scholarly journals Tracing Paths and Connecting Multiple Design Domains: An Information Visualisation Approach to Product Architecture Modelling

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3021-3030
Author(s):  
Agzam Idrissov ◽  
Pedro Parraguez ◽  
Anja M. Maier
Keyword(s):  
Systems Design ◽  
Visual Representations ◽  
Product Architecture ◽  
Information Visualisation ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Cleaning Robot ◽  
Tree Edge ◽  
Previous Design ◽  
Complex Engineering ◽  
Edge Bundling

AbstractVisual representation of product architecture models is crucial in complex engineering systems design. However, when the number of entities in a model is large and when multiple levels of hierarchies are included, visual representations currently in use need to be more intuitive. As such, improved visual representations that enable better system overview and better communication of essential product- related information among design participants are needed. This paper uses interactive information visualisation techniques – collapsible hierarchical tree, edge bundling and alluvial diagram – and provides the foundations of a computerised tool that improves the traceability of connections between design domains, including stakeholders, requirements, functions, behaviours and structure. The case of a cleaning robot is used as an illustrative example. The approach supports designers by providing an enhanced overview during the development of complex product architecture models, in particular in the communication with external stakeholders, in the identification of change propagation paths across several design domains, and in capturing the design rationale of previous design decisions.

Design for maintenance: new algorithmic approach

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oussama Adjoul ◽  
Khaled Benfriha ◽  
Améziane Aoussat
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithms ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Multicomponent System ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Simultaneous Optimization ◽  
Product Architecture ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Optimal Maintenance

PurposeThis paper proposes a new simultaneous optimization model of the industrial systems design and maintenance. This model aims to help the designer in searching for technical solutions and the product architecture by integrating the maintenance issues from the design stage. The goal is to reduce the life-cycle cost (LCC) of the studied system.Design/methodology/approachLiterature indicates that the different approaches used in the design for maintenance (DFM) methods are limited to the simultaneous characterization of the reliability and the maintainability of a multicomponent system as well as the modeling of the dynamic maintenance. This article proposes to go further in the optimization of the product, by simultaneously characterizing the design, in terms of reliability and maintainability, as well as the dynamic planning of the maintenance operations. This combinatorial characterization is performed by a two-level hybrid algorithm based on the genetic algorithms.FindingsThe proposed tool offers, depending on the life-cycle expectation, the desired availability, the desired business model (sales or rental), simulations in terms of the LCCs, and so an optimal product architecture.Research limitations/implicationsIn this article, the term “design” is limited to reliability properties, possible redundancies, component accessibility (maintainability), and levels of monitoring information.Originality/valueThis work is distinguished by the use of a hybrid optimization algorithm (two-level computation) using genetic algorithms. The first level is to identify an optimal design configuration that takes into account the LCC criterion. The second level consists in proposing a dynamic and optimal maintenance plan based on the maintenance-free operating period (MFOP) concept that takes into account certain criteria, such as replacement costs or the reliability of the system.

scholarly journals Holistic Engineering Design: A Combined Synchronous and Asynchronous Approach

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Conway ◽  
M. D. Giess ◽  
A. Lynn ◽  
L. Ding ◽  
Y. M. Goh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Efficient Manner ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
Positive Direction ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Previous Design ◽  
Complex Engineering ◽  
Level Of Understanding

To aid the creation and through-life support of large, complex engineering products, organizations are placing a greater emphasis on constructing complete and accurate records of design activities. Current documentary approaches are not sufficient to capture activities and decisions in their entirety and can lead to organizations revisiting and in some cases reworking design decisions in order to understand previous design episodes. Design activities are undertaken in a variety of modes; many of which are dichotomous, and thus each require separate documentary mechanisms to capture information in an efficient manner. It is possible to identify the modes of learning and transaction to describe whether an activity is aimed at increasing a level of understanding or whether it involves manipulating information to achieve a tangible task. The dichotomy of interest in this paper is that of synchronous and asynchronous working, where engineers may work alternately as part of a group or as individuals and where different forms of record are necessary to adequately capture the processes and rationale employed in each mode. This paper introduces complimentary approaches to achieving richer representations of design activities performed synchronously and asynchronously, and through the undertaking of a design based case study, highlights the benefit of each approach. The resulting records serve to provide a more complete depiction of activities undertaken, and provide positive direction for future co-development of the approaches.

A Comprehensive Robust Design Approach for Decision Trade-Offs in Complex Systems Design

1999 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monu Kalsi ◽  
Kurt Hacker ◽  
Kemper Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Robust Design ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Complex Engineering ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Passenger Aircraft

In this paper we introduce a technique to reduce the effects of uncertainty and incorporate flexibility in the design of complex engineering systems involving multiple decision-makers. We focus on the uncertainty that is created when a disciplinary designer or design team must try to predict or model the behavior of other disciplinary subsystems. The design of a complex system is performed by many different designers and design teams, each of which may only have control over a portion of the total set of system design variables. Modeling the interaction among these decision-makers and reducing the effect caused by lack of global control by any one designer is the focus of this paper. We use concepts from robust design to reduce the effects of decisions made during the design of one subsystem on the performance of the rest of the system. Thus, in a situation where the cost of uncertainty is high, these tools can be used to increase the robustness, or independence, of the subsystems, enabling designers to make more effective decisions. To demonstrate the usefulness of this approach, we consider a case study involving the design of a passenger aircraft.

The Robust Concept Exploration Method With Enhanced Model Approximation Capabilities

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sriram Varadarajan ◽  
Wei Chen ◽  
Chester J. Pelka
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Model Approximation ◽  
Approximation Techniques ◽  
Concept Exploration ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Industrial Productivity ◽  
Complex Engineering ◽  
Reliable Design

Abstract Improvements in industrial productivity require the creation of a reliable design in the shortest possible time. This is especially significant for designs that involve computer intensive analyses. The Robust Concept Exploration Method (RCEM) embodies a systematic approach to configuring complex engineering systems in the early stages of product design by introducing quality considerations based on the robust design principle. Approximation techniques are employed in the RCEM to replace intensive analysis programs for saving the computational time and cost, thereby increasing the efficiency of a design process. In this paper, the applicability of the RCEM for facilitating multiobjective complex systems design is examined by applying it to the propulsion system conceptual design process at Pratt & Whitney. Various approximation techniques are studied and a new strategy is proposed to enhance the existing model approximation techniques embodied in the RCEM.

A Comprehensive Robust Design Approach for Decision Trade-Offs in Complex Systems Design

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monu Kalsi ◽  
Kurt Hacker ◽  
Kemper Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Robust Design ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Control Factor ◽  
Type I ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Complex Engineering ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Passenger Aircraft

Abstract In this paper we introduce a technique to reduce the effects of uncertainty and incorporate flexibility in the design of complex engineering systems involving multiple decision-makers. We focus on the uncertainty that is created when a disciplinary designer or design team must try to predict or model the behavior of other disciplinary subsystems. The design of a complex system is performed by many different designers and design teams, each of which may only have control over a portion of the total set of system design variables. Modeling the interaction among these decision-makers and reducing the effect caused by lack of global control by any one designer is the focus of this paper. We use concepts from robust design to reduce the effects of decisions made during the design of one subsystem on the performance of the rest of the system. Thus, in a situation where the cost of uncertainty is high, these tools can be used to increase the robustness, or independence, of the subsystems, enabling designers to make more effective decisions. This approach includes uncertainty caused by control factor variation (Type II robust design) and uncertainty caused by unknown nonlocal design information (Type I robust design). To demonstrate the usefulness of this approach, we consider a case study involving the design of a passenger aircraft.

A Distributed Pool Architecture for Highly Constrained Optimization Problems in Complex Systems Design

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijitashwa Pandey ◽  
Zissimos P. Mourelatos
Keyword(s):  
Design Optimization ◽  
Optimization Problems ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Solution Process ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Complex Engineering

Optimal design of complex engineering systems is challenging because numerous design variables and constraints are present. Dynamic changes in design requirements and lack of complete knowledge of subsystem requirements add to the complexity. We propose an enhanced distributed pool architecture to aid distributed solving of design optimization problems. The approach not only saves solution time but is also resilient against failures of some processors. It is best suited to handle highly constrained design problems, with dynamically changing constraints, where finding even a feasible solution (FS) is challenging. In our work, this task is distributed among many processors. Constraints can be easily added or removed without having to restart the solution process. We demonstrate the efficacy of our method in terms of computational savings and resistance to partial failures of some processors, using two mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP)-class mechanical design optimization problems.

Analysis of enterprise supply chain communication networks in engineering product development

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Addo-Tenkorang ◽  
Petri T. Helo
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flow Processes ◽  
Complex Engineering

Purpose For decades now, industrial manufacturers’ complex product development (CPD) activities have seen various improvement approaches as well as product development (PD) support processes all in the quest to achieve shorter PD lead-times and higher return on investments. CPD process improvements, in terms of complex engineering design and delivery, still lack a lot more variance to be addressed on the “better, faster and cheaper” paradigm for efficient communication and information exchange flow processes. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents employing social network theory analysis and statistical Pearson (r) correlation analysis in a triangulation approach to a proposed optimum conceptual information technology systems’ architecture and a “best practice” information flow process toward enhancing an industrial sustainable competitive advantage. Closed-end questionnaires were used to collect data for the scale or level of communication network from a sample size of eight Ship Power supply chain network complex engineering design and delivery systems-design teams with at least five members from each team. Findings Two extremely interesting findings and observations were identified from the analysis carried out (isolates and close-harmonic analysis) as well as the findings from the hypotheses’ testing. These essential analyses of the engineering systems-design teams were conducted by using the triangulation or mixed-method described in the abstract methodology identified above. Originality/value Effective and efficient real-time communication is seen as the vehicle for effective organization management. Although there may be some studies on effective technical communication in organizational and enterprise supply chain management settings, this research identifies a new robust and extensive analysis and feasible solutions to most of the communication bottlenecks and inefficient socio-industrial information flow processes, which need enhancement for industrial competitive advantage. Furthermore, the contribution of this paper further enhances the level 4 implementation aspect of the supply chain operation reference model in a replicable industry-specific perspective.

A Hierarchical Statistical Sensitivity Analysis Method for Complex Engineering Systems Design

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Yin ◽  
Wei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Accurate Solution ◽  
General Situation ◽  
Sensitivity Index ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Complex Engineering ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Complex Engineering Systems

Statistical sensitivity analysis (SSA) is playing an increasingly important role in engineering design, especially with the consideration of uncertainty. However, it is not straightforward to apply SSA to the design of complex engineering systems due to both computational and organizational difficulties. In this paper, to facilitate the application of SSA to the design of complex systems especially those that follow hierarchical modeling structures, a hierarchical statistical sensitivity analysis (HSSA) method containing a top-down strategy for SSA and an aggregation approach to evaluating the global statistical sensitivity index (GSSI) is developed. The top-down strategy for HSSA is introduced to invoke the SSA of the critical submodels based on the significance of submodel performances. A simplified formulation of the GSSI is studied to represent the effect of a lower-level submodel input on a higher-level model response by aggregating the submodel SSA results across intermediate levels. A sufficient condition under which the simplified formulation provides an accurate solution is derived. To improve the accuracy of the GSSI formulation for a general situation, a modified formulation is proposed by including an adjustment coefficient (AC) to capture the impact of the nonlinearities of the upper-level models. To improve the efficiency, the same set of samples used in submodel SSAs is used to evaluate the AC. The proposed HSSA method is examined through mathematical examples and a three-level hierarchical model used in vehicle suspension systems design.

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