Design Basic

WHAT IS DESIGN :

Engineering Design is the process  of applying various techniques and scientific principles for the purpose of defining a device, a process, or a system in sufficient detail to permit its physical realization.

Mechanical engineering design is the activity in which various methods,scientific principles, technical information and imagination in the definition of a mechanical structure, machine or system to perform pre-specified functions with the maximum economy and efficiency. The designer's responsibility covers the whole process from conceptual design to  detailed instructions for production ,and his interest continues throughout the designed

life of the product in service.

Designing activity decide the selection of materials and the placement of these materials to develop an item that fulfils specific requirements.

TYPES OF DESIGNING

Engineering Design: It is concerned with applying various techniques and scientific principles to the development and analysis of basic functional features of systems, devices, etc.

Industrial Design: It designates an independent design effort by the individual (consultant) with combined abilities in areas such as product design, styling, and engineering.

Process Design: It is usually concerned with the type of design that restricted to the design of components, tools, equipment, etc. (items for mass production systems)

Visual Design (Styling Design): It is concerned with the appearance features of an item.

Product Design: It is associated with specifically those items that are ultimately to be sold to consumers.

DESIGN PROCESS:

Market:

The market phase refers to the assessment of sales opportunities or perceived need to update an existing product resulting in a statement sometimes called the market brief.

Specifications:

Specification involves the formal statement of the required functions, features and performance of the product or process to be designed. Recommended practice from the outset of design work is to  produce a product design specifications that should be formulated from the statement of need. The product design specification is the formal specification of the product to be designed. It acts as the control for the total design activity because it sets the boundaries for the subsequent design.

Conceptual design:

The early stage of the design when the major decisions are to be made is something called conceptual design. During this phase a rough idea is developed as to how a product will function and what it will look like. The process of conceptual design can also be described as the definition of the products morphology, how it is made up, and its layout. Conceptual design is the generation of solutions to meet specified requirements. Conceptual design can represent the sum of all subsystem and component parts that go on make up the whole system.

Detailed designing:

This design phase consists of the determination of the specific shape and size of individual components, what material should be used, how they fit together , and the method of manufacture.  Detailed design makes use of the many skills acquired and developed by engineers in the areas of analysis. It is the detailed design phase that can make up the bulk of the time spent on a design. However as implied earlier, it is wise to only spend time on details once a sensible concept has been selected.

Manufacturing:

The manufacture phase, although identified as distinct within the structure, is typical of other phases in that it influences all the others. The design of any item must be such that it is feasible to manufacture it. The materials selected must be compatible with the manufacturing facilities and skills available and at acceptable costs to match marketing requirements. 

Marketing/sales:

The last phase, selling ,is of course essential and should match the expectations of the initial market phase. This phase also has an impact on other phases within the design core. Information such as customer reaction to the product, any component failure or wear, damage during packaging, and transportation should be feedback to influence the design of product revisions and future designs

Stages in Mechanical Design:

Conceptual design:

It takes the statement of the problem and generates broad solution to it in the form of schemes, It is the phase that makes the greatest demands on the designer, and where there is the most scope for striking improvements. It is the phase where engineering science, practical knowledge, production method and commercial aspects need to brought together, and where the most important decision are taken.

Embodiments Design: 

In this phase the schemes are worked up in greater details, and if there is more than one, a final choice between them is made. The end product is usually a set of general arrangement drawing. There should be a great deal of feedback from this phase to the conceptual design phase. In this phase, decisions are made on strength, material selection, size shape and spatial compatibility.

Detailing:

This is the last phase, in which a very large number of small but essential points remain to be decided. The quality of this work must be good, otherwise delay and expense or even failure will be incurred.

Exercise For Design Team Building:

Concurrent (Simultaneous) engineering:

A systematic Approach ,which considering the entire functionality of the product as well as its assembly and manufacture, in an integrated design process.

“The simultaneous consideration of product and process downstream requirements by multidisciplinary teams”

Typically, concurrent engineering involves the formation of cross-functional teams, which allows engineers and managers of different disciplines to work together simultaneously in developing product and process design. This approach is intended to cause the developers, from the outset, to consider all elements of the product life cycle from concept through disposal, including quality, cost, productivity, speed (time to market & response time), and user requirements (include functional and reliability)."

Concurrent engineering Team Communication::