Solving Conflicting Engineering Problems in Education, Research and Practice: Enhanced Approach

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Prediction Module ◽  
Engineering Problems ◽  
Element Approach ◽  
Virtual Element ◽  
Engineering Pedagogy

The nature of engineering is problem solving. The challenge of ongoing design research is to develop a tool that would support the most difficult phase of design — solving problems with contradictions and finding the best possible idea for conceptual design of products. The Brief Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (BTIPS) is a prospective tool for performing such a task. Derived from TRIZ, TSIP and TIPS, BTIPS slightly differs from those methods. Principles, Effects and Prediction modules in BTIPS are enhanced to meet the newest challenges of engineering pedagogy and technology development. To meet those challenges principles of Size Reduction, Miniaturization, Nanotechnology and Biotechnology were added. Design principles and technological effects were enriched with new developments based on nanotechnology and biotechnology. Furthermore the procedure of the Virtual Element approach was added to the Prediction module. The tests of functions’ separation and minimum information contents to evaluate the derived end solution are also the new additions. BTIPS is living and developing; it is taught and used, and, thus, constantly improved. This paper points out the enhancements and shows some ways of BTIPS application in solving problems with conflicting constraints in conceptual design.

The Brief Theory of Inventive Problem Solving: Practicality of Software Support

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek ◽  
Teresa Lally
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Ideal Solution ◽  
Software Support ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Virtual Element ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Ideal

The ongoing challenge of research in Engineering Design is to develop a tool that can support the most difficult phase: solving problems with contradictions. The Brief Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (BTIPS) is a prospective method for performing such a task. Derived from TRIZ, TSIP, and TIPS, BTIPS differs from those methods. The Principles, Effects and Prediction modules in BTIPS are enhanced to meet the newest challenges of technology, engineering practice and pedagogy. New principles were also added to BTIPS and technological effects were enriched with new developments based on nanotechnology and biotechnology. In addition the Virtual Element procedure approach was added. The tests of functions’ separation are also the new additions. This paper includes the results of research done on the effectiveness of software that could support BTIPS in the individual studies that include applications of the available computer programs. The advantages of using BTIPS with supporting software, such as Invention Machine™, TechOptimizer™, and Goldfire™, are pointed out. Some examples are given, but others could not be discussed because of the licensing constraints. The software, if it is used during the solving process, could speed up the search for the Ideal Solution and make BTIPS even more effective in education, and even in research, and practice.

A model of the mechanical design process based on empirical data

1988 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Ullman ◽  
Thomas G. Dietterich ◽  
Larry A. Stauffer
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Level Of Detail ◽  
Cad Tools ◽  
Design Alternatives ◽  
Key Features

This paper describes the task/episode accumulation model (TEA model) of non-routine mechanical design, which was developed after detailed analysis of the audio and video protocols of five mechanical designers. The model is able to explain the behavior of designers at a much finer level of detail than previous models. The key features of the model are (a) the design is constructed by incrementally refining and patching an initial conceptual design, (b) design alternatives are not considered outside the boundaries of design episodes (which are short stretches of problem solving aimed at specific goals), (c) the design process is controlled locally, primarily at the level of individual episodes. Among the implications of the model are the following: (a) CAD tools should be extended to represent the state of the design at more abstract levels, (b) CAD tools should help the designer manage constraints, and (c) CAD tools should be designed to give cognitive support to the designer.

A Formal Approach to Design Specifications

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Kusiak ◽  
Edward Szczerbicki
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Functional Space ◽  
Requirements Specification ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Formal Approach ◽  
Design Specifications ◽  
Level Of Abstraction ◽  
Active Interaction

Abstract In this paper a methodology for the specification stage in conceptual design is presented. It allows for problem solving in an active interaction with the designer. An important part of the proposed methodology is the requiremental and functional tree representing the overall logic and structure of the design problem. The specification stage aims at providing requirements and transforming them into functions of the designed object. It occurs at the highest level of abstraction and it must provide enough information to begin the synthesis process where functions are transformed into design components that are further synthesized into the designed object. The proposed approach was motivated by the following problems: specification of requirements, specification of functions, incorporation of logic into functional and requiremental trees, representation of requirements-functions interaction, and optimization in the functional space. The methodology presented is illustrated with examples.

scholarly journals Cultivating High School Leaders through Engineering and Science

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Mieske ◽  
Martin Scherer ◽  
Mary Wells
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Engineering Problem ◽  
Problem Analysis ◽  
Leadership Program ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Undergraduate Studies ◽  
Effective Group

Engineering and leadership go hand in hand for many within the engineering profession and throughout undergraduate studies. Students are challenged to work in teams, self-assign tasks, manage team members, set deadlines and see projects to completion. The Waterloo engineering Catalyst High School Summer Leadership Program (Catalyst) aligns specifically with the engineering knowledge base, problem analysis, investigation, design, lifelong learning and communication outcomes outlined by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). Catalyst was developed to link engineering problem solving and design with leadership skills.Catalyst students are engaged to develop both soft and hard skills in an effort to display the multitude of connections, benefits and opportunities available to students entering their undergraduate studies. More and more entrepreneurship, design and effective group leadership are all becoming essential traits and skills for students entering the workforce as well for those taking the leap to dream, market, build and succeed with their own ideas or products.Over the past three years, the summer leadership program has grown through trial, feedback and collaborative brainstorming to offer a four-week program that focuses on leadership skills, design, research exposure and entrepreneurship. Through hands-on design thinking and problem solving projects, entrepreneurial group study and by offering leadership experience in a controlled setting a new type of high school student emerges. One who is prepared, excited and inspired to get involved, try, fail and challenge themselves and their peers to create change and solve problems facing their generation.

Creativity in Multi Objective Problem Solving

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed E. M. El-Sayed ◽  
Jacqueline A. J. El-Sayed
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Modeling And Simulation ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Engineering Problem ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Conflicting Objectives ◽  
Research Goal ◽  
Engineering Problem Solving

Problem solving is one of the main activities in achieving design and research goal. While problem solving in general is an activity aiming at transforming unacceptable state of reality to acceptable state of reality, problem solving in engineering is usually a means for tackling other activities such as design and research. By breaking down design and research into a set of engineering problem solving activities, the goals of complicated design and research projects can be achieved. For this reason, the transitions from design or research to problem solving in some cases are unidentifiable. The identification of the problem solving activity goals and the transition between the three activities, however, are essentials for creativity and achieving the desired objectives especially when dealing with conflicting objectives and constraints. In this paper, design, research, and problem solving are distinguished as realization activities performed in different reality domains with different beginning and ending states. These three activities use modeling and simulation as basic elements of mapping between realities to perform analysis and integration. While analysis and simulation are mainly the analytical actions, modeling and integration are mainly the creative actions. With these distinctions, the identification of problem solving activity goals, and transitions between activities, can be easily realized. Also, creativity and dealing with conflicting objectives can be greatly facilitated. To demonstrate these concepts and their implications some illustrative examples are discussed.

scholarly journals Revisiting Problem-Solution Co-Evolution in the Context of Team Conceptual Design Activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 6303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomislav Martinec ◽  
Stanko Škec ◽  
Marija Majda Perišić ◽  
Mario Štorga
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Solution Space ◽  
Design Activity ◽  
Problem Solution ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Conventional Models ◽  
Concept Review

The conventional prescriptive and descriptive models of design typically decompose the overall design process into elementary processes, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. This study revisits some of the assumptions established by these models and investigates whether they can also be applied for modelling of problem-solution co-evolution patterns that appear during team conceptual design activities. The first set of assumptions concerns the relationship between performing analysis, synthesis, and evaluation and exploring the problem and solution space. The second set concerns the dominant sequences of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, whereas the third set concerns the nature of transitions between the problem and solution space. The assumptions were empirically tested as part of a protocol analysis study of team ideation and concept review activities. Besides revealing inconsistencies in how analysis, synthesis, and evaluation are defined and interpreted across the literature, the study demonstrates co-evolution patterns, which cannot be described by the conventional models. It highlights the important role of analysis-synthesis cycles during both divergent and convergent activities, which is co-evolution and refinement, respectively. The findings are summarised in the form of a model of the increase in the number of new problem and solution entities as the conceptual design phase progresses, with implications for both design research and design education.

scholarly journals Integrated TRIZ-AHP Support System for Conceptual Design

2014 ◽  
Vol 548-549 ◽  
pp. 1998-2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.U. Rosli ◽  
M.K.A. Ariffin ◽  
S.M. Sapuan ◽  
S. Sulaiman
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Support System ◽  
Material Selection ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Solution Generation ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Root Cause Identification

.Amid the fierce rising competition in the market, accelerating the problem solving and decision making process have become major issues in product design especially in conceptual design stage. For years, Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) has been extensively applied in problem solving. In this paper, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was proposed to strengthen three major steps in TRIZ methodology namely as problem definition, root cause identification and solution generation. The integration was then structured in the form of computer-based system. The integration, application and software in AHP and TRIZ method have been discussed in this paper. This proposed support system not only provided evidence that TRIZ methodologies improved by the support of AHP and also aided the designers in early design phase such as concept, process and material selection.

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