Description
This unit aims to introduce students to the methodical steps that engineers use in creating functional products and processes; from a design brief to the work, and the stages involved in identifying and justifying a solution to a given engineering need.
Among the topics included in this unit are Gantt charts and critical path analysis, stakeholder requirements, market analysis, design process management, modelling and prototyping, manufacturability, reliability life cycle, safety and risk, management, calculations, drawings and concepts and ergonomics.
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to prepare an engineering design specification that satisfies stakeholders’ requirements, implement best practice when analysing and evaluating possible design solutions, prepare a written technical design report, and present their finalised design to a customer or audience.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
1. Plan a design solution and prepare an engineering design specification in response to a stakeholder’s design brief and requirements.
Planning techniques used to prepare a design specification:
Definition of client’s/users objectives, needs and constraints
Definition of design constraints, function, specification, milestones
Planning the design task: Flow charts, Gantt charts, network and critical path analysis necessary in the design process
Use of relevant technical/engineering/industry standards within the design process
Design process:
Process development, steps to consider from start to finish
The cycle from design to manufacture
Three- and five-stage design process
Vocabulary used in engineering design
Stage of the design process which includes:
Analysing the situation, problem statement, define tasks and outputs, create the design concept, research the problem and write a specification
Suggest possible solutions, select a preferred solution, prepare working drawings, construct a prototype, test and evaluate the design against objectives, design communication (write a report)
Customer/stakeholder requirements:
Converting customer request to a list of objectives and constraints
Interpretation of design requirements
Market analysis of existing products and competitors
Aspects of innovation and performance management in decision-making
2. Formulate possible technical solutions to address the student-prepared design specification.
Conceptual design and evaluating possible solutions:
Modelling, prototyping and simulation using industry standard software, (e.g. AutoCAD, Catia, SolidWorks, Creo) on high specification computers
Use of evaluation and analytical tools, e.g. cause and effect diagrams, CAD, knowledge-based engineering
3. Prepare an industry-standard engineering technical design report.
Managing the design process:
Recognising limitations including cost, physical processes, availability of material/components and skills, timing and scheduling
Working to specifications and standards, including:
The role of compliance checking, feasibility assessment and commercial viability of product design through testing and validation
Design for testing, including:
Material selection to suit selected processes and technologies
Consideration of manufacturability, reliability, life cycle and environmental issues
The importance of safety, risk management and ergonomics
Conceptual design and effective tools:
Technologies and manufacturing processes used in order to transfer engineering
designs into finished products
4. Present to an audience a design solution based on the design report and evaluate the solution/presentation.
Communication and post-presentation review:
Selection of presentation tools
Analysis of presentation feedback
Strategies for improvement based on feedback