Incorporating Field Effects Into Functional Product-System Architecting Methods

2019 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Otto ◽  
Katja Hölttä-Otto ◽  
Roozbeh Sanaei ◽  
Kristin L. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Field ◽  
Clustering Algorithms ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Modular Product ◽  
Motor Controller ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Functional Product ◽  
Field Separation

Abstract System architecture and modularity decisions are inherent to preliminary concept design. Prior modularity research has considered minimizing interactions between modules and increasing the commonality among modular product variants. Effective approaches include function structure partitioning guidelines, affinity analysis, or matrix clustering algorithms. We consider here designs with field constraints, such as situations when elements cannot be placed in certain regions such as a high-temperature field, a high-pressure field, a high magnetic field, etc. which place constraints on modularity choices. Practical design guidelines are developed here for modularity considering field constraints. Two types of guidelines are proposed, field separation and concept generation. The field separation guidelines propose zonal boundaries within which system modules need be confined. The concept generation guidelines propose how to violate the field constraints through new concepts. Moving functionality from one side of a field boundary to the other is nontrivial and involves new concept generation for the modules to function at the higher or lower field values. The guidelines are defined and illustrated via multiple common examples as well as two extended case studies. We demonstrate the approach using field boundaries on an electric motor controller and on a medical contrast injector, and also use of fields to generated novel concepts. The guidelines support for modularity concept and embodiment decisions.

scholarly journals Creating Something Different: Similarity, Contrast, and Representativeness in Categorization

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Austerweil ◽  
Shi Xian Liew ◽  
Nolan Bradley Conaway ◽  
Kenneth J. Kurtz
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Category Learning ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Fundamental Importance ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Statistical Structure ◽  
Representativeness Heuristic ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Novel Approaches ◽  
Computational Analyses

The ability to generate new concepts and ideas is among the most fascinating aspects of human cognition, but we do not have a strong understanding of the cognitive processes and representations underlying concept generation. In this paper, we study the generation of new categories using the computational and behavioral toolkit of traditional artificial category learning. Previous work in this domain has focused on how the statistical structure of known categories generalizes to generated categories, overlooking whether (and if so, how) contrast between the known and generated categories is a factor. We report three experiments demonstrating that contrast between what is known and what is created is of fundamental importance for categorization. We propose two novel approaches to modeling category contrast: one focused on exemplar dissimilarity and another on the representativeness heuristic. Our experiments and computational analyses demonstrate that both models capture different aspects of contrast’s role in categorization.

Computer Gaming Scenarios for Product Development Teams

2014 ◽  
pp. 216-233
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Wodehouse ◽  
William J. Ion
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Development Teams ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Further Development

In this paper, computer gaming approaches are introduced as a viable means to structure the interaction of a product development team during concept generation. During concept generation, teams gather large amounts of information before generating new ideas and concepts. Digital technologies mean that relevant information can be sourced faster than ever, but this does not necessarily migrate into the activity of concept creation. It is suggested that cues from computer games can help integrate information as well as individuals more effectively, resulting in better conceptual output. A range of game types are evaluated with a view to their possible utilization in support of concept design. Two scenarios for the implementation of gaming methods are proposed, and one refined scenario identified as having potential for further development.

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR ROBOT-AIDED ANKLE REHABILITATION DEVICE

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nazrin Shah Shahrol Aman ◽  
Shafriza Nisha Basah ◽  
Wan Khairunzam Wan Ahmad ◽  
Shahriman Abu Bakar
Keyword(s):  
Parallel Mechanism ◽  
Ankle Injury ◽  
Physical Injury ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Parallel Mechanisms ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Physiotherapy Treatment ◽  
Standard Design ◽  
Ankle Rehabilitation ◽  
Therapy Treatment

Ankle injury is one of physical injury that can happen whether in sports or in domestic accidents. The injury can take from weeks to months to recover and requires physiotherapy treatment for effective recovery. Currently, there are established treatments for ankle rehabilitation in hospital such as endurance training and range-of-motion training. However, the success of rehabilitation for ankle injury directly depends on physiotherapy administered by experts. This conventional therapy treatment requires patients to frequently visit to hospital which is tedious and costly. To solve this, researchers have introduced a number of robot-aided ankle rehabilitation devices which has been developed in the last decade. However, those devices are bulky and do not designed for portability and configurability – which is an important feature for patients undergoing rehabilitation at home. In this paper, we proposed a concept based on robot-aided ankle rehabilitation device to assist patients undergo rehabilitation procedures. We focused on all patients’ need especially based on important features such as portability and configurability of the device. Standard design process were followed including concept generation and concept selection according to all relevant criteria using Morphological Charts and Pugh Method.  A Pulley Driven Cable Based Parallel Mechanism robot-aided ankle rehabilitation device has been selected based on selections from 5 different concept design generated. We show that a design based on parallel mechanisms should provide the needed portability and configurability. This result provides an insight for a portable and configurable robot-aided ankle rehabilitation device.

Collaborative Fuzzy Clustering Algorithms: Some Refinements and Design Guidelines

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 444-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz F. S. Coletta ◽  
Lucas Vendramin ◽  
Eduardo Raul Hruschka ◽  
Ricardo J. G. B. Campello ◽  
Witold Pedrycz
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Clustering ◽  
Clustering Algorithms ◽  
Design Guidelines

Assessing and Generating Modules for Product Recovery

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samyeon Kim ◽  
Seung Ki Moon
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
New Products ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Product Recovery ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Design Guideline ◽  
Modular Product

As technology pushes customers to buy new released products, especially mobile phone, high product replacement from the customers plays a role in increasing production rate for new products and rate of abandoned products. It accelerates environmental degradation like natural resource usage for the new products and pollutions generated by disposing the abandoned products. In this respect, product recovery is needed to reduce landfill rates, and resource usages, and prolong product lifecycle. Modular drivers such as interface design, material type, and components’ lifespan are applied to design modules for product recovery. The objective of this research is to support designers to assess initial modules and then reorganize modules for product recovery. First, according to conventional modular product design, the initial modules are generated. Then, since it is difficult to estimate how much the modules have negative effects on environment, the environmental impacts of a product are assessed by Eco-Indicator 99 based on used materials. Also, the complexity of the interface design is measured to understand how the modules are easily disassembled for upgrading and maintaining end-of-life products by using weighted-modular complexity score (wMCS). After assessing the product based on the Eco-Indicator 99 and wMCS, we apply new design guidelines to improve sustainability of a product in the end of life stage. Consequently, we compare the extent to design for sustainability before and after redesigning a product based on the design guideline. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the modular product design, we carry out a case study with a coffee maker.

A Framework for Optimal Product Concept Generation

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoram Reich ◽  
Amir Ziv-Av
Keyword(s):  
Practical Experience ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Model Concept ◽  
Product Concept ◽  
Quality Product ◽  
New Business ◽  
Support Methods ◽  
Product Concepts

Concept design is the most critical step in product development. To a large extent, its quality determines the fate of the product. Support for concept generation is mainly intuitive beside few recent attempts to develop concept generation support methods. In this paper, we review and exemplify the importance of quality product concepts and the available literature on concept generation. We present a framework that is simple yet comprehensive for generating optimal concepts in diverse disciplines. The framework rests on a method for optimal concept generation that has sound mathematical foundation. The method has been evolved and refined over years of practical experience and research. The present version has been used in numerous successful real projects. We illustrate the use of the framework in two case studies and explain the sources of its generality. The framework is flexible thus can accommodate diverse design concerns as well as model concept design in the context of new business practices such as outsourcing.

The Part Count Tool (PACT) for Concept Selection

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarang Parashar ◽  
Katie Grantham Lough ◽  
Robert B. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Manufacturing Cost ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Product Concept ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Component Type ◽  
The Cost

This paper presents a part count tool that automates the consideration of manufacturing cost during the conceptual design phase by predicting part count for a particular product concept. With an approximate number of parts per product in the conceptual design phase, the designer can estimate the cost associated with the product. On the basis of the cost, the designer can make changes according to budget requirements. The part count tool will also aid in ranking the design concepts by number of components for a product. This tool utilizes existing automated concept generation algorithms to generate the design concepts. It extracts the available data from the Missouri S&T Design Repository to compute an average number of parts per component type in the repository and then calculates an average part count for new concepts. This data can subsequently be used by designers to estimate product cost. The part count tool also uses an algorithm to determine how to connect two non compatible components through the addition of mutually compatible components. While emphasis is placed on the average parts per product in evaluating designs, the overall functional requirement of the product is also considered.

Mastering High Product Variety of an Underwater Vehicle Class in the Concept Design Stage

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem Hendrik Wehner ◽  
Nicolas Richter ◽  
Marc Schiemann ◽  
Pia-Maria Haselberger ◽  
Sebastian Ritz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Modular Design ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Underwater Vehicle ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Vehicle Class ◽  
Diving Depth ◽  
Modular Product ◽  
Payload Capacity

The paper provides considerations for a novel unmanned underwater vehicle class that offers new options to the offshore industries and marine science in matters of endurance, payload capacity, development time and economic viability. Today, different mission scenarios require different underwater vehicles. By applying modularization approach to the development of modular product classes, another way to design such vehicles is shown. Radical modularization of the vehicle enables collaborative as well as independent development of payload modules by industry or science. The design idea allows the combination of proven basic modules with novel mission modules. This allows assigning development activities of mission modules to diverse 3rd-party developers or customers. Topics covered in this paper are related to potential missions and the requirements they make on the vehicle. An evaluation of application scenarios considering the technical challenges vs. their economical relevance is made. The requirements for the MUM system are identified by analyzing the mission procedures regarding specific scenarios. The modular design method and challenges to validate feasibility of an extreme number of possible vehicle variants follow. Examples of variant drivers like diving depth or vehicle range as well as possible solutions will be discussed. The topics covered are the basis for further work within the three year research project MUM – Large Modifiable Underwater Mothership.

Design Concept Generation With Variational Deep Embedding Over Comprehensive Optimization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kikuo Fujita ◽  
Kazuki Minowa ◽  
Yutaka Nomaguchi ◽  
Shintaro Yamasaki ◽  
Kentaro Yaji
Keyword(s):  
Design Concept ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Computational Optimization ◽  
Comprehensive Exploitation ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Latent Space ◽  
Deep Embedding ◽  
Bridge Structures ◽  
Classification Capability

Abstract This paper proposes a framework for generating design concepts through the loop of comprehensive exploitation and consequent exploration. The former is by any sophisticated optimization such as topology optimization with diversely different. The latter realization is due to the variational deep embedding (VaDE), a deep learning technique with classification capability. In the process of design concept generation first, exploitation through computational optimization generates various possibilities of design entities. Second, VaDE learns them. This learning encodes the clusters of similar entities over the latent space with smaller dimensions. The clustering result reveals some design concepts and identifies voids where as-yet-unrecognized design concepts are prospective. Third, the decoder of the learned VaDE generates some possibilities for new design entities. Forth such new entities are examined, and relevant new conditions will trigger further exploitation by the optimization. In this paper, this framework is implemented for and applied to the conceptual design problem of bridge structures. This application demonstrates that the framework can identify voids over the latent space and explore the possibility of new concepts. This paper brings up some discussion on the promises and possibilities of the proposed framework.

Assessing Creativity and Innovation at the Concept Generation Stage in Engineering Design: A Classroom Experiment

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah K. Oman ◽  
Irem Y. Tumer
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Design Metrics ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Statistical Verification ◽  
Classroom Experiment ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
Creativity And Innovation ◽  
Engineering Concept

This paper explores how to identify creativity factors in the early stages of engineering concept design and how to apply metrics to quantify that creativity. Prototype designs from a junior-level design course over two years are evaluated using design metrics that analyze a set of ideas based on novelty and quality. Further creativity analyses are included to statistically verify that the developed metrics are valid. Innovative products provide companies with a competitive advantage in the market to stimulate the economy. Creativity metrics will enable them to choose innovative designs in the early stages of concept design, reducing time and cost associated with uncreative design implementation. This paper will go into detail about the implementation of an “Innovation Equation” on a real-world set of designs generated by a junior-level mechanical engineering design class and statistical verification of the validity of the analysis results. Conclusions are drawn that detail the ideal procedures needed to create a successful creativity analysis using these methods.

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