Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in Information Technology

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Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in
Information Technology

• The Engineering Process

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References

• Definition of the Engineering Method Billy
  Vaughn Koen American Society for Engineering
  Education 1985 ISBN 0-87823-101-3
• Discussion of The Method Billy Vaughn Koen
  Oxford University Press 2003 ISBN
  0-19-515599-8
• Strategies for Creative Problem Solving H. Scot
  Fogler and Steven E. LeBlanc Prentice-Hall
  1995 ISBN 0-13-179318-7

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Engineers and Scientists

• Science and mathematics is about understanding
  and describing the world.
• Engineering is about using this understanding to
  create new objects and devices for the practical
  benefit of humans and society.
• Science uses the scientific method
• Engineering uses the design process

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Engineers and Scientists

• The Scientific Method
• Observe some aspect of the universe
• Formulate a hypothesis consistent with
  observation
• Use the hypothesis to make predictions
• Test the predictions with experiments
• Modify the hypothesis in light of results
• Repeat testing until no discrepancies between
  theory and experiment

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Engineers and Scientists

• Engineering Design Process
• Identify the problem or design objective
• Define goals and identify constraints
• Research and gather information
• Create potential solutions
• Analyze the viability of the solutions
• Choose the most appropriate solution
• Implement the solution
• Test and evaluate the design
• Repeat ALL steps as necessary

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Heuristics

• A heuristic is anything that provides a plausible
  aid or direction in the solution of a problem.
• Heuristics are usually unjustified and
  potentially fallible.
• Engineering design is the use of heuristics.
• Heuristics are used to cause the best change in a
  poorly understood situation within the available
  resources.

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Engineering Design Process
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Problem Definition 1. Clarify objectives 2.
Establish user requirements 3. Identify
constraints 4. Establish functions
Client Statement (Need)
Conceptual Design 5. Establish design
specifications 6. Generate alternatives
Design Process
Preliminary Design 7. Model or analyze design 8.
Test and evaluate design
Detailed Design 9. Refine and optimize design
Final Design (Fabrication Specs Documentation)
Design Communication 10. Document design
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Convergent (left brain) and Divergent (right
brain) Thinking
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Problem Definition

• Methods
• Objective Tree
• Pairwise Comparison Chart
• Weighted Objectives Tree
• Function-Means Tree
• Functional Analysis
• Requirements Matrix

• Means
• Literature Review
• Brainstorming
• User Surveys and Questionnaires
• Structured Interviews

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Building an Objectives Tree
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Building an Objectives Tree
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Functional Analysis

• What does the design DO?
• What functions must be performed to realize the
  objectives?
• Put the language of the client and users into the
  language of the engineer.
• Put things into terminology that helps to find
  ways to meet objectives.
• Use terminology that can be used to measure how
  well the objectives have been met.

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What are Functions?

• A relationship between independent variables
  (inputs) and response or dependent variables.
  (outputs)
• Mathematics
• Business Management Theory

Transformation function
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Black and Glass Boxes

• Like the mathematical and management models -
  relate the inputs to the outputs
• All ins and outs must be specified
• What happens to each input?
• Where does the output come from?
• Remove the cover to see what's going on inside.

Black Box
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Black Box of a Radio
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Radio Glass Box(the cover has been removed)
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Function-Means Tree

• A graphical representation of the design's basic
  and secondary functions
• Alternating levels of function and means
• Begins the process of association of what must be
  done and how we might do it.
• Can be used to separate and sort secondary
  functions associated with the design.

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Heuristics

• A heuristic is anything that provides a plausible
  aid or direction in the solution of a problem.
• Heuristics are usually unjustified and
  potentially fallible.
• Engineering design is the use of heuristics.
• Heuristics are used to cause the best change in a
  poorly understood situation within the available
  resources.

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Conceptual Design Finding a Feasible Concept.

• Break down the overall problem into subproblems.
• Find solutions to each subproblem
• Combine the subproblem solutions.
• The aim is to start with the project definition
  and generate as many ways as possible of solving
  the problem.
• Then select the most promising ideas that meet
  the design specification.

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Conceptual Design

• Methods
• Performance Specification Method
• Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
• Morphological Chart

• Means
• Brainstorming
• Synectics and Analogies
• Benchmarking
• Reverse Engineering (Dissection)

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Convergent (left brain) and Divergent (right
brain) Thinking