Engineering Design Methodology: A Global Perspective Session 4 Reverse Engineering and Redesign

Dr. Ing. Sheila Lascano Farak

Outline

General Reverse Engineering and Redesign Methodology Types of Redesign Reverse Engineering & Product Dissection Dissection Process Dissection Steps Dissection Reporting Disassembly Plan Bill of Materials

Definitions
Reverse Engineering:
Reverse engineering starts with a current product and is the process of understanding the components, functions, mechanisms, and systems used by the product. Reverse Engineering gives an overall picture of how other designers have combine parts to satisfy the customer needs.

Redesign Process:
It is a process that follows reverse engineering, where the product is evolved to its next offering in the market.

Definitions
Redesign: There are two categories of redesigns:

Fixes
A fix is a design modification that is required due to less than acceptable performance once the product has been introduced into the marketplace. Example: redesign of refrigeration systems (use of fluorinated hydrocarbon refrigerants because of the ozone-hole problem)

Updates
Updates are usually planned as part of the products life cycle before the product is introduced to the market. An update may add capacity and improve performance to the product or improve its appearance to keep it competitive.

General Reverse Engineering and Redesign Methodology

Reverse engineering and redesign methodology has three distinct phases:

Redesign

Modeling and analysis

Reverse engineering

This approach allows us to understand the product.

Investigation, Prediction & Hypothesis Reverse Engineering

Concrete experience: Function & form

Design models Modeling & Analysis Design analysis

Redesign
Parametric Redesign Adaptive Redesign Original Redesign

Types of Redesign

Adaptive Redesign (synthesis)

Involves adapting a known system to a changed task or evolving a significant subsystem of a current product.
Involves varying the parameters (size, geometry, materials, etc..) of certain aspects of a product to develop a new and more Robust design. Implies that a product already exists that is perceived to fall short in some criteria and a new solution is needed.

Parametric Redesign (modification)

Original Redesign

Reverse Engineering & Product Dissection

Discover the operational requirements of the product Examine how the product performs its functions
How does the product operate? What conditions are necessary for proper function of the product? What mechanical, electrical, control system or other devices are used in the product to generate the desired functions? What are the power and force flow through the product? What are the spatial constraints for subassemblies and components? Is clearance required for proper functioning? If a clearance is present, why is it present? What is the products architecture ? What are the major sub-assemblies? What are the key component interfaces?

Determine the relationships between component parts of the product.

Determine the manufacturing and assembly processes used to produce the product.

Of what material and by what process is each component made? What are the joining methods used on the key components? What links and fasteners are used and where are they located?

Dissection Process

The most important aspect of a product dissection is to make clear why we are doing it.

What are the objectives of this activity?

What are the purposes of the new, evolved product?

What is expected to be uncovered through the dissection? It is always fun to tear apart mechanical devices; however, nothing will be accomplished if data are not collected on important factors ???

Dissection Steps

STEP 1: List the Design Issues

If it is a new product, the design issues may be unknown

Investigate: Customer market, competitors, features of competitors products

If the project entails a redesign, an investigation can ask of the previous team:

What was difficult for them? What design problem did they solve that they are proud of? What related technologies were they interested in?

Last set of design issues that needs recording is basic information on the components in the assembly

Quantity of parts, dimensions, weight, material, color/finish, manufacturing process, geometric tolerances, primary function, etc.

Dissection Steps

STEP 2: Prepare for Product Dissection

Identify:

All sensors and test equipment required for measurement process Camera Videotape (of product operating) Multimeter Hardness tester Optical sensor Flow meter Dynamometer Calipers Strobe Etc.

Dissection Steps

STEP 3: Examine the Distribution and Installation

Examine means used to:

Acquire parts Contain parts Ship, distribute, and market the product

Examine also:

the distribution packaging of the product Consumer installation instructions and procedures (for cost, effectiveness and liability)

Dissection Steps

STEP 4: Disassemble, Measure, and Analyze Data by Assemblies

First take pictures and measurements on the whole assembly before disassembly

Then

Take apart the assembly Take pictures in a exploded view Take measurements on the parts and assemblies to complete the data sheet

In this step is important to avoid destructive testing during the first iteration.

Dissection Steps

STEP 5: Form Bill a Materials (BOM)

During disassembly, the team should complete a written form that details the product. Add a sequence of assembly photos. The data collected in each column of the BOM area that required for subsequent analyses, including cost and performance.

Dissection Reporting

Two documents should be created during the dissection of a product:

Disassembly plan:

Who disassembled it Step by step plan for disassembling the product specifying

Step # Description of dissection task Required tools to perform the step

Bill of Materials (BOM):

Provides a means to record vital structural, physical, and functional information about the product.

Disassembly Plan
Project name Engineer(s)

Product Disassembly

Date:

Known Desired Information

Disassembly Plan: Step Task Needed Tools

Measurements

Comparison with Predictions *Could be components, features, physics, functions

Bill of Material (BOM)

Bill of Materials ProjectName

Engineer(s): Date

Functional Analysis Part # Name Qty Function Flows-In Flows-Out Manuf. Process Dimensions

DFM Cost Analysis Mass Material Finish Other variable

References

Otto , K . and K . Wood , Product Design: Techniques in Reverse Engineering and New Product Development, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ , 2001. Dieter, G and Schmidth L. Engineering Design,, Fourth Edition, Mc Graw Hill, New York, NY, 2009.

Resources

https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/me2011/res ources/product-dissection http://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/html/ProdDi ss.htm