Developing a design supporting tool for function-based engineering design approaches

Abstract

Engineering design is a complex activity that requires cross-domain knowledge and experience. Many engineering design methodologies have been proposed to describe engineering design and engineering design processes. In order to assist the implementation of these design methodologies, various design representations and design supporting tools are developed along with the methodologies. For example, the systematic approach proposed by Pahl and Beitz possesses the function structure as its design representation and the design repository as its design support. Creativity, as an essential element in engineering design, allows engineering designers to be capable of generating novel and useful design ideas. To assist the idea generation in engineering design, many creative tools including brainstorming and morphological analysis have been developed. Among all creativity tools, the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ), developed based on the analysis of thousands of patents, may be the only tool that could actually help engineering designers at the concept-solution location and actual problem solving stage. The TRIZ toolkit possesses several useful tools such as inventive principles and contradiction matrix that could help its users to avoid “trial and error” by employing systematic idea generation and problem solving methods. TRIZ functional analysis is an essential tool in modern TRIZ practice that helps engineering designers to analyse component interactions within the technical system and search for weaknesses that require improvements. The functional analysis diagram (FAD) provides a visualised interface that allows engineering designers to record and analyse the component interactions. Together with the TRIZ 76 standard solutions, functional analysis is an effective tool in assisting problem solving processes. While the TRIZ functional analysis is usually applied to improve the weaknesses of current designs, its feasibility in new product design has not yet been explored. The aim of this research is to develop a methodology that implements TRIZ functional analysis for new product design. In addition to the design methodology, a component database, Mechanism and Machine Element Taxonomy (MMET), has been developed as a part of design methodology to expand the knowledge space available during the design process. Several case studies including the design of a deformable surgical platform, a plan of an ecology sustainable village, and a performance assessment facility for a passive ventilation system are conducted in order to validate the design methodology. While the first two case studies aim to verify the application of FAD and MMET in function-based design processes, the latter two case studies aim to extend FAD’s application to the design of other types of technical systems. The application of both a function-based design improvement process and a new product design process have been extended and verified.