Design Methodology Literature

[ddelaiarro]

sahinoz' New to Plastic/Sheet Metal Design post (

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=145113&page=1)

got me thinking.

I'm about 4 years out of school and have been at my most recent job for 2 years now. Anyways, I'm working for a process equipment design company. We do mostly small lot run machined and sheet-metal design. As you can imagine (and as I'm sure is common in all industry), manufacturing cost is a PRIME concern with us. Also, getting it right the first time with innovative design is also quite valued.

I'm doing pretty good with the bits of projects I'm given. But, I feel like I'm always asking the senior engineers for adivce/guidance. While this approach was fine for a while, I feel that in order for me to get to the 'next level' I really need to be able to bring new, innovative, and cost-effective approaches to my projects by myself and also be able to make recommendations on other projects when involved in design reviews, etc.

Can anyone recommend good approaches and/or literature (books, magazines, etc) to develop both my design knowledge as it relates to economics and also my general understanding of solid mechanical design procedure. Schooling gave me a great basis of how/why things work, but we never really delved into the economics of it.

 

[GeoSmith]

I suggest the magazine "Machine Design".

 

[Beggar]

I'd look into resources for DFM/DFA (Design for Manufacture/Design for Assembly). I took a DFMA (Design for Manual Assembly) class long ago but found it very helpful in thinking through the ramifications of design.

I trust you've taken some machining classes so that you understand what you're asking of your guys?

--------------------
Bring back the HP-15

http://www.hp15c.org

--------------------

 

[svanels]

What about checking how your projects work in the real world, and questioning the customers?

I have heard that a car existed, where you had to
1) take out the top components
or
2) Lay under the car
to
change the sparkplugs..

 

[ddelaiarro]

What about checking how your projects work in the real world, and questioning the customers?

We do this a lot and is a good practice. Our machines are multi-million dollar investments on our customers' end, so there is a lot of interaction between engineering and customers. It has allowed us streamline design for our customers' needs as well as realize where we can mesh simplified design and performance increase in an effort to improve profitability on our end.

That being said, I'm trying to really reel in my overall knowledge of DFM/DFA and how putting a hole 'here instead of there' will affect the design economics. So far I've received great advice. I'm hoping to receive some more in the future.

 

[drawoh]

ddelaiarro,

Product Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
Geoffrey Boothroyd, Peter Dewhurst, Winston Knight,
Marcel Dekker.

I got my copy from Amazon.

JHG

 

[ddelaiarro]

drawoh - much appreciated!

 

[GTstartup]

[I have heard that a car existed, where you had to
1) take out the top components
or
2) Lay under the car
to
change the sparkplugs..

YUP

Porsche 964 (911 1990-1994)Actually by the time you're done you would wish you took the whole engine out

 

[drawoh]

GTstartup,

I thought there were several cars like that. This sort of thing is easy to do. Design a car around an existing V6 or V8 engine, and an existing MacPherson strut suspension. Most kludges are the product of somebody trying to use existing components in new design.

JHG