scholarly journals ENGINEERING DESIGN: STRUCTURE, VALUE AND ASSESSMENT

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Yellowly
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Innovation Policy ◽  
Central Process ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Design Structure ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Conventional Technology ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Typical Design

Engineering design is the central process in the transformation of new ideas and conventional technology or practice into high value products and systems. Unfortunately the process is not highly valued within the research oriented University environment. At the same time government innovation policy is rooted in models better suited to the review of projects as opposed to systems or products; the value structure being biased towards discovery, (and perhaps use). The author attempts to describe the structure of typical design activities and using this model proposes simple metrics to allow the assessment of design content within research and development proposals.

Modeling and Analysis of an Ontology of Engineering Design Activities Using the Design Structure Matrix

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavan Kumar ◽  
Gregory Mocko
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Design Structure Matrix ◽  
Design Activity ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Modeling And Analysis ◽  
Structure Matrix ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Design Structure ◽  
Design Activities

In this paper, a published ontology of engineering design activities is modeled and analyzed using the design structure matrix (DSM). Specifically, the ontology analyzed in this research provides a basis for describing engineering design activities and subsequently design processes in an unambiguous manner. However, the proposed ontology lacks a computational representation and the information flow between activities is not adequately described. Thus, complex design processes cannot be represented using the ontology. The design activity ontology is modeled and analyzed using the DSM. First, the information flows between design activities are identified and their inter-relationships are described. Four different cases for representing the flow of information between design activities are modeled. In Case 1 and 2 feedback between information output and information input within an activity is captured. Whereas, in Case 3 and 4 it is assumed that no feedback between output and input exists within an activity. DSM analyses, including partitioning and tearing, are performed on the model. Observations and conclusions drawn from these analyses include the further decomposition of design activities, grouping of design activities, and lack of information flow between seemingly related activities. Based on these observations, recommendations are made to refine the ontology. Finally, additional research is required for developing a computational ontology of design activities.

AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING APPROACH FOR DEVELOPING MENTAL MODELS IN ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Li ◽  
C. Chua
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Mental Models ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Mental Simulation ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Support Engineering ◽  
Prior Experiences

Mental simulation represents how a person interprets and understands the causal relations associated with the perceived information, and it is considered an important cognitive device to support engineering design activities. Mental models are considered information characterized in a person’s mind to understand the external world. They are important components to support effective mental simulation. This paper begins with a discussion on the experiential learning approach and how it supports learners in developing mental models for design activities. Following that, the paper looks at the four types of mental models: object, making, analysis and project, and illustrates how they capture different aspects and skills of design activities. Finally, the paper proposes an alternative framework, i.e., Spiral Learning Approach, which is an integration of Kolb’s experiential learningcycle and the Imaginative Education (IE) framework. While the Kolb’s cycle informs a pattern to leverage personal experiences to reusable knowledge, the IE’s framework suggests how prior experiences can trigger imagination and advance understandings. A hypothetical design of a snow removal device is used to illustrate the ideas of design-related mental models and the spirallearning approach.

Development of a DSM-Based Methodology in an Academic Setting

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Platanitis ◽  
Remon Pop-Iliev ◽  
Ahmad Barari
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Design Structure ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
Task Durations ◽  
Random Disturbances ◽  
Process Convergence ◽  
Work Transformation

This paper proposes the use of a design structure matrix/work transformation matrix (DSM/WTM)-based methodology in academic settings to serve engineering educators as a facilitating tool for predetermining the difficulty and feasibility of design engineering projects they assign, given both the time constraints of the academic term and the expected skill level of the respective learners. By using a third-year engineering design project as a case study, engineering students actively participated in this comprehensive use of DSM methodologies. The engineering design process has been thoroughly analyzed to determine convergence characteristics based on the eigenvalues of the system followed by a sensitivity analysis on the originally determined DSM based on data provided by students in terms of task durations and number of iterations for each task. Finally, an investigation of the design process convergence due to unexpected events or random disturbances has been conducted. The obtained predictive model of the design process was compared to the actual dynamics of the project as experienced by the students and the effect of random disturbances at any point in the design process has thereby been evaluated.

scholarly journals Effects of Multidisciplinary Participatory Design Method on Students’ Engineering Design Process

Eng ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-121
Author(s):  
Yu-Hung Chien ◽  
Chun-Kai Yao ◽  
Yu-Han Chao
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Sequential Analysis ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Experimental Group

This study took the ergonomics design course as an example to propose a design teaching model of multidisciplinary participatory design (MPD), and investigated the effects of this teaching model on the engineering design behavior of college students. We used lag behavior sequential analysis to compare the design behaviors of three student groups: a participatory design (PD) experimental group, an MPD experimental group, and a control group. The results of the study show that (1) students in the PD experimental group had 13 significant sequential engineering design behaviors, students in the MPD experimental group had 10, and students in the control group had only seven. The engineering design behaviors of the experimental groups were more diversified than those of the control group. (2) The three groups of students had a small number of significant design behavior transfers in the engineering design process, indicating that the students’ sequential design behaviors between two different design activities were insufficient. We concluded by detailing the pros and cons of using the MPD teaching model based on the results of this study, and hopefully by providing a reference for teaching engineering design.

Using Product Archaeology to Integrate Global, Economic, Environmental, and Societal Factors in Introductory Design Education

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erich Devendorf ◽  
Phil Cormier ◽  
Deborah Moore-Russo ◽  
Kemper Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Educational Strategies ◽  
Senior Year ◽  
Societal Factors ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Upper Level

Design education has traditionally been incorporated into the engineering curriculum in the junior or senior year through upper level mechanical design courses and capstone design projects. However, there is a general trend in engineering education to incorporate design activities at the freshman and sophomore level. The design aspects of these courses provide a unique opportunity to integrate global, economic, environmental, and societal factors with traditional design considerations. Incorporating these early in an engineering curriculum supports a broad engineering education in accordance with ABET required Outcome h. In this paper we introduce global, economic, environmental, and societal factors into a sophomore level engineering design course using strategies adapted from a Product Archaeology paradigm. Specifically, functional modeling is synthesized with a product dissection platform to create a foundation to demonstrate the broader impacts of engineering design decisions. The effectiveness of using Product Archaeology-based educational strategies to facilitate the learning objectives of Outcome h is evaluated using student surveys taken over a two year period.

Knowledge Base Representation for Axiomatic Design Through Ontologies

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuochen Shi ◽  
Gregory Mocko
Keyword(s):  
Axiomatic Design ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Formal Ontology ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Car Seat ◽  
Design Structure ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Multiple Groups

Axiomatic Design has been applied and developed as a tool, offering a scientific basis for design and improving design activities. Axiomatic Design has been used in various fields such as software system design, structure design, and product design. However, several challenges and limitations exist in Axiomatic Design including: the inconsistency in identifying design parameters, existence of coupled design, and multiple groups of functional requirements and design parameters. Aimed at using Axiomatic Design to generate conceptual solutions in engineering design while overcoming its limitations, a formal ontology is developed. The ontology defines functional requirements, design parameters, concepts, components and variables and their relationships. Axioms and rules of Axiomatic Design for the ontology are summarized. The Axiomatic Design ontology is applied to the design of a car seat as an example generating several concepts, and then compared and analyzed multiple groups of the concepts with the help of Axiomatic Design rules. More design ideas can be generated by combining detailed concepts as the higher level possible solutions.

Software Application Based on Subsea Engineering Design Codes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joannes Gullaksen
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Software Application ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Software Modules ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Project Model ◽  
Offshore Industry ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Standard Calculation

Abstract Development of software application for subsea engineering design and analysis is to a large extent based on codes and standards used in the offshore industry when considering subsea pipelines. In this paper a software is described which main purpose is to facilitate the design and analysis process and such that results and documentation are automatically generated to increase quality of documentation. Current scope is a standard calculation tool covering different aspects of design in compliance with relevant offshore codes. A modularization technique is used to divide the software system into multiple discrete and independent modules based on offshore codes, which are capable of carrying out task(s) independently. All modules in range operate from a project model that is accessed directly by other modules for analysis and performance prediction and allows design changes to flow through automatically to facilitate smooth communication and coordination between different design activities. All the modules have a number of common design features. The quality of an implementation of each offshore code in independent software modules is measured by defining the level of inter-dependability among modules and their interaction among them, and by defining the degree of intra-dependability within elements of a module. This modularization technique also includes other benefits, such as ease of maintenance and updates. The improvements are related to the objectives of a state-of-the-art procedure of performing engineering, design and analysis by use of offshore codes implemented in a software application. The application is developed in .NET C# language with MS Visual Studio Technology that provides a powerful graphical user interface well integrated in windows environment.

scholarly journals REFLECTING ON THE USE OF DESIGN METHODOLOGY IN ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Li ◽  
G. Gress ◽  
P. Ziadé
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Engineering Design Education ◽  
Need Support ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Design Ideas ◽  
Context Free ◽  
Capstone Design

In the teaching of engineering design, it may be common to use design methodology (DM), as documented in several textbooks, in the course delivery.  However, considerable drawbacks could be observed in our case when DM is taken as the major guidance for a capstone design course. We argue that DM tends to prescribe some context-free methods and procedures, which cannot be easily applied by students to their capstone design projects. At the same time, we observe that students need support to characterize a design problem, integrate technical knowledge in design activities and verify design ideas. These aspects require analytical and critical thinking, where DM may not be particularly helpful for students. In the five-year journey of deemphasizing DM in a capstone design course, we have explored and examined various pedagogical approaches such as online modules, design labs and peer evaluations.  Without the teaching of DM, the pedagogical strategy needs to be carefully planned to deliver specific learning in engineering design.  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document