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Product family design offers a cost-effective solution for providing a variety of products to meet the needs of diverse markets. At the beginning of product family design, designers must decide what can be shared among the product variants in a family. Optimal design formulations have been developed by researchers to find one optimal component sharing solution based on commonality, cost or technical performance of a product family. However, these optimization methods may not be able to apply in consumer product design because some metrics (e.g., visual appeal and ergonomics) of a consumer product cannot be formulized. In this paper, we suggest a tradeoff between commonality and the quality of the modular architecture in product family platform selection. We introduce a method for designers to identify multiple component sharing options that lie along a Pareto front of maximum commonality and strategic modularity. The component sharing options along the Pareto front can be evaluated, compared, and further modified. We demonstrate the method using a case study of product family platform selection of high-end and low-end impact drivers and electric drills. In the case study, the quality of the modular architecture is evaluated using a design structure matrix (DSM) for each of product variants. Three architectures along the Pareto front with maximum commonality, optimal modularity, and a balanced solution of the two metrics are highlighted and further examined to validate the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a mathematical framework to automatically evaluate the manufacturability of injection-molded and die-cast parts is presented. The framework includes an implemented mathematical algorithm to solve key outstanding challenges in feature recognition for manufacturability analysis of injection-molded and die-cast parts. A novel feature recognition method is developed that is based on decomposing the part into elemental cubes and then, making use of their individual manufacturability, the manufacturability of the part as a whole is evaluated. This article discusses a procedure to obtain a 3D binary representation of the solid model and develops feature recognition techniques to extract critical manufacturability information from this 3D binary array. The outstanding challenges addressed by the method presented include the finding of parting surfaces, parting lines, undercuts, holes, bosses, and finding the direction of mold closure in the context of injection-molded or die-cast parts. The algorithm is implemented using a combination of C++ code and Unigraphics solid modeling software. A short example is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In engineering design, all products and artifacts have some intended reason behind their existence: the product or artifact function. Functional modeling provides an abstract, yet direct, method for understanding and representing an overall product or artifact function. Functional modeling also strategically guides design activities such as problem decomposition, physical modeling, product architecting, concept generation, and team organization. A formal function representation is needed to support functional modeling, and a standardized set of function-related terminology leads to repeatable and meaningful results from such a representation. We refer to this representation as a functional basis; in this paper, we seek to reconcile and integrate two independent research efforts into a significantly evolved functional basis. These efforts include research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and two US universities, and their industrial partners. The overall approach for integrating the functional representations and the final results are presented. This approach also provides a mechanism for evaluating whether future revisions are needed to the functional basis and, if so, how to proceed. The integration process is discussed relative to differences, similarities, insights into the representations, and product validation. Based on the results, a more versatile and comprehensive design vocabulary emerges. This vocabulary will greatly enhance and expand the frontiers of research in design repositories, product architecture, design synthesis, and general product modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. In this paper, a novel technique is presented to solve tolerance design problems. To achieve the desired performance tolerance, the technique uses a subtle, but significant, change in the design: the addition of a tuning parameter in place of an increase in component precision. Statistical models are used lo develop a framework for the tuning parameter design method. Also developed is a new, dimensionless design metric which ranks candidate tuning parameters. A step-by-step method is developed for the application of tuning parameters using this metric. The step-by-step tuning parameter design method is applied to a heavy-duty manual stapler as a clarifying example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. In this paper, related product functions are determined for a group of approximately 70 consumer products. Using customer need data, a new matrix approach is introduced lo identify these relationships. Techniques are then created for determining product similarity. These techniques are clarified and validated through three case studies, including beverage brewers and material-removal products. The results of these case studies are argued to have significant impact on design-by-analogy procedures, benchmarking methods, mass customization strategies and modular design. The paper concludes with a discussion of applications and related procedures for product development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]