
  2. Brainstorm Creative Ideas
  3. Search and Research
  4. Develop Ideas
  5. List and Evaluate Alternatives
  6. Choose the Best Solution
  7. Construct, Analyze, and Test
  8. Communicate Results

Problem Statement

  • Most crucial step in design process
  • Needs to be clear to avoid inefficiency
  • Objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bounded

Brainstorming

  • Encourage creative, outside-the-box thinking
  • Explore others’ ideas without criticism

Research vs. Search

  • Search: finding products/prices
  • Research: answering complex questions, looking into multiple aspects

Evaluating Alternative Solutions

  • Be critical and assess potential designs rigorously

Choosing the Best Solution

  • Rate alternatives on criteria: cost, production difficulty, size, appearance, convenience, safety, reliability, appeal, legal issues

Engineering Ethics

  • Ethics: knowing the difference between right and wrong
  • Professional ethics guide conduct
  • Emphasis on safety, health, and welfare of the public

Engineering Codes of Ethics

  • Examples include: ABET, NSPE, IEEE, ASME, ASCE
  • Focus on safety, honesty, and fairness in engineering practice

Ethical Decision-Making

  • Questions to consider:
    • Is it safe, legal, and fair?
    • Can I defend my actions?
    • What is the impact on the greater good?

Case Studies in Engineering Ethics

  • Challenger Disaster (1986): Pressure led to poor judgment, resulting in disaster.
  • Ford Pinto (1972): Cost-benefit analysis led to ignoring safety, resulting in fatalities.
  • Hyatt Regency Collapse (1981): Failure to review changes resulted in structural failure causing multiple deaths.

Final Thoughts

  • Study and understand your profession's code of ethics
  • Uphold ethical responsibilities, avoid compromising actions, and manage mistakes responsibly.