Engineering Design Process

What is Design?

The word “design” is often used as a generic

term that refers to anything that was made by
a conscious human effort.

Design is also a process that is used to

systematically solve problems.
The process of originating and developing a
plan for a new object
What is a Design Process?

A design process is a systematic

problem-solving strategy, with criteria and
constraints, used to develop many
possible solutions to solve or satisfy
human needs or wants and to narrow
down the possible solutions to one final
choice.
NASA’s model
Another example: Design Process

1. Identifying problems and opportunities

2. Framing a design brief
3. Investigation and research
4. Generating alternative solutions
5. Choosing a solution
6. Developmental work
7. Modeling and prototyping
8. Testing and evaluating
9. Redesigning and improving
Another example: Design Process
1. Define a Problem
2. Brainstorm
3. Research and Generate Ideas
4. Identify Criteria and Specify
Constraints
5. Explore Possibilities
6. Select an Approach
7. Develop a Design Proposal
8. Make a Model or Prototype
9. Test and Evaluate the Design
using Specifications
10. Refine the Design
11. Create or Make Solution
12. Communicate Processes and
Results
1. Identify the Problem

 Engineers are Problem Solvers

 Understand the scope and the
nature of the problem
 Identify the correct issues and
background of the problem
 Clearly define the problem

Source: http://clipart-library.com/thinking-face-cliparts.html
2. Develop a Design Brief

 Identify Criteria and Constraints

 What exactly should the

equipment do in terms of
functionality?

 What should it not do?

 Draft the design brief

3. Research and Generate Ideas
through brainstorming
•Conduct interviews with those
affected by the problem.
•Research solutions that may
already exist; identify shortcomings
and reasons why they aren’t
appropriate to a given situation.
•Compile ideas and report findings
to the team.
4. Define Working Criteria, Goals &
Constraints

 Establish preliminary goals

 Develop working criteria to compare
possible solutions
 Specifications
 Constraints

 Identify constraints (i.e., budget and

time are typical considerations).
 Use resources to help research
including: Internet, Library, journals.
4 contd. (Define the working criteria and
goals)

 How much will it cost?

 Will it be difficult to produce?
 What will be the size, weight,
strength?
 What will it look like?
 Will it be easy to use?
 Are there legal concerns?
 Will it be reliable?
4 contd. (Define the working criteria and
goals)

 Will it meet the SABS/EPA standard?

 Is this what the customer truly wanted?
 Will our customers want to purchase it?
 Will customers want to purchase this
version instead of a competitor’s
product?
 Is it feasible for our customer to buy it?
 Are there environmental concerns which
must be considered?
5. Brainstorm and Generate
Creative Ideas
 Develop as many creative ideas as
possible
 No idea is a bad idea
 Document all ideas
 Combine ideas to create new ideas
 Do not evaluate
 If time permitted, hold a second
session to give people time to
consider additional options
 Goal: Long list of ideas!
 Decide on Final idea
6. Explore possibilities
 Consider further development of
brainstorming ideas with constraints
and tradeoffs.
 Explore alternative ideas based on
further knowledge and technologies.
 Review brainstormed information and
answer any lingering questions.
7. Analyze Potential Solutions
 Eliminate duplicate ideas
 Clarify ideas
 Select ideas to analyze in more detail
 Qualitative analysis
 Quantitative analysis
 Democratic analysis
8. Develop Models
 Develop models for the selected
solutions to help communicate the
idea, and study aspects such as
shape, form, fit, material or texture.
 Types of models: descriptive,
functional, mathematical, computer,
and scale.
9. Test and Evaluate the design using
specifications
 Test each model against working criteria
and goals
 Gather performance data; analyze and
check results against established criteria
(reliability, strength, environmental,
quality consistency, safety)
 Conduct a formal critique to flesh out
areas of concerns, identify
shortcomings, and establish any need
for redesign work.
10. Make the Decision or refine the
design

 Evaluate the results of testing to

determine the solution to use
 If none of the solutions are ideal,
return to stage 7
 Once a solution is selected, continue
to stage 12
11. Redesign or Refine the design

 Make design changes; modify or rebuild

the prototype.
 Make refinements until accuracy and
repeatability of the prototype’s
performance results are consistent.
 Update documentation to reflect changes.
 Receive user’s critique to provide outside
perspective to established criteria have
been met.
12. Communicate and Specify
 Document the design’s specifications
and measurements and communicate
to all groups
 Communication between groups is
especially important in this stage
 Meetings
 Presentations
 Reports
 Drawings
13. Implement & Commercialize
(First build the prototype)
 Final design revisions, follow your plans
and drawings
 All groups should agree on the proposed
project, including: Management, Technical,
Business, and legal support representatives
 Determine custom/mass production.
 Consider packaging.
 Implement the best solution then Produce
 Market the Product.
 Distribute.
14. Post-Implementation Review
and Assessment

 Review the product’s performance

 Assess the product’s strength and
weaknesses and document
 Make suggestions for future
improvements
Source Citation
 Gomez,Alan. Oakes,William.
Leone,Les. Engineering Your Future.
Great Lake Press, Inc. 2004. p.352-
363.
 Project Lead the Way ppt. slides.
 International technology and
engineering educators association,
The engineering design process
presentation 2.1.1, foundations of
technology, 3rd ed. 2011.
Take a little break….

Next …….

Engineering in a nut shell,

Standards, codes, ECSA
regulations
The Essence of Your Engineering Career

 Engineering is one of the most important

professions in society.

 As engineers we don’t just build things and

develop processes.

 We build things and make processes in order to

better society.

 In order to make society better we have to

reflect constantly on our product designs and
processes that we make.
Design levels

• Adaptive design

• Developed design

• New designs……….
Adaptive design

The process in which the design

parameters of existing machines are
slightly modified and a new member is
formed without changing much of the
existing structure but the efficiency of
the model is improved. e.g. various
bicycle models, phone models,
wristwatch models.
Developed model

The engineer imposes the working

principle of one machine part on
another machine part to produce a new
product which may have better working
quality, shape, and performance. e.g.
developing a motorcycle from the
working principle of an automobile
internal combustion engine.
New design

A new design is likened to an invention

that was never in existence. This is
achieved by studying the scientific
principles of various theories, properties
of various materials, characteristics of
various objects and apply these tin order
to develop a new product.
Such designs may be patented (IP).
Important tentative dates

T1 22/03/2022 T2 16/05/2022
TUESDAY MONDAY

13:00-14:25 08:00-10:00
Consultation hours
DETAILS AVAILABLE ON
ULINK

Weekly Slot: Thursday, 1300:1400

Subject to confirmation
Email:[email protected]
Standard, codes, regulations

A standard is defined as a criterion,

rule, principle, or description
considered by an authority, or by
general consent or usage and
acceptance, as a basis for
comparison or judgment or as an
approved model.
Standards

 ISO
 BS
 DIN
 TS
Standards categorization by source

categorization by source of development:

1. Governmental regulations and standards
2. Consensus standards
3. Technical society, trade association, and
industry standards
4. Company standards
5. Standards of good engineering practice
6. Standards of consumer expectations
Standards categorization by function

1. Interchangeability standards
2. Performance standards
3. Construction standards
4. Safety standards
5. Test-procedure or test-method
standards
Ethics in engineering
What it is!

 System of moral principles

Principles of right and wrong
 Principles of conduct governing
behavior of an individual or a group
How Ethics Fits into Engineering
Engineers……

 Build Products such as conveyor

systems, elevators, bridges,
automobile.
 Develop processes such as
desalination system to convert sea
water to fresh water.
How Ethics Fits into Engineering
 If the bridge has an inadequate support,
it will fail.
 If the gas tank is positioned too close to
the bumper, it might explode from a
small accident.
 If a medical instrument isn’t accurate,
improper doses of medication can be
given.
 If the process for refining gas produces
too much toxins, it harms the local
community
Engineering ethics

Decisions made by engineers

usually have serious
consequences to people -- often
to multitudes of people.

 Ethics and ethical reasoning

guide decision-making.
Ethics in engineering (ECSA 2017)

This Code of Conduct was approved by the ECSA Council on 16

March 2017 and has been published under the Engineering
Profession Act, 2000 (Act 46 of 2000) as Board Notice 41 in
Government Gazette No. 40691 on Friday, 17 March 2017.
Ethics in engineering (ECSA 2017)

The objectives of the Code are to

ensure that professional
engineers: 
 Apply their knowledge and skill in the interests of humanity
and the environment
 Execute their work with integrity, sincerity and in accordance
with generally accepted norms of professional conduct
 Respect the interests of their fellow beings and honor the
standing of the profession
 Continuously improve their professional skills and those of
their subordinates
 Encourage excellence within the engineering profession
Ethics in engineering (ECSA 2017)

Professional engineers are expected

to follow defined standards in the
following categories: 
 Competency
 Integrity
 Public interest
 Environment
 Dignity of the profession
Typical Ethical Issues that Engineers Encounter

 Safety
 Acceptable risk
 Compliance
 Confidentiality
 Environmental health
 Data integrity
 Conflict of interest
 Honesty/Dishonesty
 Societal impact
 Fairness
 Accounting for uncertainty, etc.
Engineers should follow their professional code of
ethics because:
A. The public will trust engineers more if they
know engineers have a code of ethics.
B. It helps them avoid legal problems, such as
getting sued.
C. It provides a clear definition of what the
public has as right to expect from
responsible engineers.
D. It raises the image of the profession and
hence gets engineers more pay.
OHSA

The Occupational Health and Safety

Act (OHSA) are supported by
subordinate legislation, Regulations
and Codes of Practice, which give
practical guidelines on how to
manage health and safety issues.
OHSA Amended Occupational Health and Safety
Act (No. 85 of 1993 )

Summarily:
 To provide for the health and safety of persons at
work and for the health and safety of persons in
connection with the use of plant and machinery
 the protection of persons other than persons at
work against hazards to health and  safety arising
out of or in connection with the activities of
persons at work
 to establish an advisory council for occupational
health and safety
 and to provide for matters connected therewith.
Systems engineering

Systems Engineering integrates all the disciplines

and specialty groups into a team effort forming a
structured development process that proceeds
from concept to production to operation.
Systems Engineering considers both the business
and the technical needs of all customers with the
goal of providing a quality product that meets
the user needs
Systems Engineering

• Systems Engineering is an
interdisciplinary approach and means to
enable the realization of successful
systems.
• It focuses on defining customer needs
and required functionality early in the
development cycle, documenting
requirements, then proceeding with
design synthesis and system validation
while considering the complete problem.
Systems Engineering

SIMILAR
This process is usually comprised of the
following seven tasks: State the problem,
Investigate alternatives, Model the
system, Integrate, Launch the system,
Assess performance, and Re-evaluate
Factors influencing design
Engineering design aims at designing
components/elements which will work
satisfactorily. Factors influencing
designs include:
1. Strength & stiffness
2. Surface finishing and tolerance
3. Manufacturability
4. Ergonomics & aesthetics
5. Working atmosphere
6. Wear & hardness requirements
7. Cooling & lubrication
Factors influencing design

8. Safety & reliability

9. Noise requirement
10. Cost
11. Manufacturability
12. Ergonomics & aesthetics
13. Working atmosphere
14. Wear & hardness requirements
15. Cooling & lubrication
Material selection criteria

Selection of materials is influenced by

service use conditions. The right
material must be selected to avoid
failure before end of service life.
Common mechanical properties are:
1. Strength: Ability to bear applied load
without failing
2. Hardness: Ability to resist surface abrasion
3. Toughness: Ability to resist shock load
4. Ductility: Allows to be drawn into thin wires
5. Malleability: Ease to roll into thin sheets
Materials
Metals & alloys
 Steel
 Iron
 Copper
 Magnesium

Composites
Ceramics
 Refractory composites
 Glass

Polymers
 Rubber
 Plastics
Common manufacturing processes

Manufacturing processes

Shaping Joining

Machining Surface finishing

Non-conventional machining

Heat treatment of the product

Common shaping processes

Shaping processes

Casting Forging

Extruding Rolling
Common machining processes

Machining

Turning Shaping

Milling Drilling
Common joining processes

Joining process

Welding Riveting

Brazing Screw Fastening

Common surface finishing processes

Surface finishing processes

Grinding Honing

Lapping Buffing

Electroplating
Non-conventional machining processes

Non-conventional machining processes

Ultrasonic machining Laser beam machining

Electrochemical machining Chemical machining

Abrasive jet machining

Communication of engineering design

The output of an engineering design

consists of specifications for a product
or a process. Much of the output is in
the form of drawings that convey
instructions for the manufacturing of
components, the design considerations,
considered calculations, the assembly
of components into machines, machine
installations, and maintenance.
Engineering design report
What is a design report? A design
report documents the solution to a
unique problem.
Before You Begin
Some basics that you need to understand
before starting to write a design report

Purpose Audience
Engineering design report
Design

Are you Ready?

For the semester’s

DESIGN CHALLENGE!!!
Aspire to be the best!!!