Concurrent Design Methodology Research Articles

Communication skills learning during medical studies in Poland: opinions of final-year medical students

INTRODUCTION: Despite the increasing emphasis on the medical curriculum, students’ empathy and communication skills decline with time. As students’ attitudes and experiences may influence the effectiveness of communication training and their future communication style, this study aimed to evaluate the opinions of last-year medical students on communication skills learning. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following the fully mixed concurrent equal status design methodology, we invited sixth-year medical students of our university to fill a paper questionnaire with closed and open questions on their perspectives on communication skills learning. RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by a representative sample of 166 students. The majority of them recognized the importance and benefits of communication training, and the need to increase its significance in the medical curriculum. They noticed that students with low communication skills lack motivation for improvement. Students also underlined the significance of the hidden curriculum, reporting a contrast between communication classes and the behavior of some physicians. Moreover, students less positively inclined towards communication training doubted its effectiveness and importance, suggesting that it should be offered for volunteers. CONCLUSIONS: In order to meet the expectations of students with positive opinions and overcome the lack of motivation or engagement of negatively inclined students, more emphasis should be placed on communication training. Changes in communication training should include increasing its practical character and intensity, emphasizing its importance and benefits, and paying more attention to hidden curriculum aspects. Revisions to the medical school application system should be considered to underline the importance of interpersonal competencies already at the admission stage.

Optimal Strategy for the Improvement of the Overall Performance of Dual-Axis Solar Tracking Systems

Solar Tracking Systems are useful to increase the generation efficiency of photovoltaic technology, mainly for concentration technology, where dual-axis is required on account of the high accurate alignment to the Sun. Even when there exists a strong relation between tracking error and energy efficiency, multiple technological and research developments have sought to solve these problems independently. The present research proposes a novel concurrent design methodology for optimizing the overall performance of two-axis trackers, allowing to keep a balance between the tracking error and the energy consumption from the design stage, from an optimization approach. The concurrent approach was implemented to design a Solar Tracker as a solar monitoring system, was compared with four commercial systems, obtaining a similar pointing accuracy with a mixed tracking error of 0.0942°. The system has the best energy balance, consuming only 0.9641% of the energy generated for the tracking action, below commercial models. Finally, a CO2 impact analysis was carried out, where the proposed tracker obtained the lowest value, with 25.7018 g. The results support the developed concurrent strategy for the optimization of the overall performance of dual-axis systems, allowing us to find a harmonic balance between the energy consumption and the required tracking accuracy.

Set‐based design: The state‐of‐practice and research opportunities

AbstractIncreasing system complexity has provided the impetus to develop new and novel systems engineering methodologies. One of these methodologies is set‐based design (SBD), a concurrent design methodology well suited for complex systems subject to significant uncertainty. Since the 1990s, numerous private, public, and defense sector design programs have successfully implemented SBD. However, concerns regarding SBD's complexity, tendency toward qualitative methods, and lack of quantitative tools have limited its use. To address these issues, our research surveys 122 refereed journal articles and conference papers to assess SBD's state‐of‐practice and identify relevant research opportunities. To accomplish these tasks, we perform a structured literature review to identify and assess relevant and influential research. We found that SBD's state‐of‐practice relies heavily upon decision and tradespace analysis with increasing emphasis on uncertainty modeling and MBSE. We found that the majority of SBD research consists of quantitative methodologies focusing on component and small system applications. We also found that complex system applications used mostly qualitative methodologies. We identify SBD research opportunities for requirements development, MBSE, uncertainty modeling, multiresolution modeling, adversarial analysis, and program management. Finally, we recommend the development of a comprehensive SBD methodology and toolkit, suited for complex system design across all stages of the product development life cycle.

Generic techno-economic optimization methodology for concurrent design and operation of solvent-based PCC processes

A techno-economic equation-based methodology is developed for optimal design and operation of integrated solvent-based post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) processes using a rate-based model for the interaction of gas and liquid. The algorithm considers a wide range of techno-economic design and operation parameters such as number of absorber/desorber columns, height of columns, diameter of columns, operating conditions (P, T) of columns, pressure drop, packing type, percentage of CO2 mitigated, captured CO2 purity, amount of solvent regeneration, flooding velocities of columns, and number of compression stages. A case study is conducted to showcase two common objective-functions i) minimizing total capital investment, and ii) minimizing levelized capture costs, both for a 300 MW coal-power plant in Australia. The former objective leads to the lowest possible total capital cost of $312.4 M corresponding to levelized carbon capture cost of 58.1 $/tonne−CO2. For objective (ii), however, the lowest levelized carbon capture cost is found to be around ten percent lower (52.8 $/tonne−CO2), though it leads to a higher total capital cost ($325.2 M). The results indicate that the design and operation variables are markedly interactive, and no unique optimal design exists which can deliver all desired outcomes at once. Therefore, decisions on the selection of right variables become dependent on the decision-makers techno-economic objectives.

Parallel compliance design for increasing robustness and efficiency in legged locomotion - theoretical background and applications

Bipedal locomotion in uncertain environments is a challenging control problem. In order to reduce the effect of imprecise and noisy measurements, performance enhancement, and energy consumption reduction, many researchers employ compliant elements in the robot structure, parallel to the control system. However, there is no systematic methodology for concurrent design of compliant components and the controller. In a primary article, we introduced a method for the simultaneous design of the controller and compliant elements to increase the walking robustness against uncertainties, based on hybrid zero dynamics (HZD) analysis. The overall controller comprising the HZD controller and parallel compliance (PC) is called the HPC controller. In this article, we present two levels of extension:1) extended HPC (EHPC):an extended HPC with fewer constraining assumptions; 2) concurrent control and parallel compliance design (CPC):a generalized version of concurrent control and PC design, which is applicable for any gait control approach, and is not limited to HZD. In this article, apply the Lyapunov, boundedness, and input to state stability concepts to analyze the EHPC's walking robustness. Detailed step-by-step design of this controller for a compass gait model and the MATLAB codes are also provided. An experimental study on a hopper robot supports the generalization in the CPC method to apply to other controllers while pneumatic artificial muscles are utilized as tunable PCs.

Soft robot design methodology for ‘push-button’ manufacturing

‘Push-button’ or fully automated manufacturing would enable the production of robots with zero intervention from human hands. Realizing this utopia requires a fundamental shift from a sequential (design–materials–manufacturing) to a concurrent design methodology.

A cloud platform for space science mission concurrent design

Using concurrent design methodology, the duration of space science mission in conceptual design phase can be shortened. This approach requires hardware and software resources to support, such as professional design tools and concurrent design environment. Except for the professional groups, the general researchers such as teachers and students have no chance to access these resources. Nowadays, more and more researchers distributed in different locations join into the space science research. The need for an open concurrent design platform offering design tools and data sharing environment has increased. This article presents a Cloud Platform of Concurrent Design for Space Science Mission. This Cloud Platform of Concurrent Design for Space Science Mission uses the idea of Software as a service, in which five design and analysis tools are offered as services to satisfy the basic requirements for space science mission concurrent design in conceptual design phase. This cloud platform provides the access to space science mission concurrent design for expert and non-expert users using a thin client of web browser. This article presents the platform architecture of the Cloud Platform of Concurrent Design for Space Science Mission and five software offered as services. The services include spacecraft conceptual orbit design, structure design, payload coverage analysis, data transmission analysis, and virtual community. And the basic cloud service (computing and storage) is also briefly introduced. It is described in detail how these services can be leveraged by users to do the concurrent design for one space science mission.

Implementación de una máquina didáctica clasificadora para el aprendizaje de procesos mecatrónicos

El presente artículo muestra el diseño y construcción de una máquina didáctica clasificadora de objetos mediante visión artificial. El objetivo de la implementación de la máquina es que esta sea utilizada como módulo de aprendizaje de procesos mecatrónicos. En el proyecto, se describen los aspectos teóricos que relacionan conceptos de diseño mecánico, diseño electrónico y manejo de software los cuales constituyen los ejes de una rama en la ciencia y tecnología en auge, la cual es la mecatrónica. El diseño de la máquina se desarrolló en base a los requerimientos del usuario, a través de la metodología del diseño concurrente, para definir y materializar las soluciones de hardware y software adecuadas. Se implementó el software LabVIEW 2015 para la adquisición y análisis de imágenes en alta velocidad, así como para el establecimiento de la comunicación de datos con un controlador lógico programable (siglas PLC en inglés) vía Ethernet mediante una plataforma de comunicaciones abierta que se conoce en la literatura inglesa como Open Platform Communications – OPC. Además, se utilizó la plataforma Arduino MEGA 2560 para el control del movimiento del motor a pasos y los servomotores del módulo.

A QUARTER CENTURY of User-Centered Design Engineering Project Classes with Multi-Disciplinary Teams

Carnegie Mellon University has developed and employed a User-Centered Interdisciplinary Concurrent System Design Methodology (UICSM) that takes teams of electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, computer scientists, industrial designers and human computer interaction students that work with an end-user to generate a complete prototype system during a four-month long course. With more than 25 years of use, the last 20 years in a formal class setting, the methodology has proven robust in creating increasingly capable applications leveraging state-of-the-art components. For example, wireless technology bandwidth increased by over four orders of magnitude during the course. UICSM is web-supported and defines intermediary products that document the evolution of the design. These products are posted on the web so that even remote designers and end-users can participate in the design activities. The design methodology proceeds through three phases: conceptual design, detailed design and implementation. End-users critique the design at each phase. In addition, simulated and real application tasks provide further focus for design evaluation. Th e methodology has been used in designing more than three dozen computer systems, with diverse applications ranging from inspection and maintenance of heavy transportation vehicles to augmented reality in manufacturing and plant operations to car/driver interaction. [SSLT 1994; SS 1999; SS 2002a; SS 2002b; SSS 2001; SSMRT 2005].

Concurrent design of nanofluid for x-abilities using MADM approach

Purpose – Multiple attribute decision making (MADM) is a conceptual agenda used for evaluation and selection of optimal nanofluid to assure best performance of heat exchanger. Most of the studies focus on nanofluids focus on individual ability at one time. Relatively, not even a single study is available for selection of nanofluid for heat exchanger using concurrent design and MADM approach. The purpose of this paper is to propose a concurrent design methodology using MADM approach to assist improved design of heat exchanger concurrently for all the x-abilities in an integrated manner. Design/methodology/approach – A combined methodology of applying MADM approach using concurrent design for x-abilities is called CE-MADM approach. Implementation of nanofluid to improve thermal performance of heat exchanger entails thorough evaluation of nanofluids in various x-abilities (performance, maintenance, thermophysical properties and modelisation) to make exhaustive management decision. Sensitivity analysis is also proposed to study the behaviour of height of variation of density, heat capacity, thermal expansion and thermal conductivity with varying particle volume fraction and variation of relative closeness of available alternates from ideally best possible solution. Findings – MADM approach considering various x-abilities concurrently provide an approach for relative ranking of available nanofluids for optimum performance. Fishbone diagrams of all x-abilities are constructed to identify all the attributes and converge large number of attributes into single numerical index that are concurrently responsible for the cause thus saving time for easy evaluation, comparison and ranking by decision makers. Sensitivity analysis to demonstration height of variation of pertinent attributes with varying particle volume fraction. A MATLAB programming is established to execute calculations involved in the procedure. Originality/value – This paper comprises a predictable and effective mathematical approach to improve design of heat exchanger with nanofluid bearing in mind all the required x-abilities concurrently. This combined approach of CE-MADM is never applied before in the field of nanofluid to predict best possible results in feasible conditions considering all the x-abilities. Sensitivity analysis is also presented from the assumed mathematical equations of thermophysical properties.

A linguistic approach to concurrent design

This paper outlines a concurrent design methodology for multidisciplinary systems, which employs tools of fuzzy theory for the tradeoff in the design space. This methodology enhances communication between designers from various disciplines through introducing the universal notion of satisfaction an d expressing the behaviour of multidisciplinary systems using the notion of energy. It employs fuzzy rule-bases, membership functions and parametric connectives in fuzzy logic to formalize subjective aspects of design, resulting in a two-phase simplification of the multi-objective constrained optimization of a design process. The methodology attempts to find a pareto-optimal solution for the design problem. In the primary phase of the methodology, a fuzzy-logic model is utilized to identify a region in the design space that contains the pareto-optimal design state, and a proper initial state is suggested for the optimization in the secondary phase, where the pareto-optimal solution is found. Finally, the impact of the designer’s subjective attitude on the design is adjusted based on a system performance by utilizing an energy-based model of multidisciplinary systems. As an application, it is shown that the design of a five-degree-of-freedom industrial robot manipulator can be enhanced by using the methodology.

A concurrent design methodology of a production system for virtual commissioning

In this article, a concurrent design procedure of a production system is presented, which supports the virtual commissioning between a real controller and a virtual plant consisting of virtual devices. To achieve the concurrency, we split a virtual device model into two parts, a physical device model (a geometric model with kinematics for the motion programming of tasks) and a logical device model (a behavioral model to interact with a real controller). The whole design procedure consists of four major steps: (1) process design, (2) physical device modeling, (3) logical device modeling, and (4) system control modeling. First, the process design step identifies effective manufacturing processes and produces the sequence of operations. Once the sequence of operations is obtained at Step 1, then the other three steps can be performed concurrently without interfering each other. All the three concurrent steps start from the sequence of operations, and a detailed procedure for each of the step has been developed. The concurrent attribute of the proposed design procedure significantly contributes to the saving of the delays in time to market. The proposed design procedure has been implemented and tested for various examples.

A Concurrent Design Method for Functional Tolerance and Structure based on the Principle of Decomposition and Reconstitution

To assure feasibility and economy of mechanical product design, tolerance design should be incorporated into conceptual structure design phase. The completion of the evolving procedures from functional requirement to tolerance scheme resolution in the early stage, greatly promotes selection of structure scheme and optimization of cost. The paper provides a concurrent design methodology for functional tolerance using the principle of decomposition and reconstitution using growth design based on functional surfaces. A concurrent design methodology is given, including growth design-supported structure-tolerance design process, assembly information model and TTRS-based tolerance representation model. A recursive design method for function to structure mapping is proposed, and the tolerance design in every step of the iteration is focused on. Geometric variation model is introduced to infer key parts and key features, helping forming tolerance specification while assuring rationality and sufficiency of structure decomposition. In the whole process, structure and tolerance are constrained to each other and an optimization framework is put forward.

Gravitational Search Algorithm and Lyapunov Theory based Stable Adaptive Fuzzy Logic Controller

Abstract In this paper a new hybrid design methodology for stable adaptive fuzzy controllers for a non-linear system is proposed. The proposed design strategy utilizes the gravitational search algorithm (GSA) based heuristic global search technique and Lyapunov theory based local adaptation. The objective is to design a self-adaptive fuzzy controller, optimizing the free parameters of the fuzzy controller, so that the designed controller can guarantee desired stability. The GSA based design and hybrid GSA- Lyapunov concurrent design methodologies are implemented for a nonlinear plant with different reference signals and the results demonstrate the superiority of proposed hybrid design methodology.

BIM-Based Parametric Design Methodology for Modernized Korean Traditional Buildings

With rising social interest in the quality of life and sustainable development in architecture, demands are growing for Hanok, traditional buildings of Korea, as a viable alternative to modernized architecture of Western origin. However, even as the so-called "New Hanok" — which updates the traditional structure with modern design — is gaining popularity among the general public, its design and construction are still a minor practice, in the sense that they rely on a small group of professional carpenters whose practice largely rests on their personal experience. Aiming to build an information system of Hanok that can contribute to the industrialization of its production, this research proposes a new design process for traditional architecture, utilizing a parametric design methodology. This process, based on the understanding of tectonic joints and spatial composition of our traditional architecture, defines a parametric relationship among the structural elements that compose Hanok. The research uses Gehry Technologies' Digital Project and Autodesk Revit Architecture — most useful commercial programs of parametric (and associate) design among today's CAD/CAE/CAM applications — to apply a concurrent parametric design methodology, approaching the project from both "bottom-up" (building initiated by the assembly of smallest elements) and "top-down" (building from partial modifications on a pre-determined whole), to present a new design process for Hanok elements.

Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm vs Genetic Algorithm to Develop Integrated Scheme for Obtaining Optimal Mechanical Structure and Adaptive Controller of a Robot

The performances of Particle Swarm Optimization and Genetic Algorithm have been compared to develop a methodology for concurrent and integrated design of mechanical structure and controller of a 2-dof robotic manipulator solving tracking problems. The proposed design scheme optimizes various parameters belonging to different domains (that is, link geometry, mass distribution, moment of inertia, control gains) concurrently to design manipulator, which can track some given paths accurately with a minimum power consumption. The main strength of this study lies with the design of an integrated scheme to solve the above problem. Both real-coded Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization are used to solve this complex optimization problem. Four approaches have been developed and their performances are compared. Particle Swarm Optimization is found to perform better than the Genetic Algorithm, as the former carries out both global and local searches simultaneously, whereas the latter concentrates mainly on the global search. Controllers with adaptive gain values have shown better performance compared to the conventional ones, as expected.

New Methods in Design Education: The Systemic Methodology and the Use of Sketch in the Conceptual Design Stage

This study describes the application of a new product concurrent design methodologies in the context in the education of industrial design. The use of the sketch has been utilized many times as a tool of creative expression especially in the conceptual design stage, in an intuitive way and a little out of the context of the reality needs that the design should be attended. This methodology systematizes and guides the process of sketching by means of a conceptual model and a geometric model toward a feasible solution, complementing the role of the sketch in the phase of a product conceptual design. The model describes its operating principles, as well as the phases of implementation in the context of teaching the industrial design illustrated with projects carried out in the workshop of conceptual design of the University Technical College of Valencia and University of the Bio-Bio, Chile. Finally, we discuss the implementation of the systemic models, their relation with the optimisation of the sketching process in the conceptual design stage, and their implications in the educational context.

Collaborative Design and Modeling of Complex Opto-mechanical Systems

In this article, we propose a concurrent design methodology that employs physics-based high fidelity computational models together with analysis methods to predict the performance of complex opto-mechanical systems. For this purpose, we developed a web-based collaborative design and modeling environment for the simulation of complex opto-mechanical systems (SIMCOMS). The analysis tools and the methodology presented in this article provide a systematic and quantitative way to investigate the end-to-end system performance of such systems, perform sensitivity analysis, and identify the critical components of the system that degrade the performance. The SIMCOMS integrates all the modeling and analysis tools in a common MATLAB computational environment and it can be accessed through standard web browsers. Through the use of structural, optical, and controls modules, SIMCOMS allows modeling and SIMCOMS. The analysis modules of SIMCOMS provide the means for predicting the performance of such systems and diagnosing the problematic components that degrade the performance. The web interface of SIMCOMS provides a flexible and robust environment for designing such complex opto-mechanical systems and keeps an archive of models to compare different design configurations. The design can be conducted concurrently by multidisciplinary teams located physically at different sites, which leads to savings in time and cost. We demonstrated the use of SIMCOMS through a case study which includes the redesign process of a siderostat mirror; one of the main optical components of the SIM PlanetQuest (formerly called Space Interferometry Mission). SIM will determine the positions and distances of stars several hundred times more accurately than any previous program. SIM provides a good example case for testing the functionality of SIMCOMS since the precise tolerance required by the SIM instrument facilitates the investigation of many design options, trades, and methods for minimizing interaction between the actively controlled optics and the structure.

Concurrent Design of a Computer Network for x-abilities using MADM Approach

Organizations are deploying well-designed computer networks supporting converged applications of data, audio, and video. Use of different applications demands computer network to have various abilities — performance, resilience, security, maintainability, etc. called x-abilities — in varying degree of importance depending on application requirements of an organization. To facilitate design of computer network simultaneously for all x-abilities in an integrated way, a concurrent design methodology using multi attribute decision making (MADM) approach is proposed. This concurrent design methodology is aimed at reducing design time considerably and makes use of expertise of experts from different specialized fields in a single design team. MADM approach provides technique for selection of best computer network for the application under consideration.

Integration of structure and control using an evolutionary approach: an application to the optimal concurrent design of a CVT

AbstractIn this paper, a concurrent design methodology to formulate the mechatronic design problem is presented. The methodology proposes to state the mechatronic design problem as a dynamic optimization problem. In order to explain the methodology, the concurrent design of pinion–rack continuously variable transmission (CVT) is carried out. Two optimization techniques, one based on a mathematical programming method and the other based on a novel evolutionary approach, are used to solve it. The behaviour of both approaches is compared, based on quality and the computational time required by each of them in a common platform. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.