The Design Process: Embodiment Design and Detail Design

The Design Process Embodiment Design and
Detail Design
Grant Crawford 3-22-2017
Revised Stanley Howard 2-20-2019

The Design Process
Three Major Phases
1. Conceptual Design 2. Embodiment Design 3. Detailed Design
Others 4. Planning for Manufacture 5. Planning for Distribution 6. Planning for Use 7. Planning for Retirement of Product

The Design Process

The Design Process 1. Conceptual Design
• Recognition of a need • Definition of the problem
• Includes defining the problem statement, design requirements, constraints, and risks.
• Gathering of information • Developing alternative design concepts • Evaluation of concepts and selection

The Design Process 2. Embodiment Design (Preliminary Design)
A. Product Architecture – arrangement of the physical functions
B. Configuration Design – preliminary selection of materials, modeling and size of parts
C. Parametric Design – creating a robust design, and selection of final dimensions/parameters and tolerances.
Evaluation: This process must also be accompanied by a series of evaluations to determine if the existing design concept remains feasible. Iteration is often required.

The Design Process 3. Detail Design (final design)
• Creation of final drawings and/or specifications.
• Example – final definition of flow rates, chemistries, process time, temperatures, etc. for a extractive metallurgy process.

2. Embodiment Design
A. Product Architecture – arrangement of the physical functions
B. Configuration Design – preliminary selection of materials, modeling and size of parts
C. Parametric Design – creating a robust design, and selection of final dimensions/parameters and tolerances.

2.Embodiment Design
A. Product Architecture
Two types of product architecture
1. Integral Architecture
• implementation of functions is accomplished by only one or a few modules
• Components perform multiple functions • Example: crowbar (single component provides leverage and
acts as handle)
2. Modular Architecture
• Each module implements one or a few functions • Interactions between modules are well defined. • New products or functionality easily developed by adding,
deleting, or swapping modules. • Benefits from economies of scale and rapid product
development (develop new module, get new product) • Example: Modular hip assembly, Laser drilling/ablation
equipment

Modular Architecture Example: Hip Joint

2. Embodiment Design A. Product Architecture
Four steps to developing product architecture 1. Create a schematic diagram of the product (flow chart) 2. Cluster the elements of the schematic 3. Create a rough geometric layout 4. Identify the interactions between modules and performance characteristics