Mechatronics Design and Prototyping

Posted on Dec 3, 2024 in Other subjects

Mechatronics

Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary approach based on open communication systems and practices for achieving the best product design engineering.

Product Architecture

Product architecture is a scheme by which the functional elements of a product are arranged and interact in physical blocks.

Functional Elements

Operations and transformations contribute to the overall performance of the product. These are described as schemas before being implemented with specific technologies, components, or physical principles.

Physical Components

These are the parts and subassemblies that implement the product’s functions. They become more defined as product development progresses.

Process Architecture

  1. Create a product outline.
  2. Cluster schema elements.
  3. Create a rough geometric design.

Consider the following for grouping items:

  • Geometric Integration and Accuracy: Elements requiring precise location or nearby geometric integration should be in one block.
  • Contribution of Functions: When a single physical component implements various functional components, these must be part of the same block.
  • Similarity in Design or Production Technology: Elements implemented using the same design or production technology should be in the same block.
Modular Architecture

Blocks implement one or a few functional elements in their entirety.

Integral Architecture

Functional elements are implemented using more than one block. Interactions between blocks are not well-defined and may be incidental.

Industrial Design

Industrial design is the professional service of creating and developing concepts.

Five Goals of Industrial Design

  • Usability
  • Appearance
  • Ease of Maintenance
  • Low Cost
  • Effective Communication

Industrial Design Process

  • Research and Conceptualization of Customer Needs
  • Concept Refinement and Final Selection
  • Control Drawings

Manufacturing

Manufacturing refers to producing individual components and assembling a product.

Design for Assembly (DFA)

DFA guides product design based on ease of assembly.

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA)

DFMA combines Design for Manufacture (DFM) and DFA.

Steps in Design for Manufacturing

  1. Estimate manufacturing costs.
  2. Reduce component costs.
  3. Reduce assembly costs.
  4. Reduce production costs.
  5. Consider the impact of DFM.
Fixed Expenses

Operating expenses for the company.

Variable Expenses

Expenses related to production.

Robust Design

Robust design focuses on creating a sturdy and robust product.

Benefits of Robust Design

  • Improves quality and reduces costs.
  • Provides a systematic guide to finding optimal design parameters.
  • Reduces variation in parts and processes.
  • Allows the use of commercial parts, saving time and money.
  • Increases customer satisfaction.

Prototyping

A prototype is an approximation of the product along one or more dimensions of interest.

Purposes of Prototypes

  • Meet initial user requirements.
  • Validate system specifications.
  • Explore solutions to specific design problems.
  • Resolve uncertainties in early design stages.
  • Manage change requests.
  • Validate user requirements.
  • Increase user participation.
  • Achieve consumer acceptance.
  • Ensure quality.

Types of Prototypes

Physical Prototype

Artifacts created to approximate the product; models that look and feel like the product.

Analytical Prototype

Mathematical, analytical, simulation, or computational models used for product analysis.

Global Prototype

A large-scale, fully operational version of the product used to identify design flaws before production.

Focused Prototype

Implements one or a few product attributes (functionality or aesthetic).

Alpha Prototype

The first physical construction of a subsystem, tested individually.

Beta Prototype

The first full-scale, fully functional prototype built with the final product’s materials.

Considerations Before Building a Physical Prototype

  • Purpose
  • Development time
  • Possible forms
  • Types of tests to be conducted

Steps to Develop a Prototype

  1. Define the purpose.
  2. Establish the level of approximation.
  3. Design the experimental plan.