Function-Based Design

Interdisciplinary Capstone Design Week 10

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Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function-based design Overview

A structured and systematic approach to engineering design (Pahl & Beitz)

Conceptual design < Solution neutral term

Feature/Geometry < Functionality

Hierarchy Various levels of function-abstraction

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

What is Function?

What the product must do Logical flows of energy, material, or information between objects or the change of state of an object caused by one or more of the flows

Function/Flow of energy: type of energy and action

Function/Flow of materials: through-flow, diverging flow, converging flow

Function/Information flow: mechanical/electrical signals, software

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis Overview

Express the overall function with the conversion of inputs into outputs
Break down the overall function into sub-functions Draw a block diagram showing the interactions between sub-functions Draw system boundary Search for appropriate components to perform sub-functions and interactions
Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis - Procedure

Step 1: Express overall function Black box representation in terms of inputs and outputs As broad as possible at first narrowed down later

BLACK BOX Inputs

Outputs Function

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis - Procedure

Step 2: Break down overall function Create a set of essential sub-functions Express with a statement of a verb and a noun As specific as possible Inputs/outputs of sub-functions compatibility
Sub-function 1 Sub-function 2 Overall function Sub-function 3 Sub-function n
Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis - Procedure

Step 3: Draw a block diagram Order and link sub-functions appropriately Black box Transparent box Different convention for different types of I/O flows; energy, materials, information
Transparent box Subfunction Subfunction Subfunction Subfunction

Inputs Function
Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis - Procedure

Step 4: Draw the system boundary Define precise extent and location of the system boundary Possibly narrow the boundary to define a feasible product Depends on management policy and client requirements

Step 5: Search for suitable components Depends on nature of product or device to be designed Consider many alternative components

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis - Example

Design example: Power screwdriver Step1: Express overall function

Black box model of a power screwdriver

Overall function Inputs Outputs

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Function Analysis - Example

Step2 & 3 & 4

Functional model of a power screwdriver

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Functional Basis Approach

Definition of Functional Basis A standard taxonomy of function and flow in an attempt to formalize the representation of functional abstraction Objectives To develop universal design language allowing designers to communicate product function efficiently Impact Product architecture development, Systematic function structure generation, Archival and transmittal of design information, Comparison of product functionality, Creativity in concept generation, Product metrics, robustness, and benchmarks Proposed by Stone & Wood (1999)

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Reconciled Functional Basis Flow Set

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Reconciled Functional Basis Function Set

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Case Study: Tree Tagger

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Case Study: Humidifier

Black-box Model

Electricity

Noise, Heat

Water

humidify room

Vapor

On/Off

Humidity

Energy flow

Material flow

Signal flow

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Case Study: Humidifier

Functional basis modeling
ee

on/off

import electricity

ee

convert EE to TE

ae

dissipate AE te

noise

water

import liquid water

store liquid water

guide liquid

water

transmit TE

te water

convert liquid to gas

te

dissipate TE

heat export gas

vapor

guide gas vapor

vapor
humidity

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Case Study: Gripper

Black-box Model

Electricity

Noise, Heat

Object

grasp object

Object

On/Off Position/Orientation Position/Orientation

Energy flow

Material flow

Signal flow

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory

Case Study: Gripper

Functional basis modeling

ae dissipate AE dissipate TE allow DOF noise

te ee import electricity convert EE to ME tre re couple TRE & RE

heat

on/off

ee

tre+re

tre+re
import object solid position solid object transmit TRE + RE me object secure object object

object

pos./orient.

pos./orient.

pos./orient.

pos./orient.

Product Design and Production Systems Laboratory