Chapter 3

Introduction to Engineering Design

Introduction to Engineering

Introduction to Engineering Design

Engineers, regardless of their backgrounds, follow

certain steps when designing the products and

services we use in our every day lives.

Outline

Outline
In this chapter we will
Introduce you to the engineering design

process
Discuss the basic steps that most engineers

follow when designing a product

Discuss the importance of considering

sustainability in design

Outline
Outline out

Introduce important design factors such as

Teamwork
Project scheduling
Material selection
Economic consideration
Engineering standards and codes

Present cases studies in civil, mechanical/ electrical

engineering

objective
The main objective of this
chapter is:
To introduce the steps engineers
follow to successfully design
products or provide services that
we use in our everyday lives

The Engineering Design Process

The Engineering Design Process:

Engineering is inherently about solving problems. This could

be as simple as solving a homework problem or as complex as
designing and building an airplane.
As engineering solutions become more complex, a systematic
approach becomes highly beneficial. This systematic approach
to finding solutions is called the engineering design process.
There are different ways to organize the steps in this process.
The exact number of steps in the process may vary. Our text
introduces an 8-step process as shown on the following page.

The Engineering Design Process

1. Recognizing the Need for
a Product or Service
2. Problem Definition and
Understanding
3. Research and Preparation
4. Conceptualization
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation
7. Optimization
8. Presentation

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

1. Recognizing the Need for

a Product or Service

A product that consumers will like

An item that will be marketable
Solution to a problem in society
Broad definition first
Avoid jumping to any particular solution

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Case Study
Minnkota Electric Outboard Drive is designed and
manufactured by Johnson Outdoors in Mankato, MN with
headquarter in Racine, WI
Step 1: Recognizing the need for a product or a service
Marketing department at Johnson Outdoors recognized the
growing interest in environmentally friendly power sources
for their boating industry
Marketing department contacted the engineering department
to discuss the feasibility of developing new generation of
motors that are environmentally friendly
Increasingly, more states were enacting regulations banning
the use of gasoline boat motors in public water ways
including lakes and rivers

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

2. Problem Definition and

Understanding

It is important to fully understand the task

ahead of your team.
How much money is available?
What deadlines are involved?
What restrictions are involved?
What criteria must be met?
Solutions to problems are often handled by
breaking the task into parts. Communication
among group members is critical.
What parts of the project is my group
responsible for?

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 2: Problem definition and understanding
The details of the project requirements were defined
Design specifications included

Motor had to move a 17 feet long Pontoon at a speed of 5 mph

minimum
Boat operator had to have the capability to trim and tilt from a
remote console
Motor had to be compatible with industry standard steering
wheel mechanism

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

3. Research and Preparation

Collect useful information

Search for similar products or components
Avoid re-inventing the wheel
Perhaps you could adopt or modify existing
components
Review and organize the information
collected in a suitable manner
Internet searches are very useful
Search vendor catalogs for the most useful
components

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 3: Research and preparation
Engineers checked existing design inventory to determine

if a motor already exists that would meet some or all

requirements
A mechanical engineering student was commissioned to
look at state regulations concerning the use of gasoline vs.
electric boat motors

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

4. Conceptualization

Generate ideas that could offer a reasonable

solution
Brainstorming do not discount any ideas yet
Perform enough analysis to determine if each
solution has merit and is worth pursuing
further
Develop a task chart for completion of the
project

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 4: Conceptualization
The engineering designers (12 of them) met on weekly

basis to brain storm and bounce ideas off each other.

They reviewed the information that was gathered in Step
3.
They developed few concepts to pursue further
An additional idea that surfaced was the use of an electric
linear actuator in place of a hydraulic actuator. The idea
was pursued further.

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

5. Synthesis

Details of possible design solutions are

considered here
Perform calculations
Use computer simulation
narrow down the type of materials to be
used,.
size the components of the system.
answer questions about how the product is
going to be fabricated
Consult pertinent codes and standards for
compliance

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 5: Synthesis
The design engineers began to

consider details
They consulted pertinent codes and
standards to make sure that their
design was in compliance
Most of the design was done in ProE
and prototypes were built in machine
and electrical labs
The unique design of the propeller
required the use of a manufacturing
process known as investment casting

Exploded diagram of motor

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

6. Evaluation

Analyze the problem in more detail

Build and test prototype models
Determine the best solution from the
alternatives (see evaluation tool in text)
Identify critical design parameters and
consider their influence in your final design
Make sure that all calculations are performed
correctly

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 6: Evaluation
Numerical experiments were conducted using

ProMechanica
Finite element techniques were used to look at stresses in
critical components of the motor itself and the mounting
bracket and the lifting mechanism
Numerical experiments were performed to study the
hydrodynamics of propeller designs including thrust,
cavitation, speed, and drag

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 6: Evaluation (continued)
Using GPS, the speed of the boat was
measured over a period of several hours to
quantify the motors speed a s a function of
time
The collected data were used to compare
to competitors motors
Stress results from finite element
analysis

Engineers used ProMechanica to conduct numerical

experiments on the motor

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

7. Optimization

Optimization = minimization or maximization

A functional design meets all of the design
requirements.
An optimized design improves on the functional
design in areas such as cost, strength, speed,
weight, etc.
Optimizing individual components of an

engineering system does not necessarily lead to

an optimized system
Optimization is often an iterative procedure. See
the procedure shown on the next page.

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
An Optimization Procedure
Engineering Design Process
Step 7 - Optimization
This process is considered to
be iterative. This means that
certain portions of the process
may need to be repeated. For
example, if a weakness in the
design is detected, a search
for more information might be
conducted.
Note that the design process
may be used for an entire
project as well as for
subsystems of the project.

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 7: Optimization
Based on results obtained from Step 6,

modifications were made to the design

and additional analyses performed
Results of numerical experiments were
used to optimized the design of
propeller and mounting bracket
Conducted many hours of actual field
testing in water and simulated life
testing in labs to help with
optimization of final design

Actual testing of the system

in a lake

Testing of the system in a

laboratory setting

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps

8. Presentation

Communicate your solution to the client

This might include:
Oral reports
Written reports
Performance data
CAD drawings & schematics
Parts lists
Instruction & training manuals
Etc.

Design Process Basic Steps

Design Process Basic Steps
Step 8: Presentation
The product development process took approximately two years
During this period design engineers gave

weekly progress reports to the rest of design group;

quarterly status oral and written reports to the marketing department and group vice
president
final presentation to the Board of Directors
Presentation duration ranged from 15 minutes to an entire afternoon
Presentation addressed several issues including
Development cost
Unit cost
Market outlook
Performance characteristics
Testing results
Environmental impact

Other Engineering Design Considerations

Engineering economics
Material selection
Teamwork
Conflicts Resolution
Project scheduling and task chart
Evaluating alternatives
Patent, trademark, and copyright
Engineering standards and codes

Engineering Economics
Economic factors always play important roles in

engineering design decision making

Products that are too expensive cannot be sold at a

price that consumers can afford and still be

profitable to the company
Products must be designed to provide services not

only to make our lives better but also to make good

profits for the manufacturer

Material Selection
Selection of materials is an important design decision
Examples of properties to consider when selecting

materials

Density
Ultimate strength
Flexibility
Machinability
Durability
Thermal expansion
Electrical & thermal conductivity
Resistance to corrosion

Material Properties
Material properties depend on many factors

How the material was processed

Its age

Its exact chemical composition

Any nonhomogenity or defect within the material

Material properties change with temperature and time

as the material ages

In practice, you use property values provided by the

manufacturer for design; textbook values are typical

values

List of Some Material Properties

Electrical resistivity : a measure of resistance of material to flow of electricity.
Density : : how compact the material is for a given volume.
Modulus of Elasticity : how easily material will stretch or shorten.
Modulus of Rigidity : a measure of how easily a material can be twisted or

sheared.
Modulus of resilience : a mechanical property of a material that shows how
effective the material is in absorbing mechanical energy without going
through any permanent damage.
Modulus of toughness : a mechanical property of a material that indicates the
ability of the material to handle overloading before it fractures.
Thermal expansion : the change in the length of a material that would occur if
the temperature of the material is changed.
Thermal conductivity : how good the material is in transferring thermal
energy .
Heat capacity : represents the amount of thermal energy required to raise the
temperature of one kilogram mass of a material by one degree Celsius.
Materials with large heat capacity values are good at storing thermal energy

Material Properties (uid properties)

Viscosity : a measure of how easily the given uid

can ow. The higher the viscosity value is, the more
resistance the uid offers to ow.
Vapor pressure : uids with low vapor-pressure
values will not evaporate as quickly as those with
high values of vapor pressure.
Bulk modulus of compressibility : represents how
compressible the uid is. How easily can one
reduce the volume of the uid when the uid
pressure is increased.

Teamwork
Design team

a group of individuals with complementary

expertise, problem solving skills, and talent
who are working together to solve a problem or
achieve a common goal
Employers are looking for individuals who not only

have a good grasp of engineering fundamentals but

who can also work well with others in a team
environment

Common Traits of Good Teams

Successful teams have the following components:
The project that is assigned to a team must have

clear and realistic goals. These goals must be

understood and accepted by all members of the
team.

The team should be made up of individuals with

complementary expertise, problem solving skills,

background, and talent.

The team must have a good leader.

Common Traits of Good Teams

The team leadership and the

environment in which discussions take

place should promote openness,
respect, and honesty.
The team goals and needs should come

before individual goals and needs.

Secondary Roles of Good Team Members

The Organizer experienced and confident;

trusted by members of the team and serves as a

coordinator for the entire project
The Creator good at coming up with new ideas,

sharing them with other team members, and letting

the team develop the ideas further
The Gatherer enthusiastic and good at obtaining

things, looking for possibilities, and developing

contacts

Secondary Roles of Good Team Members

The Motivator energetic, confident, and

outgoing; good at finding ways around obstacles

The Evaluator intelligent and capable of

understanding the complete scope of the project;

good at judging outcomes correctly
The Team Worker tries to get everyone to come

together, does not like friction or problems among

team members

Secondary Roles of Good Team Members

The Solver reliable and decisive and can turn

concepts into practical solution

The Finisher can be counted on to finish his or

her assigned task on time; detail oriented and may

worry about the teams progress toward finishing
the assignment

Conflicts
When a group of people work together, conflicts
sometimes arise. Conflicts could be the result of
Miscommunication
Personality differences
The way events and actions are interpreted by a

member of a team

Conflict Resolution
Managing conflicts is an important part of a team

dynamic
In managing conflicts, it is important to recognize

there are three types of people:

Accommodating
Compromising
Collaborative

Conflict Resolution Type of People

Accommodating team members - avoid

conflicts

Allow assertive individuals to dominate

Making progress as a whole difficult

Could lead to poor team decision

Conflict Resolution Type of People

Compromising team members

Demonstrate moderate level of

assertiveness and cooperation. By
compromising, the team may have
sacrificed the best solution for the sake of
group unity

Conflict Resolution
Collaborative Conflict Resolution Approach

High level of assertiveness and cooperation by

the team
No finger pointing
Team proposes solutions
Means of evaluation
Combine solutions to reach an ideal solution

Project Scheduling and Task Chart

A process that engineering managers use to ensure that a project is

completed on time and within the allocated budget

Evaluating Alternatives
When a design is narrowed down to a

few workable concepts, evaluation of

these concepts is needed before detail
design is pursued
Each design would have its own

evaluation criteria

An Example of evaluation worksheet

Sustainability in Design
Sustainability and sustainable
engineering can be defined as
design and development that meets the
needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability in Design
Engineers contribute to both private and public

sectors of our society

In private sector, they design and produce the goods

and services that we use in our daily lives to allow us

to enjoy a high standard of living
In public sector, they support local, state, and federal

mission such as meeting our infrastructure needs,

energy and food security, and national defense

Sustainability in Design
Engineers contribute to both private and public

sectors of our society

In private sector, they design and produce the

goods and services that we use in our daily lives to

allow us to enjoy a high standard of living
In public sector, they support local, state, and

federal mission such as meeting our infrastructure

needs, energy and food security, and national
defense

Sustainability in Design
Increasingly, because of worldwide socioeconomic

trends, environmental concerns, and earths finite

resources, more is expected of engineers

Future engineers are expected to design and provide

goods and services that increase the standard of

living and advance health care, while addressing
serious environmental and sustainability concerns

In designing products and services, engineers must

consider the link among earths finite resources,

environmental, social, ethical, technical, and
economical factors

Patent, Trademark, and Copyright

Patent, trademark, service marks, and

copyrights provide a mean to promote new

ideas and inventions and at the same time to
protect the inventors intellectual properties
These are examples of means by which
intellectual property is protected by the U.S.
laws

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-50

Patent
The right to exclude others from making, using, offering

for sale, or selling the invention in U.S. or importing the

invention into U.S.
Does not grant the inventor the right to make, use, or
sell the invention, it excludes others for doing so
New patent is protected for 20 years from the date the
patent application is filed
Design patent is good for 14 years from the time it was
granted

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-51

Patent (continued)
Utility patent lasts for either 17 years from the time it

was granted or 20 years from the earliest filing date,

whichever is longer
A utility patent is issued for the way an item works
A design patent protects the way an item looks

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-52

Trademark
Trademark is a name, word, or symbol that a

company uses to distinguish its products from

others
Excludes others from using the same or similar
mark
It does not prevent others from making the
same or similar products

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-53

Service Mark
Service mark is a name, word, or symbol that a

company uses to distinguish its services from others

Excludes others from using the same or similar mark
It does not prevent others from providing the same or
similar services

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-54

Copyright
Protection provided by the laws of the U.S. to the

authors of original works of authorship

Covers literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other
types of intellectual works
Covers both published and unpublished work
Protects form of expression, not the content or the
subject matter

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-55

Copyright (continued)
After 1/1/1978, copyright laws protect the work for
The

authors life plus 70 years

the last surviving authors life plus 70 years in the case of
multiple authors

Currently, no international copyright laws for

worldwide protection

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-56

Engineering Standards and Codes

Developed over the years by various
organizations to ensure product safety and
reliability in services, and uniformity in parts
and components

Why do we need standards and codes?

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-57

Engineering Standards and Codes (continued)

Standards allow for easy way to communicate the size of a product

For example, if we had global standards for shirts and shoes, then the

above cross referenced tables would not be necessary

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-58

Engineering Standards and Codes (continued)

Example of an engineered product that adhere to many standards

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-59

Engineering Standards and Codes (continued)

Example of products conforming to the ISO

2011 Cengage Learning Engineering. All Rights Reserved.

3-60