Integrated Design Process Research Articles

Multidisciplinary integrated optimal design process for optomechanical structures.

This paper presents an integrated design process for optomechanical structures based on multidisciplinary optimization. The proposed integrated optimal design process comprises a finite element analysis by ANSYS Workbench, the MATLAB optomechanical transfer program, an optical analysis by ZEMAX, and the multidisciplinary optimization solver by Isight. In ANSYS Workbench, the deformation of optical surfaces, structures, and responses according to the design requirements is calculated in one project. Then, Zernike polynomial coefficients are calculated from surface deformation data of optical surfaces through a MATLAB optomechanical transfer program. In ZEMAX, the Zernike polynomial coefficients are imported into optical surface models of an optical system; then, optical performance parameters, such as the wavefront error, optical aberration, MTF, and OPD, are calculated. In the Isight environment, automatic iterative computations are performed between these three programs and, as a result, the design dimensions of optomechanical structures are determined, satisfying the design requirements and improving the performance of an optical system. By using this integrated optimal design process, the optimal design and analysis for a complete optomechanical structure, as well as individual structure parts, can be performed successfully. In this paper, the optimal design problem for three parts of a Cassegrain telescope, which consists of a primary mirror with an outer diameter of 156mm and a secondary mirror with an outer diameter of 46mm, was taken as an example. By using optimal parts, the image wavefront error of the Cassegrain telescope was decreased from 29.9 to 16.1nm.

Building Design from an Environmental Perspective: A Review on Sustainable Building Design Models and Analysis of their Application in Practice

The construction sector is known for enormous resource consumption and the generation of solid waste. Considering construction is essential for economic development and for providing facilities to ever increasing populations around the globe, there is a need to make construction activities more environmentally friendly. As architects and technocrats are increasingly facing the need to achieve more sustainable and efficient buildings, they are empathizing with ways for reducing the environmental impact and consumption of energy in buildings. The present study aimed at reviewing various sustainable development models and technology initiatives like Building Information Modelling (BIM), Building Energy Modelling (BEM), Urban Building Energy Modelling (UBEM), and integrated frameworks like Circular Economy (CE) that enable improved environmental performance of the structures. Out of these models, the circular economy seems to be the most promising approach that can have a massive effect on the environmental impact of the buildings, but the concept is new and it requires industrywide restructuring at various levels. Keywords Sustainable building, Building Information Modelling, Building Energy Simulation, Integrated Design Process

Integrated process design and control of divided‐wall distillation columns using molecular tracking

AbstractThis work explores the dynamic and control behavior of dividing wall distillation columns from two different steady‐state design approaches (molecular tracking and optimization method) for three different mixtures. The controllability of the six design cases was evaluated using singular value decomposition and the closed‐loop performance was evaluated using integral absolute error in Aspen Dynamics. The results demonstrate that the side‐draw location obtained by molecular tracking (MT) provides optimal controllability. As a result, there is a slight advantage in control properties while obtaining designs by reducing the time to find the optimal solution through the MT method.

Sustainable Development of a Build-Up Area Taking into Account the Environmental Safety in Urban Conditions

Introduction. The sustainable design system of a built-up area requires integration of many types of information and ensuring the constant involvement of users, community members and various specialists throughout a building’s life cycle. The holistic designing approach implies focusing on the functional relationship between different parts of a building or a building complex as a whole that increases the complexity of a project. The key principle underlying sustainable buildings is an integrated design process taking into account the principles of environmental safety.The present article focuses on the analysis of the managerial and organizational methodology used by the civil engineering professionals in the context of sustainable construction. The design, management and arrangement of a construction site for a building’s reconstruction or a large scale build-up within the urban area boundaries require the development of measures and solutions for the storage and use of toxic chemicals, allocating the places for hazardous wastes collection and disposal, wastewater treatment – the results of operation of a previous structure or a building complex. All these factors need appropriate monitoring, assessment of risks and measures of ecological recovery of a land plot, in cases when the original objects and territories change their functional designation and are rebuilt into objects having impact on the environment.Materials and Methods. The development of sustainable design principles for arranging a construction site of capital construction facility on the areas that were exposed to long-term impact during the previous buildings’ and structures’ operation requires working-out the algorithms, methodology for assessment and monitoring the environmental situation on a construction site. The implementation of the present solutions requires the analysis of the sources of pollution, the duration of exposure, the nature and degree of construction site’ soil layer pollution. The development of modern managerial, organisational and technological solutions will minimise the processes of territory recovery and create sustainable construction operations.Results. As a result of the conducted research there were developed: the algorithms for assessing the ecological state of a construction site soil layer, the recommendations on the methodology for a build-up area ecological state assessment and monitoring aimed at setting the sustainable design of the organisational and technological solutions within an investment and construction project.Discussion and Conclusions. The implementation of the sustainable design processes in the investment and construction project on a build-up area soil layer preservation, the monitoring and assessment of its state enable avoiding extra costs due to the absence of the need for soil reclamation and purchase of soil of a different chemical composition from that originally formed in a particular area, and due to ensuring maximum possible preservation of vegetation.

Integrated process design and analysis for co-production of biofuels with adipic acid and tetrahydrofuran

Here, we developed an integrated process to co-produce biofuels with tetrahydrofuran (THF) and adipic acid (ADA) from lignocellulosic biomass. In addition, an alternative process to produce THF alone was proposed and assessed for their economic and environmental impacts. Using pinch analysis, heat integration was performed to reduce the required energy consumption. A techno-economic analysis determined the minimum selling price (MSP) of biofuel to be $3.03/GGE and $3.52/GGE for the strategies A and B, respectively. To evaluate the effects of changes in various economic parameters, a sensitivity analysis was implemented, which determined the discount rate as the most impactful variable on MSP, followed by the inside battery limits capital investment. An uncertainty analysis showed that changes in the prices of feedstock and byproducts have relatively less impact on the economic stability of the process, whereas changes in the discount rate significantly undermine the economics of the process. Finally, a life-cycle assessment was conducted to determine the environmental impact of the proposed processes. The alternative case is more environmentally beneficial than base case to the electricity produced by burning lignin that replaces fossil fuel-derived electricity. These analyses present directions for technology development to lower the environmental impact and economic costs.

CASA+: highly energy-efficient housing system for the central-south of Chile

Purpose This study aims to introduce the results of a research carried out to develop a prototype of a highly energy-efficient modular detached house, called CASA+ CASA means HOUSE in spanish, adapted to the climatic features of central-southern Chile. The project enables a sustainable alternative to facilitate the reconstruction of the residential areas after the impact of the 2010 earthquake. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on an “integrated design process” of a case study that proposes a constructive response that quantitatively and qualitatively improves the initial data of traditional dwellings. The characteristics of the new system have been simulated with specific software to validate the final decisions, considering the cost–benefit ratio. Findings Simulation tools were used to assess and improve the system’s energy performance with respect to present options and to analyse its economic and construction viability. We obtained several economically competitive housing prototypes that substantially reduced energy consumption and the CO2 footprint by between 20% and 80%. Research limitations/implications The prototype has not been developed, as we are waiting for funding, but all its energy features have been simulated. Practical implications Furthermore, this experience also identified similar modifications made to the design of the houses, which revealed general possibilities for improving energy performance. Social implications The origin of this research is a public call for international researchers to improve the quality of the new homes to be built in Chile after the strong earthquake of 2010. The result of the research has been put at the direct service of Chilean society and in other international projects for the construction of low-energy social housing. Originality/value These are the result of a long research aimed at establishing a new architectural model that, in addition to improving the architectural quality of the product, obtains significant improvements in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The most particular aspect is the practical vocation and its implementation with real construction with the support of construction companies.

Decision Support for Defining Adaptive Façade Design Goals in the Early Design Phase

Compared to conventional façades, adaptive façades (AFs) can adjust their properties in response to environmental changes and user requirements. Often performed through the integration of actuators, sensors, and control units, this provides benefits such as reduced energy consumption in buildings but also increases the complexity of the façade design. To efficiently deal with the higher complexity, this article aims to provide suitable decision support for the early design phase, identify suitable design goals, and compare these to previously implemented Afs (make-or-buy decision). There is particular focus on the AF-specific characteristics, as these are new compared to well-known conventional façades. To systematically develop decision support, requirements are identified in expert interviews and the literature, and the current state of the art is evaluated against these. Research gaps found in current methods are addressed in this article, and continuous decision support is developed for the early design phase of an integrated design process. This support includes a checklist with AF-specific characteristics and a digitally implemented database of AFs. Based on the requirements, an evaluation is performed for both methods: this includes the comparison of the results to three ongoing AF projects and the assignment of 40 case studies to the database.

The digital transformation toward an integrated design process

The digital transformation toward an integrated design process

The integrated design process of adaptive façades – A comprehensive perspective

Climate change and the rising global population demand innovative and sustainable approaches for reducing energy and resource consumption as well as emissions per building. One promising approach in this regard is to apply adaptive façades (AF), which can adapt their properties to changing environmental conditions and user needs. However, proper design of AF is a complex and highly interdisciplinary task. To support the integrated design of AF, this contribution deals with the integrated design process. It therefore begins by identifying the requirements for an integrated design process of AF, then evaluates the current state of the literature on design procedures for AF in relation to each of these. This reveals several research gaps and weaknesses in the existing procedures. Two of the gaps – the consideration of the lifecycle and the interfaces between the tasks of the stakeholders involved in the lifecycle – are dealt with in this contribution. The results are presented in an overview of the current state of the literature (300 papers are reviewed), which forms a model that describes the lifecycle of adaptive façades and the stakeholders involved in it. In a final step, a framework for the integrated design process of AF on a lifecycle basis is presented and serves as a basis for further research on this topic.

An investigation of the design process’s effect on a high-performance building’s actual energy system performance

The design intent and the performance targets of projects may sometimes fail to match a building’s actual post-occupancy performance. The mismatch of intended and actual building performance can be attributed to multifarious reasons. This study focuses on the role of project decisions made during design as one of the reasons of shortfall. The aim of the study is to unveil the design decision-making process of a state-of-the-art research building through the analysis of project’s available set of IDP (Integrated Design Process) documentation. To understand the relationship and correlation between the energy performance gap and the decision-making process of the case building, we investigated the design decisions’ effect on the actual performance. The particular emphasis is on the decisions that were based on assumptions rather than measured actual test data for the proposed innovative building systems. The designed heat recovery system, which was dependent on recovered heat from the neighboring research building, had a significant effect on the building’s poor energy performance. We investigated collected project data from coordination meetings, thoroughly analyzed project documentation, and quantified the building’s actual energy performance data. The analysis of the project information shows the ripple effect of decisions that were made based on assumptions, that triggered shortfalls in the building’s overall actual performance. Our qualitative analysis indicates that the poor system performance during operations was related with the design decisions that were not based on the measurement of the actual performance of the existing systems in the neighboring building. The performance of the heat recovery from the neighboring building as a highly dependent Energy Conservation Measure (ECM) analyzed through collected documents and data. The ambiguity of the available heat potential from the neighboring building and related testing issues defined on an explanatory timeline of process coding. The conclusion includes recommendations for the design decision-making process for innovative system integrations for high-performance buildings, and underlines the importance of IDP for complex buildings.

Research on product adaptive design pattern and its application

With the development of technology, the integration of new generation information technology and traditional design processes has become a bottleneck for enterprise development. In order to improve the utilization efficiency of using massive design data and knowledge and solve the problem of the long response time of traditional design, a product adaptive design pattern is proposed. Firstly, the "closed-loop" framework of the product adaptive design pattern is expounded, and the connotation of the "closed-loop" framework is explained from three dimensions of "adaptive". Secondly, the technology system of the adaptive design pattern is constructed. Finally, the product adaptive design pattern is verified by taking the product design of a screw conveyor in an enterprise as an example.

Integrating generative design and topology optimisation with product design values

Advances in computer technology and software increasingly encourage the usage of CAD tools for designing forms that algorithmically manipulate ‘structural’ and ‘surface’ features. These sophisticated new computational processes, broadly known as ‘generative design’ and ‘topology optimisation’, are very likely to become a regular part of the product design process for many types of products. A core value of design practice is the development of intuition and iterative skills to explore the technical and experiential performance of design concepts through sketching, model making, and prototyping. Identifying ways to integrate ‘generative design’ and ‘topology optimisation’ CAD processes with ‘making’ as a core value in product design concept development is a significant challenge - particularly for design education. A related concern is that ‘topology optimisation’ can generate structurally optimised parts for the amount and type of material used, which essentially determines the fabrication method. Often these parts in their raw form can only be made using 3D printing technologies, though they can (and often need to) be ‘styled’ or modified. Therefore, the relationship to 3D printing and its limitations as an end-part manufacturing technology must be critically tested as part of the design process. The practice-led research presented includes a case study of the design of a mountain bike (MTB) crank arm developed using an integrated design process that incorporates a series of ‘topology optimisation’ simulations. The authors undertook the project to inform the design of a new ‘generative design’ and ‘topology optimisation’ studio-based subject to be offered to second and third-year product design students at the University of Technology Sydney. The research proposes a form of integrated design practice that values ‘making’ iteratively, and the advancing CAD-based ‘generative design’ and ‘topology optimisation’ tools to responsibly support experiential learning in product design, manufacturing and engineering.

Building information modelling-based integrated design process for green building applied in O•PARK2 and potential contribution to carbon neutral construction

To achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets of mainland China and Hong Kong, carbon reduction in the building sector is a critical task due to its high contribution to total carbon emissions. Decarbonisation approaches in both operation and construction phases should be considered. A building information modelling (BIM)-based integrated design process (IDP) is introduced to connect the design, construction and operation as an entirety from the initial stage of a project to enhance the green building and decarbonisation design. Taking a real case of a Design-Build-Operate project, O•PARK2, this study investigates the benefits and problems in a BIM-based IDP in regard to green building and its potential impact on carbon neutrality during construction. A BIM-based IDP enables decision-making to be based on comprehensive and optimal information, which is well proved by the O•PARK2 project with the BEAM Plus being upgraded from Gold to Platinum. The carbon reduction potential during the construction phase is as high as 45%, which can only be actualised if decarbonisation specialists are involved from the planning phase. Although the BIM-based IDP possesses many unique advantages, the management of its long feedback loop and the complicated procedures should be optimised in the future.

Design optimization and analysis of HTHL suborbital spaceplanes propelled by hybrid rocket motors

In this paper, a design optimization and parameter analysis of a horizontal takeoff horizontal landing (HTHL) suborbital spaceplane propelled by a hybrid rocket motor (HRM) is proposed. Referenced by a prototype, an integrated design model, including the mass and shape estimation, HRM design, aerodynamic calculation, and trajectory simulation, is established. A series of long burning experimental tests in the reference article is adopted to modify the influence of nozzle erosion on HRM. After modification, the results of HRM design are well fitted with the test ones, which verified the precision of the modified model and revealed the importance of erosion effect on HRM performance. Then, the integrated design process is built and optimized by the multi-island genetic algorithm. The results indicated that the designed HRM-propelled suborbital spaceplane could achieve the target flight height under all the constraints. The parameter analysis (PA) based on optimum result is adopted to analyze the influences of design variables on the performance parameters of the HTHL suborbital spaceplane, and it also gives theoretical reference to the design optimization of the similar aerospace vehicles.

Computer-aided naphtha liquid–liquid extraction: Molecular reconstruction, sustainable solvent design and multiscale process optimization

A new integrated sustainable solvent and process design framework is proposed based on GDP (generalized disjunctive programming) to separate the naphthenic and aromatic components from naphtha. First, the detailed molecular composition information of naphtha is obtained using a molecular reconstruction model based on feasible bulk properties. Two group-based virtual molecules are then presented to express naphtha components for the liquid–liquid extraction process design. Second, four separation performance indicators and eight SHE (safety, health and environment) metrics are screened and described for the sustainable solvent design on the basis of the UNIFAC model and functional groups. The solvent structures are modelled through the improvement of the octet rule. Last, a conceptual liquid–liquid extraction process is proposed and expressed as a CAMPD (computer aided molecular and process design) optimization problem combining with the rigorous process mechanism model, sustainable solvent design model and molecular information model of naphtha. Especially, GDP is tailored to express the discrete choices in the simultaneous optimization design of solvents and processes and address the challenge of the large-scale framework solution. Compared with the process using the traditional solvent sulfolane, the content of the separated naphthenic and aromatic components is improved by 10.37%. At the same time, the sustainability is enhanced according to SHE assessment.

Towards an integrated automatic design process for robot swarms.

Background: The specification of missions to be accomplished by a robot swarm has been rarely discussed in the literature: designers do not follow any standardized processes or use any tool to precisely define a mission that must be accomplished. Methods: In this paper, we introduce a fully integrated design process that starts with the specification of a mission to be accomplished and terminates with the deployment of the robots in the target environment. We introduce Swarm Mission Language (SML), a textual language that allows swarm designers to specify missions. Using model-driven engineering techniques, we define a process that automatically transforms a mission specified in SML into a configuration setup for an optimization-based design method. Upon completion, the output of the optimization-based design method is an instance of control software that is eventually deployed on real robots. Results: We demonstrate the fully integrated process we propose on three different missions. Conclusions: We aim to show that in order to create reliable, maintainable and verifiable robot swarms, swarm designers may benefit from following standardised automatic design processes that will facilitate the design of control software in all stages of the development.

Forming of Additively Manufactured Ceramics by Magnetic Fields

The application of additive manufacturing using liquid material extrusion is inherently linked to material-related deformations and limitations in the choice of component geometry. This empirical study addresses the question of how the plasticity of a ceramic composite material can be utilized for a new integrated design and manufacturing process. In the exploratory approach, the liquid material is not limited in its soft plastic state, but its malleability is harnessed for a design-oriented approach. For this purpose, soft magnetic particles are added to a liquid clay mass. The developed composite material can be controlled, stabilized, and shaped by magnetic fields directly in the additive manufacturing process using modified equipment. In this study a permanent magnet and an electromagnet were compared while the distance between the printed part and the magnet was controlled by an optical sensor.

Applying design narrative and image structure to explore design students’ learning performance

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the narrative expression skill of design students through manipulating image structure. Moreover, narrative expression is the skill of interpreting design with narrative. The study is a classroom experiment conducted naturally, and the experimental data is obtained and analysed by quantitative analysis. We found differences in students’ narrative tendencies and richness in overall narrative expression. The teaching and training of design narrative can effectively help students familiarise themselves with the design process and personal skill integration and encourage students to pay attention to the design of elements and content. This will improve students’ design competencies under skills different from technology. The paper concludes that students must improve and integrate design competencies through practical methods under other narrative tendencies. Furthermore, the lecturer can explore and adjust design teaching through design narrative training to strengthen or balance students’ design performance competency.

A Review of Integrated Design Process for Building Climate Responsiveness

In recent years, increasingly prominent energy and environmental problems have pushed for higher requirements for buildings’ energy saving. According to the conventional energy-saving design method, the cooperative operation between architects, structural and equipment engineers and other professionals cannot run smoothly, so the energy-saving and emission reduction efficiency of the whole building cannot be improved effectively. The integrated design process (IDP) is a systematic method, which is applied in the scheme design stage and according to which the multi-level design factors of cities and buildings are considered comprehensively. It provides a concrete path of multi-specialty collaborative operation for the building’s climate responsive design. In this article, the development, operation process, software platform, evaluation and decision-making methods of the IDP are reviewed in a comprehensive manner. Finally, the prospect of IDP applied to the climate responsive design of buildings is analyzed, and some suggestions for future development are put forward. The IDP framework proposed in the research can provide a reference method for architectural climate responsive design practice and help formulate the future policy of energy-saving design.

Intelligent Garment Graphic Design System for Artificial Intelligence and 3D Image Analysis

The application of artificial intelligence technology not only realizes the transformation of people’s production and lifestyle but also promotes the transformation of the clothing industry. At present, the proportion of artificial intelligence in the clothing industry is becoming larger and larger. Using its advanced methods and technologies of information display and data analysis, this study is worth transforming and optimizing the clothing graphic design system under the artificial intelligence environment, so as to promote the intelligent development of the clothing industry. This study proposes to use three-dimensional image analysis algorithm technology to guide the integration of garment graphic design process and computer network, which is helpful to analyze and solve the imbalance between the singularity of traditional garment pattern design and people’s aesthetic appreciation at present. Using the technology and principle of artificial intelligence for reference, the intelligent clothing graphic design system is constructed and analyzed. In the analysis of the clothing graphic design system of a group, the group applied artificial intelligence technology to the customized clothing in the production workshop of the company. Although the efficiency of the adjustment system is not as good as that of mass production, it eliminates inventory, and its net profit can reach 20–30%, which is much higher than that of traditional clothing. In contrast, the industry reported a net profit of 12% of the highest level. Therefore, it is urgent to analyze the intelligent garment graphic design system through artificial intelligence technology.