The process of conceptualizing innovative designs is multifaceted and inherently difficult to perform successfully. It is largely characterized by the designer’s capability to find solutions to design problems beyond existing norms. General agreement suggests this process should entail a holistic approach for conceiving new ideas, which are expanded, assessed, developed, refined, and implemented as part of an iterative problem solving cycle. Suitable design procedures and skills are therefore vital as most of the final cost of a product or system is committed within the early conceptualization stage. This paper builds on engineering design techniques previously developed by the author, namely the Design Process Framework in conjunction with the Concept Assessment Taxonomy (CAT) at the heart of concept development [1]. The main emphasis of the work presented herein is the application of said framework to a new design challenge in order to further test and demonstrate its practicality in a real world context: the conceptual development of an innovative, modular, hybrid-electric powertrain for two-wheelers.

The development of compact and efficient hybrid electric vehicle powertrains for low initial and on-going costs requires consideration of numerous, often competing factors. Appropriately designing and sizing these powertrains requires the consideration of requirements for vehicle range and performance, considered directly through the sizing of motors and engines, and indirectly through minimization of vehicle mass whilst being constrained by total stored energy in the vehicle, against the impact on vehicle emissions and on purchase and ongoing operational costs. In addition to these considerations the actual driver use will strongly influence the energy consumed and vehicle emissions. It therefore becomes beneficial to provide flexibility in hybrid vehicle configuration design to enable the minimization of vehicle emissions and ongoing vehicle costs. The purpose of this paper is to study the various alternative vehicle powertrain configurations for application to small scale hybridization demands, such as scooters or motorcycles. Powertrain configurations studied in this paper include plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), battery hybrid electric (BHEV), and a pure electric vehicle (PEV). To design and size each of the configurations a statistical approach is taken, power and load demands are studied and utilized to size powertrain components. Results are extended to size vehicle energy storage for electric only range of 25, 50 and 100 km, and total vehicle range of 100 km for the BHEV and 200 km for the PHEV. Based on the results developed from the analysis mathematical models of each of the powertrain configurations are then developed in Matlab/Simulink and numerical studies of vehicle energy consumption in comparison to range are conducted. Outcomes of these simulations are compared to an operating cost based analysis of the suggested powertrains; the benefits and limitations of each design are considered in detail.

This paper presents a detailed experimental study to quantitatively assess the performance of a roll-plane Hydraulically Interconnected Suspension (HIS) system in articulation (warp) mode. This mode is critical for better off-road vehicle handling, particularly in utility vehicles. Articulation of a four-wheel vehicle describes the in-phase motion of two diagonally opposed wheels, with adjacent wheels moving out of phase. The widely used anti-roll bars, required for increased roll resistance, also stiffen the articulation mode, which may result in one or more wheels losing ground contact on uneven surfaces, compromising vehicle stability and safety. Yet roll-plane HIS systems are capable of decoupling vehicle roll from articulation. A comparative experimental analysis of HIS and conventional anti-roll bars has been conducted to evaluate vehicle dynamic performance at full-car level under articulation excitation. Test results demonstrate that the HIS system has a negligible effect on wheel travel in articulation mode, offering a significant improvement in vehicle handling and safety over conventional anti-roll bars.

This paper introduces a framework for enhancing creative thinking in engineering design. As a flexible methodology, the proposed Creative Engineering Design (CED) framework integrates a new concept development tool, the Concept Assessment Taxonomy (CAT), which constitutes the core of the proposed methodology. By combining the procedures of concept generation, evaluation and selection in a single matrix, the CAT aims to systematize and simplify the overall conceptualization process, while delivering design process transparency. Early trials have shown the effectiveness of the CED framework in offering procedural guidance and a better comprehension of the multifaceted nature of engineering design. It complements well-established textbook-methods in an effort to reduce ad-hoc and trial-and-error approaches, while minimizing decision-making based on intuition and guesswork. In order to demonstrate its usefulness within a real world context, the proposed methodology is applied to a case study in the field of mechanical design: a new mechanical fuel injection system capable of curbing small engine emissions.