EME 2016 Engineering Design I 1-1 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design

1. Basic Design Philosophy

1.1 Mechanical design.

Design and engineering, although sometimes viewed as distinct, are two facets of the same
profession. It is stated that engineering is a profession concerned primarily with the application of a
certain body of knowledge, set of skills, and point of view in the creation of devices, structures, and
processes used to transform resources to forms which satisfy the needs of society. Design is the
activity in which engineers accomplish the preceding task, usually by responding to a design
imperative for the required task. The design imperative is the result of a problem definition and has
the following general form: "Design (subject to certain problem-solving constraints) a component,
system or process that will perform a specified task (subject to certain solution constraints)
optimally." The end result of the engineering design process is a specification set from which a
machine, process, or system may be built and operated to meet the original need. The designer's task
is then to create this specification set for the manufacture, assembly, testing, installation, operation,
repair, and use of a solution to a problem. Although primarily decision making and problem solving,
the task is a complex activity requiring special knowledge and abilities.

1.2 Specifications and process.

Few question need to be answered before we go to such topic
What is the engineering processes, how does it began, what the engineer should do, what
happen next, what factors influence the decision finally how the process will end????

The procedure for designing a machine may involve the following steps:

(1)- Recognition of need

(2)- Definition of the problem;
(3)- Synthesis
(4)- Analysis and optimization;
(5)- Evaluation;
(6)- Presentation for manufacturing.

Fig. 1-1 Procedure of design process

 EME 2016 Engineering Design I 1-BASIC DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

(1) Recognition of a need

The need is a feeling of uneasiness or a sensing that something is not right. It is often not
evident at all. Recognition is usually triggered by a particular adverse circumstances or a set of
random circumstance, which arise almost simultaneously.
A sensitive person, one, who easily disturbed by things, is more likely to recognize a need. He is
also more likely to do something about it. For this reason, sensitive people are more creative.
A need is easily recognized after someone else has stated. Thus the need in many countries for
cleaner air and water, for more parking facilities in the cities, for better public transportation
system, etc

(2) Definition of the problem

The problem should be well defined and include all the possible specifications for the part to be
designed, i.e. the designer should make it clear, what exactly are the required specifications and
what are the limitations? We may regard the thing to be designed as a black box that has inputs
and outputs. In this case we need to specify the characteristics and the limitations such as:

Characteristics Limitations
Input and output quantities, Manufacture process limitation,
Space for the designed part to Limitation facilities of certain plant
occupy, to do certain job,
Expected cost and performance Labor skills not available,
Number of part to be manufactured, Precision measuring tools not
available,
Expected life and reliability, Material and sizes are not easily
available and shortages frequently
occur.
Speeds, feeds, operating Temperature limitations,
temperature
Expected variation in the variable. Dimension and weight limitations,

For example, in the design of a pump, the pump should be designed to deliver the required quantity
of water at a required head. Whatever be the mechanism or material used, the machine should satisfy
these requirements ultimately.

(3) Synthesis (invention of the concept)

This is an analysis task which concerns about whether the performance is satisfactory or better, if
satisfactory, just how well it will perform. System schemes that do not survive analysis are
revised, improved or discarded. Competing schemes are compared so the best can by chosen.
System scheme should meet the following requirements:
(a)- Ease of manufacturing, for example, sections of castings below 3 mm in thickness is
difficult to cast,
(b)- Ease of assembly, for example the big end of the connecting rod for an I.C. engine is
split, to enable easy removal of connecting rod and piston for assembly without
dismantling the crankshaft,
(c )- Standard components should be used as far as possible, for example fasteners, bolts,
nuts, keys, washers, couplings, etc. Using standard parts will facilitate the user to get
necessary spare parts without difficulties,
(d)- Safety of operation, adjustment for wear, appearance are some of the factors to be taken
into consideration in revising the design.

(4) Analysis and optimization

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 EME 2016 Engineering Design I 1-BASIC DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Preliminary design
The selection of a proper mechanism or kinematics arrangement for the machine part is usually
decided by the purpose for designing this part. Consideration is given to strength, wear, and
accuracy of motion, efficiency and cost. Chain drives, belt drives or gear drives can be used for
speed reduction. Proper selection depends on the application whether positive drive is required
or not, the position of the shafts, the power requirements, etc..

Strength, rigidity, cost, corrosion resistance, machine-ability are of the primary consideration in
the selection of the materials for the machine parts. The designer should determine the
parameters which influence the design, for example: Strength is the main criterion for bolts,
Rigidity for shafts, Fiction and wear for the bearings, Weight for bed or casing. In some cases the
thermal conductivity, electrical resistively, magnetic properties, damping characteristics determine
the selection of materials. In many cases the availability of material, which changes with
country, place, and time, determine the selection of materials

After selecting suitable material and mechanism, the working stress or design stress can be
determined. The dimensions of machine members are fixed by strength considerations, keeping
the stress below the design stress. The dimensions should be the nearest to standard values and
should be rounded off. .

Synthesis, analysis, and optimization are intimately and iteratively related, see Fig.1-1. In this
step, several components of the system will be analyzed, optimized and returned to synthesis.
Both analysis and optimization require constructing abstract models of the system (some form of
mathematical models) hoping that one of them will simulate the real physical system very well
(prototype).

(5) Evaluation
Evaluation is a significant phase of the total design process. It is usually involves the testing of a
prototype in the laboratory to discover if the design really satisfies the need. Is it reliable?. Will it
compete successfully with similar products? Is it economical to manufacture and to use? Is it
easily maintained and adjusted?, ect..

(6) Presentation for manufacturing

Presentation is a vital step in the design process. Unless this can be done successfully, the time
and effort spent on obtaining the solution have been largely wasted.
Basically, there are only three means of communication. Theses are writing a report, speaking to
convince, and graphical presentation. The three forms of communication, writing, speaking, and
drawing, are skills, that is abilities that can be developed by any reasonable intelligent person.
Skills are acquired only be practice. Musicians, athletes, surgeons, typists, writers, dancers, and
artists, for example, are skillful because of the number of hours, day, weeks, month, and years
they have practiced.
After all possible revisions have been taken into consideration, workings drawing are to be
prepared and cover the following aspects:
(a)- Working drawing must be clear, precise and complete,
(b)- Every dimension must be given to avoid the need for guess work,
(c)- Necessary dimensions and tolerances for correct assembly,
(d)- Kind of surface finish and standard symbol must be given
(e)- Finally, a bill of material containing serial number and name of the part, material and number
of components required should be presented in the form of a tabular column.

Basic considerations for the designer.

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While attempting to meet the general criteria discussed earlier, the designer's work and the results
are affected by both internal and external influences. The external influences, shown in Fig. 1.1,
reflect the desires of society as represented by economics, governmental regulations, standards, legal
requirements, and ethics, as well as the items shown as human taste. The other broad area of external
influences reflects what is known and available for use in a design problem. The designer is limited
by human knowledge, human skills, and, again, economics as to what can be made. Another
important external influence on the designer and the design is legal in nature. The designer is directly
influenced by the in-house legal staff or outside attorney retained for legal advice on patents, product
liability, and other legal matters and also is affected by product liability suits against the product
being designed or similar products. Internal influences also affect the design. Figure 1.2 identifies
some of these. They are a result of the designer's environment while maturing, education, life
experiences, moral and ethical codes, personality, and personal needs. These personal or internal
influences help shape the engineer's philosophy of design as well as the approach and execution.
Individual designs will vary depending on the most important local influences at any given time.

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