2 answers
James
Student
Texas City, Texas
1
Question
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How can one make an engineering design to be more attracting?
How can one make an engineering design to be more attracting?
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2 answers
Dennis Taylor
Self-employed
72
Answers
Columbus, Indiana
Updated
Dennis’s Answer
Hello James,
I am not quite sure what you are asking, but I will give it a go with what I think you asked: ( How can I make (my) design stand out amongst many others that have been presented to solve a problem?)
As an engineer, your job is to solve a problem. Usually, the problem is to improve a system, or part of a system in some way. You can reduce the cost. You can improve the safety. You can make it easier to use or easier to service and repair. You can improve the functionality of the thing.....etc. How? Change the design: use a new and different material, change the dimenions; make the parts lighter/make the parts heavier, make the thing easier to manufacture....there are a myriad of options waiting for you to try. Which options should you try?
That's where your training and creativity come in. If you are lucky, you can achieve one success - like make it for lower cost. If you are really lucky and creative, you figure out how to make the thing for lower cost , AND it adds functionality. If you are triple succesful, you lower the cost, improve functionality and make it last longer and easier to service.
Do you see where I am going with this? The the more targets you hit, the higher your score. Is that what you were asking about, James? Here's the bad news: I can't tell you how to hit a triple or a home run. I suspect not many people can. You have to learn how by hitting singles and doubles first: ask questions and listen. Other people know how the "old" system was designed, and why it was designed that way. Now it's your turn to design or test the "new and better" system. Ask your self - how can I re-arrange things? Look at it from a different angle. Why is there a limiting speed, or pressure or temperature....? You will use models of the system to look at alternatives. Use what you learned in your education to analyze various parts of the system. Break it down into simpler pieces that can be analyzed. You may find something in it that is not needed. Or, you find that there is something missing. Are the tolerances too loose? Are they too tight? Trial and error? No. Trial and Success! Good luck, James. I hope I have given you some useful ideas.
I am not quite sure what you are asking, but I will give it a go with what I think you asked: ( How can I make (my) design stand out amongst many others that have been presented to solve a problem?)
As an engineer, your job is to solve a problem. Usually, the problem is to improve a system, or part of a system in some way. You can reduce the cost. You can improve the safety. You can make it easier to use or easier to service and repair. You can improve the functionality of the thing.....etc. How? Change the design: use a new and different material, change the dimenions; make the parts lighter/make the parts heavier, make the thing easier to manufacture....there are a myriad of options waiting for you to try. Which options should you try?
That's where your training and creativity come in. If you are lucky, you can achieve one success - like make it for lower cost. If you are really lucky and creative, you figure out how to make the thing for lower cost , AND it adds functionality. If you are triple succesful, you lower the cost, improve functionality and make it last longer and easier to service.
Do you see where I am going with this? The the more targets you hit, the higher your score. Is that what you were asking about, James? Here's the bad news: I can't tell you how to hit a triple or a home run. I suspect not many people can. You have to learn how by hitting singles and doubles first: ask questions and listen. Other people know how the "old" system was designed, and why it was designed that way. Now it's your turn to design or test the "new and better" system. Ask your self - how can I re-arrange things? Look at it from a different angle. Why is there a limiting speed, or pressure or temperature....? You will use models of the system to look at alternatives. Use what you learned in your education to analyze various parts of the system. Break it down into simpler pieces that can be analyzed. You may find something in it that is not needed. Or, you find that there is something missing. Are the tolerances too loose? Are they too tight? Trial and error? No. Trial and Success! Good luck, James. I hope I have given you some useful ideas.
Ron Llanes
Product Design & Development Engineer
9
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Ron’s Answer
Hi James-
I am a mechanical engineer for a Product Design firm! Could you perhaps provide more detail on your design and product so that I can better provide recommendations?
Thanks- Ron L
I am a mechanical engineer for a Product Design firm! Could you perhaps provide more detail on your design and product so that I can better provide recommendations?
Thanks- Ron L