In this research, a novel inverse design algorithm called, Elastic Surface Algorithm (ESA), is developed for viscose and inviscid external flow regimes. ESA is a physically based iterative inverse design method that uses flow analysis code to estimate the pressure distribution on the solid structure, i.e. airfoil, and a 2D solid beam finite element code to calculate the deflections due to the difference between the calculated and target pressure distribution. The proposed method is validated through the inverse design of three different airfoils. In addition, two design examples are presented to prove the robustness of the method in various flow regimes. Also, the convergence rate of this method is compared with flexible membrane method (MGM) and Ball-Spine Algorithm (BSA) methods in inviscid flow regime. The results of this study showed that not only the ESA method is an effective method for inverse design of airfoils, but also it can considerably increase the convergence rate in transonic flow regimes.

Two new Sliding Mode Control (SMC) design methods for nonlinear systems are presented in order to eliminate the reaching phase in the SMC. The sliding surface design approaches are based on optimal sliding surface selection methods for Linear Time Invariant (LTI) and Linear Time Varying (LTV) systems. The reaching phase is eliminated by confining the LTI/LTV system on a predefined linear level surface that moves to the designed optimal sliding hyperplane exponentially. The methodology is extended to nonlinear systems by using two approaches; the “State Dependent Riccati Equation” (SDRE) and “Approximating Sequence of Riccati equations” (ASRE) methods. Systematic ways are defined to eliminate the reaching phase and to design optimal sliding surface for the nonlinear system. The proposed methods are then applied to a spacecraft model with flexible solar panels in order to control the attitude and to suppress some of the vibration modes of the flexible panels. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the application of proposed methods which are also compared with each other to reveal the effectiveness in coping with uncertainty and vibration suppression and minimization of the energy cost.

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies has brought unprecedented freedom to the fabrication of functional parts with high complex, multi-material and gradient density structure. However, currently only traditional design methods are available for AM design process, which do not take full advantage of AM capabilities. Therefore, a new design method with the consideration of all aspects of AM advantages is urgently in need. A detailed literature review on traditional design methods is presented with focused attention on the potential of using these methods to design functional parts for additive manufacturing processes. Based on thorough understanding and comparison of current structure design methods, a new design approach that integrates topological and functional optimizations for AM products is presented. With this method, an essential link is established between topological optimization result and various functional parameters of complex structure. Parts can be designed in multi levels for multi functions simultaneously. This design method provides an important foundation for future research on designing AM products with improved multiple functions and optimized topology.

Since the 3D printing technology was applied to metallic materials, the conformal cooling channel has been widely utilized for injection mold with a higher cooling efficiency. The conformal cooling channel provides higher degree of freedom in shape and size. It is more effective to apply it to convex core accumulating more heat than the concave side. However, there has not been a standard design method for the conformal cooling channel. Depending upon channel design, the cooling efficiency would not be improved. Sometimes dead flow zones could be made in the channel. Currently every engineer makes the cooling channel design of his own. In this work, we proposed an automated optimum design method for the conformal cooling channel. In the proposed design method, whole product surface is divided into smaller domains with equal thermal energy by Voronoi diagram algorithm. Then cooling channels are installed along the centers of the domains by a binary branching algorithm. The objective of the optimization was the minimization of the product surface temperature deviation. The cooling channels are branching out over the product surface through the evolutionary steps until the objective was satisfied. The injection molding CAE analysis was done by Moldflow, and the optimization by PIAnO. The sample product was an eye-glass lens product.

Companies can have competitive advantage if their products are developed with the help of users and their practice in mind. Product development needs to include user views in the design [1] as the changes to product proposals in design stage needs less effort and time and has major influence on later stages. User-centered design methods have been proposed and implemented. Virtual reality technology has been developed to support these design methods. Advances in virtual reality technologies help realize virtually not only the products but the environment in which they can be used and the actors who use them. This research aims at investigating the eco-design methods and the technology supporting them. A huge challenge in eco-design is to make clear the environmental potential of products for both the engineer and the user. The paper deals with the use of virtual reality technology to see how it can help both designer and user in design and assessment of product and its use to reduce environmental impact. Different studies are reported in literature [2], [3], and [4] but do not address the environmental properties. The paper reviews the literature to propose the requirements of a user-centered eco-design method and investigates the potential benefits of the holographic technology for this purpose.

This paper presents a formalization of the complementary information structures approach, which was originally derived from the practical implementation of a Manufacturing Process Management solution. The Environment-based Design methodology has been chosen to generalize the Manufacturing Process Management experience and the resulting theoretical foundations are then used to propose a complementary information framework between customer needs and product descriptions. The definition of the relationships between the structures is derived from the “customer job mapping” approach used in Outcome Driven Innovation marketing techniques.

Energy consumption during the use phase often contributes significantly to the overall energy demand and to the environmental impacts of an elect(on)ic product’s lifecycle. Therefore, regulations, standards, and customers tend to demand that the electronic industry supplies products with lesser consumption. However, manufacturers lack of systematic methods and tools to integrate energy consumption into their design projects from the early design phases. This paper presents the Synergico method which is meant to be incorporated in the current design practices of manufacturing companies, therefore helping design more energetically efficient electr(on)ic products without compromising the other design criteria (ergonomics, performances, usage value, quality, cost, delay, etc.). This method is based on three tools to use from the earliest design phases. Firstly, an In-Use Energy consumption indicator providing an assessment of the energy consumption during the use phase during each design phase. Thanks to the consideration of several use scenarios, it calculates values of the product’s energy consumption for each product sub-assembly, and each operating mode, thus monitoring the consumption and compliance of a product with design objectives. Secondly, a Guideline-based tool adapted to electronic products. These guidelines can easily be filtered to consider only the most relevant ones according to the context (design phase, expert concerned, scope of the guideline, etc.). Thirdly, a Lifecycle Check tool to verify that no pollution trade-offs, between life cycle phases, would hinder the design of an energy efficient product with good overall environmental performances. A case study illustrates the use and integration of the Synergico method and the way it coordinates the tools.

This paper is concerned with performance improvement of a centrifugal compressor by evolution of an inverse design method for 3D design approaches. The design procedure encompasses two major steps. Firstly, using the BSA inverse design algorithm on the meridional plane of the impellers, the meridional geometries for impellers are defined based on modified pressure distribution. Furthermore, an original and progressive algorithm is developed for 3D design of angular coordinates of the impellers on the blade to blade planes of them based on blades loading improvements. Full 3D analysis of the designed compressor using Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes equations, and its comparison with the analysis results of the current compressor, shows that the total pressure ratio of the designed compressor at the same operation condition is enhanced more than 5 percent.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is gaining popularity because it has been shown to improve accuracy, reduce errors, and assists surgeons in performing more difficult procedures. However, positioning the ports and posing the robot arms to be able to perform the intervention while avoiding tool or arm collisions can be a lengthy and difficult process. The aim of this project was to design a decision aid for patient-specific, optimal port placement in pre-operative planning. This paper presents the analysis and design methods, including the building of separate patient and robot models. Based on a requirements analysis, a symbolic model of the robot was created based on the da Vinci Si Surgical System using the modified Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) parameters to define its work volume. Data from anthropometric tables and patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures were collected to create a library of realistic patient models. These two models, combined in a 3D interactive virtual environment, allow selection of suitable port locations, and a pose and position plan for the robotic arms with unrestricted access to the target area while avoiding collisions between instruments and other objects in the operating room. A simple and elegant protocol was then designed to collect actual patient data for validation of the models. Once validated, this model can be used for any robotic procedure within the abdomen.

Manufacturing companies need to improve their production technology with improved dimensional accuracy at lower cost in order to manufacture sheet metal based products. Scrap shedding is an issue that should be examined at the cutting and sheet metal forming operations. In order to extend the life cycle of the cutting moulds, scrap shedding should be identified. When scrap shedding has not been taken into consideration, scraps have accumulated in the moulds reducing the production quality and causing deformation of the mould, increasing the production cost by obligating to perform extra transactions. This study becomes more focused upon the analysis of scrap shedding. In order to simulate the scrap shedding LS-Dyna and Pam Stamp software have been used. For examining of the scrap shedding an automotive part was chosen. In order to realize scrap shedding having any problems, new improvements have been suggested. Design of Experiments techniques which provide important advantages to engineering studies have been examined. By means of experimental design techniques the scrap shedding design process was also added to the classical mold design approach via a less quantities of simulations.

Machine-tools, packaging units, lifting systems and also other heavy duty devices (f.e. used in steel casting technologies) employ advantageously screw drives (balls, re-circulating rollers, and planetary roller drives) as mechanical command elements (f.e. directly coupled to servo drives), especially for their high efficiencies (∼87 .. 98%) and “output force to input torque ratio”. After a short review of the most important checks (for Static and Endurance Strength, Life, Shocks resistance and also some Miscellaneous Effects due f.e. to Critical Speeds and Stress Concentrators) it will be described briefly a combinatory design methodology or “heuristics” which takes into account as the technical viability and reliability as well as the economical feasibility of the whole system line (included end bearings and transmission) leading to an “overall safety ratio matrix” and/or to “viability and reliability graphs” helping in such a way the designer to reach an “optimum design” by an overall helicopter view of his/her design(s). In terms of optimization techniques, this user friendly combinatory design methodology could be placed in the field of the “heuristic” ones. An industrial case study will illustrate that presentation. This presentation is also a continuation of the one given for the MS&T’09 occurring in PITTSBURGH, USA during the “Charles R. MORIN Memorial Symposium on Failure Analysis & Prevention” for the ASM International.

A design method for achieving minimum sound radiation from a beam is presented. The strategy is to form a series of cylindrical dimples on the beam surface in order to make one or more vibration modes of this dimpled beam have the same shape as the weak modes. Consequently, the dimpled beam behaves as a weak radiator when one or more vibration modes are excited. Instead of minimizing the radiated sound power at a specific frequency or in a bandwidth, the objective is to maximize the modal assurance coefficient (MAC) which quantifies resemblance between the vibration mode of a dimpled beam and a weak mode. To perform this strategy, two key issues are addressed in this paper. The first is to determine the so-called weak mode of a beam. And the second is how to determine the required dimple size and the dimple location on this beam so that the dimpled beam may have vibration modes resembled to the weak modes. A methodology to do so based on the finite element method and the mode assurance criteria is proposed. Results show that the radiation efficiency of the dimpled beam after optimization using MAC as the objective is generally lower than the uniform beam. However, the effectiveness of this strategy depends on how close in shape between the vibration mode of the dimpled beam and the designated weak mode.

The plant under control is the hydraulic circuit arranged by CNH in a prototype agriculture tractor of medium segment, where instead of the conventional main hydraulic pump, a new device electronically piloted, is installed. The main purpose is basically to obtain some advantages according to the energetic point of view, by means of an appropriate control structure, managing the electronic variable displacement pump. The frontier of the new systems requires the employment of the advanced control techniques, in order to assure the levels of precision, reliability, robustness demanded from systems. The control design methodology employed in the present case is based on robust H∞ optimization techniques, where robust stability properties are guaranteed in presence of unaccountable dynamics and other destabilizing factors. The effectiveness of the proposed control approach is tested on the demonstrative tractor realized from the CNH Agriculture at Modena plants, in all real conditions.

The rampant changes marking modern manufacturing are driven by: (a) excess manufacturing capacity and the consequent increase in competition, and (b) rising environmental awareness and legislation. This green legislation (WEEE, EuP, RoHS, etc.) has arisen in an attempt to resolve the inherent conflict between a number of competing needs: (1) environmental requirements and constraints, (2) consumer demands and (3) industrial profitability constraints. Consequently, modern industries seeking to maintain corporate profits while complying with new legislation have begun to shift from product delivery to through-life service support. That is, companies supply products and continue to maintain them throughout the product’s lifetime. Industrial profitability in such a paradigm requires technological adaption and innovation as well as enhanced product performance control. All these changes and requirements are dictating change in design approaches and practices. This paper presents a new design methodology and supporting tools to analyze and improve product design, while taking into account environmental impact and the selling-of-services business paradigm. The analysis is based on dynamic product models aimed at extending life span while reducing complexities and internal interdependencies by means of component periodicity planning and uncoupling activities.

Reconfigurable systems have the potential to boost hardware performance, efficiency and to stimulate development activity by enabling designers to work with flexible “modeling clay”, rather than with fixed units of hardware. One of the design issues not widely covered in current Advanced Logic Design courses is the issue of reconfigurable systems design. The proposed pedagogical approach enables the achievement of reconfigurable electronic systems representations through Finite State Machine (FSM), and may be helpful for teaching disciplines, in subjects such as reconfigurable computing and advanced digital systems. The approach intends to cover topics such as architectures and capabilities of field-programmable logic devices; system specification, modelling, and synthesis of digital systems; design methodology; computer-aided design tools; reconfiguration techniques. FSMs are probably the most widely used control components in digital systems. The accepted FSM design methodology taught today is problem oriented, especially its combinatorial part. This approach makes changes to the design complicated and undesirable. In contrast, in the new suggested approach, the emphasis is on the automata behavior and not on its implementation logic. The result of this approach is a more flexible and less complicated design abilities that uplift the course to a more intense and focused levels while enabling at the same time to perform a larger amount of experiments, and enhance the students’ self-efficacy. The proposed design method for FSM implementation with both combinational part and state memory part is built primarily from RAM blocks. The basic components of the circuit are utilizing the FPGA’s RAM blocks, by reprogramming these one can provide for different functionality. The design procedure is automated by software shell that converts the FSM representation in Kiss2 format to a VHDL description that corresponds to the proposed architecture. This paper suggests methods for the design of a reconfigurable FSM to be used in Advanced Logic Design course, and deals with the following aspects: a) system formalization by high (behavioral) level of abstraction; b) RAM based FSM architecture; c) reusable templates d) software system for FSM static reconfiguration. In addition, the proposed approach enables non-hardware background people to be able to control algorithm representation as FSMs and it also provides an additional motivation for students since the reconfigurable systems concept may be linked to studies in other disciplines; and a dynamic reconfiguration is overviewed.

The design of complex structures which benefit the usage of inhomogeneous properties is a very difficult task. In this paper we present a novel approach in which we synthesize the design of structures by mimicking two fundamental processes from biology — Evolution and Development. We will show that by using these two processes in a computational model, we are able to evolve high performance structures. These structures contain a high degree of complexity from a topological aspect and from a materials distribution aspect. This degree of complexity is difficult or even impossible to achieve by ordinary design methods.

In the past the design of a new product used to be performed by intuition and by expertise based on previous successes, and even better on previous failures. When designing a product, a young engineer was fully dependent on the guidance, inspection and help of his superior in the design office. Such guidance was essential for long periods. In the second half of the 20 th century systematic design methods have been developed, with the aim that even a novice designer will be able to devise a novel good product. The methods were developed in two very different trends, one in the USSR by G. Altshuller, by the name of TRIZ — a Russian acronym for the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving — and the other in Germany, by a few contributors and is generally known as the Pahl and Beitz method. These two techniques are quite different in approach and in details and have been further developed in the recent years. The Pahl & Beitz method has been enhanced by the ICDM tools and TRIZ has been further developed into SIT, ASIT and USIT versions. In this study, a comparison of all the versions will be made and differences and similarities are highlighted. The methods started very different, but as the development advanced, now quite a few basics and details of both methods, are getting closer to each other. Both ways became quite popular, and attracted many followers. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of the two routes of methods in solving engineering problems.

Large structure such as container crane is small amount manufacturing and made for order. A lot of designers must work cooperatively to bring it to success as early as it is needed. Besides, collecting and identifying customers’ needs and understanding their idea are essential tasks in the development process. In this paper, a 3D parametric design system based on hybrid pattern of Client/Server and Browser/Server is introduced to achieve the coordination between the design team and close communication with the customers. In Client/Server architecture, a framework is presented to support integration of CAD/CAE. The effective management of mail and message can ensure swift, safe and effective communication between designers and avoid useless working and wrong result. Based on the top-down design method, skeleton model, technologies of parametric 3D modeling, finite element analysis, integrated CAD/CAE and engineering database, the CAD platform of 3D parametric model family for crane design is set up. That let the cooperation of the design team possible. In Browser/Server architecture, standard Internet Explores act as the browsers, which will exchange the desired information as well as dynamically display the CAD models in VRML format according to request.

The optimal aerodynamic design of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) is investigated. The Blade-element/Momentum model is used for the aerodynamic analysis. In the first part of the paper a simple design method is derived, where the turbine blade is optimized for operation at a specific wind speed. Results of this simple optimization are presented and discussed. Besides being optimized for operation at a specific wind speed, without considering operation at other wind speeds, the simple model is also limited in the choice of design goals (cost functions), design variables and constraints. In the second part of the paper a comprehensive design method that is based on a mixed numerical optimization strategy, is presented. This method can handle almost any combination of: design goal, design variables, and constraints. Results of this method are presented, compared with the results of the simple optimization, and discussed.

The paper describes a design methodology, TREND-MORPH-PDS, an original contribution to design science. It is a relatively simple methodology that has grown from efforts to innovate mechanical machines with their strong dependence on solid (geometrical) reasoning. The approach focuses on combinatorial methods of invention/innovation/design emphasizing the manipulation of form (as distinct from the manipulation of function alone) that help the designer to generate a wide range of good design alternatives. The first premise of this approach is that the elements and functions of mature technologies such as mechanical machines are well documented and understood. Thus, innovations are more likely to involve new combinations of existing forms than the introduction of new machine elements. The second premise is that valuable information is available about most elements and the more popular subsystems and machines. That information has evolved, sometimes over time spans ranging to hundreds of years, but usually has not been systematically documented and categorised, thus leaving opportunities to investigate these areas and discover good design possibilities. Further, some valuable information is available only anecdotally or is tightly held by the managements of the companies that have manufactured the device(s) or own the intellectual rights. The TREND-MORPH-PDS methodology involves three phases: 1. TREND: Start with a general goal or goals. Break this down into sub-areas/systems, including: socio-economic, near physical environment, power source, prime mover, gearing/matching, transmission, working sub-system and control system. Research and document historical trends in each of these areas and their possible influences on the design. 2. MORPH: Apply morphological analysis to each sub-system, using rapid graphical techniques. Move to detail design for specific alternatives as satisficing sub-systems are identified. 3. PDS: At all times during these stages, take advantage of design knowledge/tools that are currently available, looking for ideas and opportunities. Work constantly on constructing the Product Design Specification (PDS). The conceptual design is complete when the PDS is finalized. Detail design, which would follow from the PDS, is not treated in this paper. We illustrate the methodology with a case study of a morphological analysis of a ground water pumping system suitable for low volume flow pumping.