Mechatronic System Design using Model-Based Systems Engineering and Set-Based Concurrent Engineering Principles

Abstract

In the upstream design stage, designers with narrow knowledge of design for performance (DFP) and design for quality (DFQ) produce a rough part design with arbitrary geometry. This leads to iterative exchange loops between design participants in the early design stage and generates additional cost every time there is a modification. To overcome this issue, the integration of a system engineering approach hinged on set based concurrent engineering principles will reduce the exchange loops between engineers and optimize the use of time and resources. This approach is based on information flows: The upstream flow represents the exchange of information issued from system engineer to the different specialists, while the downstream flow serves as a feedback from the specialists to help system engineer in trade- off analysis. In this paper, a novel approach based on exchange flows is used to reduce the exchange loops between engineers. In the context of design for performance, system’s constraints are introduced as key value attributes to evaluate trade-offs and to choose the best system architecture. Then, for each solution of the design space, the clustering phase is done through a developed algorithm to eliminate unfeasiule or costly solutions using filters like lead-time, production cost, quality, reliability and performance. Finally, a trade-off analysis is done to compare the reduced set of solutions. A case study concerning an electronic throttle body will be posed to illustrate various stages of this concurrent engineering approach.