Complex Product Design Research Articles

Adaptive Robotic Systems Design in University of Applied Sciences

In the industry for highly specialized machine building (small series with high variety and high complexity) and in healthcare a demand for adaptive robotics is rapidly coming up. Technically skilled people are not always available in sufficient numbers. A lot of know how with respect to the required technologies is available but successful adaptive robotic system designs are still rare. In our research at the university of applied sciences we incorporate new available technologies in our education courses by way of research projects; in these projects students will investigate the application possibilities of new technologies together with companies and teachers. Thus we are able to transfer knowledge to the students including an innovation oriented attitude and skills. Last years we developed several industrial binpicking applications for logistics and machining-factories with different types of 3D vision. Also force feedback gripping has been developed including slip sensing. Especially for healthcare robotics we developed a so-called twisted wire actuator, which is very compact in combination with an underactuated gripper, manufactured in one piece in polyurethane. We work both on modeling and testing the functions of these designs but we work also on complete demonstrator systems. Since the amount of disciplines involved in complex product and machine design increases rapidly we pay a lot of attention with respect to systems engineering methods. Apart from the classical engineering disciplines like mechanical, electrical, software and mechatronics engineering, especially for adaptive robotics more and more disciplines like industrial product design, communication … multimedia design and of course physics and even art are to be involved depending on the specific application to be designed. Design tools like V-model, agile/scrum and design-approaches to obtain the best set of requirements are being implemented in the engineering studies from the early beginning.

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly vs. Design to Cost: Toward a Multi-objective Approach for Decision-making Strategies During Conceptual Design of Complex Products

Design-for-Assembly (DfA) and Conceptual DfA criteria are used in the generation of cost-effective assembly sequences for complex products. The design freedom suggests optimal solutions in the assembly time minimization problem regardless costs and issues about materials and manufacturing processes selection. The goal of this approach is to investigate how the application of the conceptual DfA affects the material and manufacturing costs (Design-to-Cost). A complex product (tool-holder carousel of a CNC machine) is used as a case study. The outcome is an approach to support designers and engineers in the re-design process for the product development and cost reduction.

Management of product design complexity due to epistemic uncertainty via energy flow modelling based on CPM

Abstract Integrated product design and development in today's highly competitive and economically challenging world is a complex process depending upon client requirements. One of the main factors contributing to the complexity of process is uncertainty due to lack of system knowledge, known as epistemic uncertainty. This paper proposes a systematic approach to reduce epistemic uncertainty in design process in early stages of design. The approach is based on “CTOC” and “CPM” to decompose the system behaviour and determine the relationships between function and structure of a system. An application of the approach is demonstrated through an industrial case study.

An Improved Fuzzy Evaluation Method on Assimilability of Complex Product Design Scheme

To effectively evaluate and analyze assimilability scheme of complex product, an improved evaluation method is proposed. It sets up three levels in the evaluation: scheme level, craft level and component level, giving evaluation indexes that can influence assimilability of complex product at every level. A corresponding evaluation index system is established. Based on the calculation of fuzzy distances and fuzzy nearness between different evaluation indexes, weighs of information entropy of indexes are gained. Then the levels of current complex product assembling scheme can be acquired. At last, specific project example is conducted to analyze and verify the model and the algorithm. The effectiveness and feasibility of the model and the algorithm are proven.

Managing Innovation Networks for Knowledge Mobility and Appropriability: A Complexity Perspective

AbstractDespite widespread recognition that an enterprise’s critical resources may extend beyond the enterprise’s traditional boundaries, with the focal enterprise drawing upon the resources of other firms and institutions through networks, there is a dearth of empirical research on knowledge mobility and appropriability patterns among innovative Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the lens of complexity science. We address this gap, by examining what, how, and why innovation-related knowledge flows from networks into SMEs, and how SMEs protect intellectual property (IP) and appropriate value. Based on a survey of 838 SMEs, we find patterns of internal and external knowledge flows with SMEs searching for ideas internally, and via market-based networks, with internally sourced ideas having the strongest impact on innovativeness. The results also show SMEs are most likely to network with market-based agents relative to localised learning networks. Further, networking with suppliers increases innovativeness, as does sourcing knowledge as part of a package with the purchase of new equipment, underscoring the importance of the vertical supply chain network. Despite limited interaction with localised learning networks, outsourcing R&D to these networks increases innovativeness. We also find that informal IP, in particular, secrecy, complexity of product design, and frequent and rapid changes to products/services increases innovativeness, as do formal copyrights and trademarks. In addition to protecting IP, these practices are product market strategies, enabling SMEs to commercialise innovations and appropriate value. But while appropriability mechanisms provide innovation benefits to individual agents, from the perspective of complexity science, IP mechanisms act as barriers to effective knowledge flows (e.g. information sharing) preventing innovative networking through the mechanism of a positive feedback loop to evolve to the state where distributed intelligence comes into play and facilitates break-through innovations.

A V-Diagram for the Design of Integrated Health Management for Unmanned Aerial Systems

Designing Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is inherently complex. UAS are a system of systems (SoS) and IVHM is a product- service, thus the designer has to take into account many factors, such as: the design of the other systems of the UAS (e.g. engines, structure, communications), the split of functions between elements of the UAS, the intended operation/mission of the UAS, the cost verses benefit of monitoring a system/component/part, different techniques for monitoring the health of the UAS, optimizing the health of the fleet and not just the individual UAS, amongst others. The design of IVHM cannot sit alongside, or after, the design of UAS, but itself be integrated into the overall design to maximize IVHM’s potential. Many different methods exist to help design complex products and manage the process. One method used is the V- diagram which is based on three concepts: decomposition & definition; integration & testing; and verification & validation. This paper adapts the V-diagram so that it can be used for designing IVHM for UAS. The adapted v-diagram splits into different tracks for the different system elements of the UAS and responses to health states (decomposition and definition). These tracks are then combined into an overall IVHM provision for the UAS (integration and testing), which can be verified and validated. The stages of the adapted V- diagram can easily be aligned with the stages of the V- diagram being used to design the UAS bringing the design of the IVHM in step with the overall design process. The adapted V-diagram also allows the design IVHM for a UAS to be broken down in to smaller tasks which can be assigned to people/teams with the relevant competencies. The adapted V-diagram could also be used to design IVHM for other SoS and other vehicles or products

Use of Monte Carlo method to estimate subsystem redesign risk for complex products: aircraft redesign case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to achieve the capability of redesigning complex products system with enhanced efficiency and effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – It is noted that, by changing one subsystem in a complex product design architecture, the change effects can be propagated to other subsystems through their interrelationships. This condition has to be taken into account when deciding on which subsystems to be modified in the redesign plan because the subsequent effects might be too risky for the development process. Estimating redesign risk for complex product architectures is not an easy task, thus designers often need a decision-making aid to efficiently select the best “change initiating” subsystems. This can be done by providing the designers with a ranking of subsystems based on their estimated redesign risk. Moreover, this decision-making process is taking place during early redesign stages whereby the uncertainties related to the actual level and type of changes to be made...

An Improved KM Algorithm for Computing the Structural Index of DAE System

Modeling and simulation technology is widely used to design complex products in industry. The problem of solving DAEs(Differential Algebraic Equations) is a key part of modeling and simulation technology, and computing the structural index of DAEs correctly and efficiently is very important to solve DAEs. The traditional algebraic method to compute the structural index is very costly. In this paper, we firstly convert the problem of computing the structural index of DAEs into the maximum weighted matching problem of bipartite graph, reducing a mass of symbolic manipulations; and then, we present an improved KM algorithm(called as Greedy_KM in this paper) based on the properties of DAEs to solve this matching problem. In order to solve the matching problem efficiently, it firstly computes matches as much as possible using greedy strategy, and then call KM algorithm to search the matches for the unmatched vertices after the step of greedy strategy. This paper also gives a set of numerical experiments to evaluate the time performance of our method. The results show that the time performance of Greedy_KM algorithm is significantly improved compared with the traditional Gaussian elimination algorithm and classical KM algorithm.

Assessment of static complexity in design and manufacturing of a product family and its impact on manufacturing performance

As products and their manufacturing systems have become more sophisticated and complex, both industry and academia have widely discussed complexity in product design and manufacturing to understand its impact. However, the impact of complexity on manufacturing performance has not been clearly articulated in the previous empirical studies despite the widely expected negative relationship between them. As a response, this paper considers static complexity, which is due to inherent structural characteristics in product design and manufacturing, to elucidate the impact of design and manufacturing complexity on manufacturing performance. Metrics to properly capture design and manufacturing complexity in a product family are proposed and applied to a screwdriver product family case. Then, regression analysis is performed to identify the impact of complexity on manufacturing performance under different demand levels and manufacturing strategies. As a result, the negative impacts of design and manufacturing complexity on lead time and total production cost and their changes commensurate to the increase in demand are observed under the make-to-order policy. On the other hand, similar negative impacts are not statistically significant under the make-to-stock policy. These results indicate that static complexity negatively affects manufacturing performance only in the make-to-order system; and the inventory held of common parts in the make-to-stock system decreases the influence of static complexity on manufacturing performance.

Computer-aided design-while-engineering technology in top-down modeling of mechanical product

In order to considerably reduce the overall time and cost associated with design process, it has been widely noted that data consistence and a unified software platform play a vital role in CAD/E integrated design. A novel modeling mechanism named as CADWE (Computer-Aided Design-While-Engineering) is proposed to merge CAD and CAE application into a unified pattern. Meanwhile,the CADWE maintains top–down modeling process and change propagation in complex product design. Preliminary model is adopted to build up consistent and shareable integration information model instead of focusing on programming to link different model to keep the consistence. Particularly, generalized feature and agent of preliminary geometry are put to use to achieve synchronous and automatic change propagation from preliminary geometry to detailed model and FEM application. Thus, not only numerous duplication and human error in complex simplification operation and incompatible data exchange may be avoided, but also much software development is dispensable. A software package is developed and used in change propagation with the aid of NX/Open API. To explain the CADWE modeling process with more insight, two examples are used as the case studies. By means of the comparison with the techniques in the literatures high relevant to this topic, it proves that the CADWE technology is good at handling complicated product modeling and their change propagation with little software development.

Mechanical pre-treatment of mobile phones and its effect on the Printed Circuit Assemblies (PCAs)

The recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) has attracted a notable amount of interest during the last few decades due to the high metal concentrations and substantial increase in the growth rate of WEEE. In addition, higher recovery and recycling rates required by the European Union demand more comprehensive treatment of WEEE. However, complex product design and the presence of harmful substances together with low concentrations of special metals present challenges for processing. This study examines the effect of mechanical treatment of mobile phones on metal concentrations in the printed circuit assembly (PCA) fraction compared to manual dismantling. The designed mechanical treatment process including crushing, sieving, magnetic-, eddy current- and sensor-based separation was able to separate plastics, ferrous metals, PCA and stainless steel for further treatment. The process separated PCA with an efficiency of 85%. However, the quality of the separated PCAs was poor compared with “pure” manually dismantled PCAs. The primary crushing of mobile phones destroys PCAs thus resulting in the loss of especially precious metals used in the connector coatings and in the surface-mounted components. As a result, the theoretical value of the produced PCA fraction is only half compared to using manual dismantling. However, high labour costs in western countries and low capacity may hinder the feasibility of hand dismantling.

Case-based Fast Optimization Design for Complex Products

Case-based Fast Optimization Design for Complex Products

Research on Rapid Design Method for Complex Product Based on General Structure Model and Reusable Parts Resource

Because of a few characteristics of complex product, such as the variety of its components, and the structural complexity and so on, the realization of the rapid design of complex product requires combination of a variety of theories and methods that support product’s rapid design. Therefore, this study assesses complex products and puts forward a new rapid design method based on general structure model and reusable parts resource. First of all, the characteristics and implementation process of this method is summarized. Then, the general structure model of the complex product family is established on the basis of modular thoughts, and the definitions of the four vari-size grained abstract concepts are discussed in this model as well as its semantic relationships. The configuration design of the complex products is based on this general structural model, and with the increase of networked product design information, and more and more manufacturing enterprises have built up their own web-based component repositories to store those detailed design information. On account of those, the rapid design process of the complex product is introduced, with configuration design and reusable parts resource as the core. Lastly, an application example (i.e. the conventional beam pumping unit) is presented to verify the feasibility of which has been discussed above.

Solving dynamic systems with multi-responses by integrating desirability function and data envelopment analysis

Today's complexity of product design requires improving multiple quality characteristics. This research proposes an approach that integrates the desirability function and data envelopment analysis ...

Design resource management for virtual prototyping in product collaborative design

Designers often have some difficulties in fulfilling complex product design due to the lack of design resources. It is a crucial issue that how to help designers to produce design from enormous, isomeric, and even distributed design resources of virtual prototyping and then ally those correlative distributed design resources to collaborative design. This article is devoted to an object-oriented design resource management for virtual prototyping in collaborative design. After the design resource unit model is proposed with the representation model of virtual prototyping, the object-oriented product design resource representation framework for virtual prototyping is then put forward. The storage, usage, search, version management, and security management strategies for design resources of virtual prototyping are then discussed in detail. The framework of design resource management system for virtual prototyping is also put forward to support collaborative design. The collaborative design of cold heading machine is given as an example, which demonstrates that the methodology is helpful to distributed knowledge reuse for collaborative design.

A Novel Rapid Conceptual Design Based on Knowledge Reuse and Evolution

Designers often have difficulties in fulfilling rapid conceptual design for complex products or system due to the lack of sufficient multi-disciplinary well-structured and well-evolved knowledge. Therefore, this paper presents a knowledge-based multi-disciplinary system for the conceptual design by reusing the knowledge and synthesizing the evolutionary design methodology (EDM). With the system, the designers can easily search the existing design data and successful cases for reusing or evolving the functions and parameters for the design to meet requirements. decomposing based on the knowledge. Evolutionary design methodology (EDM) originates from the regulation of the nature and corresponds to the rule of human cognitive competence. The process of the rapid conceptual design becomes easier for designers and customers to collaborate, which benefits from its advantages of one-sided to comprehensive and from abstract to detailed. This paper introduces EDM for rapid conceptual design and a tool to display it. With the visualized chart, the EDM is easy to be mastered and applied to research for designers. Some related works are discussed in Section II. Our evolutionary design methodology is presented in Section III. Section IV implements our approach through conceptual design software. And Section V concludes this paper.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization for Small Vertical Wind Turbine Design

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) represents the development direction of complex products design theory and method, it shows a huge advantage in solving complex optimization problems in engineering applications, for example product design. This paper briefly analyzes some existing problems of small vertical wind turbine, and puts forward using the theory of MDO in small vertical wind turbine structural optimization. Then,the paper analyzes and points out the key technology of using MDO theory to optimize small vertical wind turbine, and provides a new train of thought for further in-depth study of small vertical wind turbine to improve the overall performance of the small vertical wind turbine products.

Cooperation Design of Target Area for ICF Facility Based on Top-Down Mode

The top-down mode has been widely used in the cooperation design of complex products. It has great advantages over traditional down-up mode for such a complex system as target area for the ICF facility. By taking target area of National Ignition Facility (NIF) for example, this paper will present a process of three-dimensional cooperation design supported by a design platform. The parametric design software Creo (upgraded Pro/E) and PDM software Windchill PDMlink are seamlessly connected in the platform using the floating license. The whole design process of target area was based on top-down mode and driven by the skeleton models. The sub-assembly includes target chamber, beam transport system, and supporting system. The design has been concurrently accomplished by the system engineer and the sub-assembly engineers on the design platform. It has validated the feasibility of the cooperation design based on the top-down mode. It can technically support the realization of the cooperation design for NIF scaled high-power laser driver.

A web service-based multi-disciplinary collaborative simulation platform for complicated product development

In a ubiquitous computing environment, computer-aided engineering (CAE) software packages can be encapsulated as a service and be accessible through networks, which is essential to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for complex product design with limited computing resources. In this paper, a web service-based platform for the multi-disciplinary collaborative simulation (MDCSS) is proposed, which is a software-sharing environment. In MDCSS, although the CAE software packages reside in their remote application program servers, they are registered in the service center to be accessible according to the computing requests. Given the increasing CAE services with the same function, a quality of service (QoS)-aware scheduling method with real-time and countable parameters is proposed to adaptively select the most efficient web service among alternatives. Through an additional layer and an application broker for service scheduling, MDCSS allows allocating services automatically, keeping load balance, and minimizing human intervention. This platform is reusable, scalable, and efficient for implementation, which enables the end user to invoke the remote CAE software ubiquitously in a “pay-as-you-use” fashion.

Dynamic assembly simplification for virtual assembly process of complex product in cloud computing environment

Three-dimensional model–based virtual assembly process planning plays an important role in assembly design of complex product and is typically time- and resource-intensive. There are limited effective solution frameworks for delivering the three-dimensional model–based assembly process information to assembly field in order to directly guide the assembly tasks on site. A cloud service architecture for mobile three-dimensional model is proposed to address these challenges. Under this cloud computing architecture, this article introduces a dynamic assembly simplification approach, which regards the virtual assembly process of complex product as an incremental growth process of dynamic assembly. During the growth process, the current-assembled-state assembly model is simplified with appearance preserved by detecting and removing its invisible features, and the to-be-assembled components are simplified with assembly features preserved using conjugated subgraphs matching method based on MapReduce. The proposed approach has been tested on several cases, and the results show its feasibility and superiority.