How do you efficiently evaluate your mechanical design?

Evaluating mechanical design efficiently is both art and science. At its core, it’s about ensuring form meets function. Utilizing state-of-the-art simulation tools accelerates the process. Collaboration across multidisciplinary teams has birthed groundbreaking innovations. Real-world testing, often underestimated, offers invaluable insights. Feedback loops, both from machines and users, are paramount. Over the years, the synergy of technology and human intuition has sculpted masterpieces in mechanical design. In essence, when experience weds innovation, mechanical designs don't just work, they excel. Dive in, collaborate, and let every design tell a compelling story.

First parameter that must be considered before establishing any project is the project budget and the client requirement which might impact the cost such as green building certificate, sustainability and level of smart technology needed. Send is the design criteria based on international code’s inline with local Authority and operators guidelines. Third is the design strategy based on available utilities and project budgets. Final is the design progress and how to run efficiently based on approved duration and time plan for stages and early raising of all risks to be considered within the time plan without any impact on achievement of target submission dates. Also not missing the QAQC process.

Evaluating a mechanical design efficiently involves a systematic approach to ensure that the design meets its intended purpose, is safe, cost-effective, and reliable. this approach should have : 1- Define Design Objectives and Requirements 2- Review and Analyze Design Specifications 3- Conceptual Evaluation 4- Use Design Tools and Software if possible 5- Prototyping and Testing 6- Functional Testing 7- Safety and Reliability Assessment 8- Cost Analysis 9- Environmental Impact Assessment: 10- Peer Review and Collaboration 11- Documentation and Reporting 12- Final Review 13- Presentation and Communication 14- Continuous Improvement

1. Interchangeability with existing items 2. Ease of operation and maintenance 3. Make it reliable (fail safe) to extent possible. 4. Use a cocktail of best available solutions 5. Explore latest technology with energy efficiency (eg. VFDs instead of mechanical controls)

Any time you are given a design task you need to make sure the big 3 boxes are checked: time, resources, quality. Without these, you cannot even start a good design. (Assuming you understand physics and manuf.)

Normally, you do not "choose" the method. It is part of the verification process defined in the company workflow or department process. Unless we are referring to the early stage of the project, than you need to define the method that will be used to validate a design.

Efficiently evaluating a mechanical design involves several steps: Testing: Perform thorough testing to verify the design's functionality and performance. Design Reviews: Conduct reviews with other engineers to gain different perspectives and identify potential flaws. Iterative Design: Continuously refine your design based on simulation results, prototype testing, and feedback. Cost Analysis: Consider manufacturing and material costs to ensure the design is feasible within budget constraints. Environmental Impact: Evaluate the design's environmental impact and consider sustainable materials & manufacturing processes. Documentation: Maintain detailed records of your evaluations, changes made, and rationale behind design decisions.

In stress analysis, we say "Accurate. Cheap. Fast. Pick two." You can get a very accurate answer quickly with the latest simulation tool running on a supercomputer, but it will be expensive. You can get a fast and cheap answer with a back-of-the-envelope calculation. You can also get a cheap and accurate answer if those calculations are automated in a spreadsheet validated by previous tests.

These should be apparent. If you don't understand which applies to you, you are either under-qualified or ask your senior engineers.

Always set up any process to be close loop feedback. If unable to do so internally, do so with a 3rd party (even if on the side). Engineering is a team sport. We succeed together.

A baseline shall be drawn for refinement so that it won't end up in the infinite loop of feedback and correction. A structured feedback and review approach can be adopted here.

To put it simply, Performance, efficiency, longevity are the best Judge of the design. There are lot of factors that need to be addressed and taken into account before heading towards drawing board for design of any component or system, past experience, comparison with existing data base, might help in designing the most appropriate product . As they say, the devil lies in details! A detailed analysis of Scope of Work , selection of correct process, material,Quality control of highest order may result in a near Ideal design.

One step, or several steps, of the project is the review meetings, peer reviews, design reviews, etc. Call it as you whish. The main stakeholders need to be part of these reviews. It is the best way of avoiding moving forward with mistakes.

Aim for better than everyone else in your market instead of aiming towards perfection. Finished, is better than perfect. If you only had one feedback to get, ask the customer. If you need another one, ask the manufacturer.

This is an important step, when it's important. It's a great habit, but in the modern context inorder to be efficient, you have to find the limit to which it is effective. Otherwise your under effective.

In my experience, delivering a sort of CliffsNotes about the design choices, especially for what concern new product introduction, where to write down the concept to market history exploiting market request, early requirements, and successive adaptations if applicable. This is because it may happen the company does not have so deeply detailed level of documentation involving design, unlikely what can be found for verification and validation tests, fabrication processes, or quality control procedures.

One of the best ways to evaluate a design, is to see how many of standard design elements have been used like, linkages, assembling methods, etc and how many are non standard elements made by the designer. For all the standard elements used, check for reason for selection of the said element, and match it with the guidelines provided by the said manufacturers. For all non standard elements, take a three step process, where check for a theoretical study done, then analysis for backing up the calculations, and finally a Proof of concept through prototype, to validate if the functionality required is met. After that go through all the other environmental factors that can affect the said design when in use in native environment with a DFMEA.

100% true. However, use it as a branching point. Feel free to explore while you still have the luxury of their guidance. It's a safe place to explore. However, be explicit about that you understand and are exploring. No one worth their salt would ever say no... Unless it's a critical path issue... And if that's the case, you shouldn't be on it.

Actually I would say in short that any mechanical design should be considering important parameters as - Design to target cost - Design for assembly - Design for manufacturing -Design for reliability - Considering all critical to quality aspects This is possible to achieve efficiently and cost effectively, meeting customer and quality requirements by applying cost optimization and designing softwares. By developing Design methodology with Must Haves rules following the best practices of design.

Basically any mechanical design approaches some KPIs as: - Industrial feasibility (investments, costs, etc.) - Market size (potencial) - Regulatory bodies (legal barries) - Operations (how it will works on customers side) If you do it well, you have great chances to achieve success on your project.

Especially in engineer to order cases it is good overdo and over engineer all aspects that do not need to be optimized due to cost or performance reasons. Whenever possible, leave big safety margins. Leave some room and extra strength for possible future bigger parts and larger forces when it is viable option. Those will pay back if product has to be changed in future in some non predicted way. Big enough safety margins make evaluation, manufacturing, maintenance, and testing easier. If everything is on limit it can take enormous amount of extra care in all these steps over the whole lifecycle of product.

Build the knowledge! This is part of the development that we need to have as person, departments and companies. Documenting the results and sharing the lessons learned are mandatory.

This is one of my favorite acronyms for this: DIFOTIS Stands for: Delivery in Full on Time in Spec This includes knowing who is the "persona" wanting, what they want, how this need looks when fulfilled, and when will it be fulfilled. My advice would be to stop running around like a headless chook focusing on the ins and outs of the design process. Go out and ask a customer/end-user for feedback. They will tell you the truth.