bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Appearance FMEA: A Method for Appearance Quality Evaluation of Early Design Concepts
Authors: Forslund Karin , Kero Timo , So¨derberg Rikard
Published: July 2010

For consumer products, early design stages are often concerned with the product’s industrial design, with primary focus on the consumer’s product experience. At this stage, aspects such as manufacturability and robustness are often not thoroughly taken into account. Industrial design concepts not properly suited for manufacture, assembly and process variability can result in final products in which the appearance intent is not satisfactorily realized. This can have a negative impact on the customer’s product quality perception. If such problems are discovered late in the product development process, late design changes and increased project costs may follow. The main difficulty in evaluating perceived quality aspects during industrial design is that the product is still under development. It is not mature enough to enable prediction of the prerequisites for achieving high manufacturing quality. In this paper, we suggest that concepts instead could be evaluated as far as the intrinsic tendency of the product appearance to support manufacturing variation and other noise factors. This is addressed through the concept of visual robustness: the ability of a product’s visual appearance to stimulate the same product experience despite variety in its visual design properties. Here, a method is suggested based on the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The method follows a structured procedure for addressing appearance issues.
Methods for Evaluating Suitability of Econometric Demand Models in Design for Market Systems
Authors: Frischknecht Bart , Whitefoot Katie , Papalambros Panos
Published: July 2010

This paper articulates some of the challenges for what has been an implicit goal of design for market systems research: To predict demand for differentiated products so that counterfactual experiments can be performed based on changes to the product design (i.e., attributes). We present a set of methods for examining econometric models of consumer demand for their suitability in product design studies. We use these methods to test the hypothesis that automotive demand models that allow for nonlinear horizontal differentiation perform better than the conventional functional forms, which emphasize vertical differentiation. We estimate these two forms of consumer demand in the new vehicle automotive market, and find that using an ideal-point model of size preference rather than a monotonic model has model fit but different attribute substitution patterns. The generality of the evaluation methods and the range of demand model issues to be explored in future research are highlighted.
Some Ontological Distinctions of Function Based on the Role Concept
Authors: Kitamura Yoshinobu , Mizoguchi Riichiro
Published: July 2010

Function is an important aspect of artifacts in engineering design. Although many definitions of function have been proposed in the extensive research mainly in engineering design and philosophy, the relationship among them remains unclear. Aiming at a contribution to this problem, this paper investigates some ontological issues based on the role concept in ontological engineering. We discuss some ontological distinctions of function such as essentiality and actuality and then propose some fundamental kinds of function such as essential function and capacity function. Based on them, we categorize some existing definitions in the literature and clarify the relationship among them. Then, a model of function in a product life-cycle is proposed. It represents the changes of existence of the individuals of each kind of function, which are caused by designing, manufacturing and use. That model enables us to give answers to some ontological questions such as when and where a function exists and what a function depends on. The consideration on these issues provides engineers with some differentiated viewpoints for capturing functions and thus contributes to consistent functional modeling from a specific viewpoint. The clarified relationships among the kinds of function including the existing definitions in the literature will contribute to interoperability among functional models based on the different kinds and/or definitions.
Design Team Convergence: The Influence of Example Solution Quality
Authors: Fu Katherine , Cagan Jonathan , Kotovsky Kenneth
Published: July 2010

This study examines how engineering design teams converge to a common understanding of a design problem and its solution, how that is influenced by the information given to them before problem solving and how it is correlated with quality of produced solutions. To understand convergence, a model of the team members’ representations was sought through a cognitive engineering design study, specifically examining the effect of the introduction of a poor example solution and a good example solution prior to problem solving. Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) was used to track the teams’ convergence. Introducing a poor example solution was shown to have a slowing effect on teams’ convergence over time and quality of design, while the good example solution was not significantly different than the control (no example solution) in its effects on convergence, but did cause higher quality solutions. This may have implications for design team performance in practice.
The Effect of Reward Interdependence of Strategies in Evolutionary Multi-Agent Systems
Authors: Hanna Lindsay , Cagan Jonathan
Published: July 2010

This paper explores the effect of reward interdependence of strategies in a cooperative evolving team on the performance of the team. Experiments extending the Evolutionary Multi-Agent Systems (EMAS) framework to three dimensional layout are designed which examine the effect of rewarding helpful, in addition to effective strategies on the convergence of the system. Analysis of communication within the system suggests that some agents (strategies) are more effective at creating helpful solutions than creating good solutions. Despite their potential impact as enablers for other strategies, when their efforts were not rewarded, these assistant agent types were quickly removed from the population. When reward was interdependent, however, this secondary group of helpful agents remained in the population longer. As a result, effective communication channels remained open and the system converged more quickly. The results support conclusions of organizational behavior experimentation and computational modeling. The implications of this study are twofold. First, computational design teams may be made more effective by recognizing and rewarding indirect contributions of some strategies to the success of others. Secondly, EMAS may provide a platform for predicting the effectiveness of different reward structures given a set of strategies in both human and computational teams.
Particle Swarm Methodologies for Engineering Design Optimization
Authors: Rao Singiresu S. , Annamdas Kiran K.
Published: July 2010

Particle swarm methodologies are presented for the solution of constrained mechanical and structural system optimization problems involving single or multiple objective functions with continuous or mixed design variables. The particle swarm optimization presented is a modified particle swarm optimization approach, with better computational efficiency and solution accuracy, is based on the use of dynamic maximum velocity function and bounce method. The constraints of the optimization problem are handled using a dynamic penalty function approach. To handle the discrete design variables, the closest discrete approach is used. Multiple objective functions are handled using a modified cooperative game theory approach. The applicability and computational efficiency of the proposed particle swarm optimization approach are demonstrated through illustrate examples involving single and multiple objectives as well as continuous and mixed design variables. The present methodology is expected to be useful for the solution of a variety of practical engineering design optimization problems.
Position Analysis of a Bennett-Based Multiple-Mode 7R Linkage
Authors: Huang Chintien , Kong Xianwen , Ou Tzuhsiu
Published: July 2010

This paper deals with the position analysis of a multiple-mode 7R spatial linkage. The 7R linkage is constructed by combining two Bennett linkages with a common joint. As a result, the motions of the Bennett linkages are embedded in the multiple-mode 7R linkage, and there are three operation modes of the linkage: two Bennett modes and one 7R mode. The algorithms for solving the inverse kinematics of serial 6R manipulators are employed to find all possible configurations of the 7R linkage at a given value of the driving joint angle. The analysis is then conducted for a full rotation of the driving joint. The result of the analysis gives all feasible configurations of the linkage for a full rotation of the driving joint. According to the result of analysis, the motion of the linkage can be clearly divided into the three operation modes, and the linkage can switch between two modes at various connecting configurations. Furthermore, because of the two Bennett modes, the linkage can reach all feasible configurations without being taken apart and reassembled. This paper provides insight into the kinematics of multiple-mode single-loop 7R linkages constructed by combining paradoxic linkages.
Design Space Analysis of Distributed Compliance in Segmented Beam Templates of Compliant Mechanisms
Authors: Canfield Stephen L. , Shibakov Alexander , Richardson Joseph D.
Published: July 2010

A significant amount of research has been conducted in developing optimal synthesis techniques for compliant mechanisms with the expectation that distributed devices would result from the continuum design domain. However, it is commonly noted that much of this work has resulted in mechanisms that show localized rather than distributed compliance. This behavior has been attributed to a variety of sources including numerical discrepancies in the model, objective function formulation, and design parameterizations. In this paper, the nature of compliance distribution over particular objective function formulations and design parameterization are further considered in the absence of numerical or resolution issues. The intent is to better understand the behavior of the objective function over multidimensional subsets of the design space that include a direct measure for distribution of compliance. The approach is based on a simple, representative compliant mechanism formed as a segmented beam model. This mechanism is considered to be representative of compliant mechanism behavior in systems where elastic deformation is dominated by bending. Closed-form solutions for the elastic response of this representative mechanism are presented and parametric studies of the response of traditional objectives over subsets of the design space are conducted. The results show that in the absence of numeric artifacts, mechanism efficiencies are improved as mechanisms tend toward lumped compliance when single objectives are considered on mechanisms dominated by bending. However, when more than one objective is deemed important in the design, there exist preferred regions of the workspace, not necessarily in a lumped region, that depend largely on the interaction of the multiple objectives. Of these preferred regions, one lies in a moderately lumped region (h2/h1 ≈ 0.2) and one in a distributed region (h2/h1 ≈ 0.7). The designs in these regions reveal a higher viability in simultaneously satisfying the multiple objectives. This result is based on a visualization of the design space based on measuring the correlation of a multiple objectives over the design space. The results demonstrate several of the factors which contribute to this behavior, and provide an initial measure of the importance of each. Finally, suggestions are provided based on these results that can be used to improve the optimization process if the desire is to achieve distributed compliance.
Application Based Guidelines for Terrain Profile Resolution Requirements
Authors: Southward Steve , Schneider Shawn , Kwong Gordon , Jumani Sajit , Conner Holley
Published: July 2010

In the modern era of vehicle design, the use of computer simulation and shaker rigs is crucial. To utilize these essential design tools, topographical measurements of appropriate terrains must be collected. While it is obvious that high-resolution data is critical for quality testing, there is no clear definition for what resolution is actually required in practice. This required level of fidelity can only be determined by considering all aspects of the end use. This paper will establish a general set of guidelines by which the required resolution can be determined to meet specific application needs. The use of these guidelines will be demonstrated through an experimental case study of a vehicle driving over a very simple terrain profile.
A Regularized Inexact Penalty Decomposition Algorithm for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Problem With Complementarity Constraints
Authors: Lu Shen , Kim Harrison M.
Published: July 2010

Economic and physical considerations often lead to equilibrium problems in multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO), which can be captured by MDO problems with complementarity constraints (MDO-CC) — a newly emerging class of problem. Due to the ill-posedness associated with the complementarity constraints, many existing MDO methods may have numerical difficulties solving the MDO-CC. In this paper, we propose a new decomposition algorithm for MDO-CC based on the regularization technique and inexact penalty decomposition. The algorithm is presented such that existing proofs can be extended, under certain assumptions, to show that it converges to stationary points of the original problem and that it converges locally at a superlinear rate. Numerical computation with an engineering design example and several analytical example problems shows promising results with convergence to the all-in-one (AIO) solution.
A Lab-on-a-Chip Capillary Network for Red Blood Cell Diagnosis
Authors: Wang Gou-Jen , Chen Guo-Yang , Lin Yan-Cheng
Published: July 2010

The main function of red blood cells (RBCs) is to circulate oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the human body. Accurate modeling of the transportation mechanism of RBCs inside microvessels will lead to better clinical diagnosis and prophylaxis of blood disease. This study combined hydrodynamics and basic circuit theory to produce a model and calculate the fluid mechanisms of the circulation of blood cells inside microvessels. The variations of physical properties inside the microvessels due to clogging by RBCs were analyzed. A lab-on-a-chip for RBC diagnosis was fabricated using soft lithography. Real experiments were conducted to verify the theoretical analysis and illustrate the capability of the device which was able to detect pathological changes in RBC deformability. The proposed device could be a convenient tool in the field of blood rheology and clinical applications.
Integrated Pahl and Beitz and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving for the Conceptual Design of Multi-Domain Systems
Authors: Dietz Timothy P. , Mistree Farrokh
Published: July 2010

A key challenge facing designers creating innovative products is concept generation in conceptual design. Conceptual design can be more effective when the design space is broad and accelerated by including problem solving and solution triggering tools in its structure. The design space can be broadened by using an integrated design of product and material concepts approach. In this approach, structured analogy is used to transfer underlying principles from a solution suitable in one domain (i.e., product or mechanical domain) to an analogous solution in another domain (i.e., materials domain). The nature of design analogy does not require as full of an exploration of the target domain as would otherwise be necessary; affording the possibility of a more rapid development. The addition of problem solving and solution triggering tools also decreases the design time and/or improves the quality of the final solution. The fulfillment of this is realized through a combination of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) proposed by Altshuller, and the systematic approach of Pahl and Beitz, for products that are jointly considered at the material and product level. These types of problems are ones where a designer seeks to fulfill performance requirements placed on the product generally through both the product and the designed material. In this method, the systematic approach of Pahl and Beitz is used as the base method, and TRIZ is used as a means of transferring abstract information about the design problem between the domains with an aim of accelerating the conceptual design process. This approach also allows for cross design approach tools such as S-Field-Model-CAD integration with design repositories to be used to transfer information at different levels of abstraction; expanding the design space and effectively directing the designer. The explanation of this approach is presented through a very simple example of a spring design improvement.
Adhesion Between Similar and Dissimilar Thin-Walled Micro-Structures
Authors: Majidi Carmel , Wan Kai-Tak
Published: July 2010

A novel boundary condition is introduced to calculate the adhesion of similar and dissimilar thin-walled microstructures. By casting the energy release rate for debonding in terms of a discontinuity in bending curvature at the contact boundary, it is possible to study such systems using conventional plate theory. This result is of particular importance in modeling the aggregation of heterogeneous carbon-nano-tubes or spherical cells, where the contacting microstructures have a different radius and/or bending stiffness.
Classification for Literature on Compliant Mechanisms: A Design Methodology Based Approach
Authors: Gallego Juan A. , Herder Just
Published: July 2010

In the last 20 years the interest in compliant mechanisms has experienced a rebirth with a continuous growth in research with the consequently increase of literature in this area. This work presents a classification scheme to organize literature on compliant mechanisms. The literature classification is based on the design methodology for conventional mechanisms; which is proposed as a compatible design process also for compliant mechanisms by assuming some limitations and extensions in the employed terms. As an example, 120 relevant research documents in compliant mechanisms have been classified. The work done on topology optimization was excluded due to its extension.
The Effect of Toolpath Intersection Angle in Metal Deposition
Authors: Ruan Jianzhong , Hayes Andrew , Sparks Todd E. , Liou Frank
Published: July 2010

The issue of overlapping or intersection in the toolpath is an issue in the metal deposition as the material is continuously added to the previous layer. Using various control schemes can achieve a better quality. However, such schemes fail to delivery satisfactory results when there are different intersection angles in the deposition toolpath. In order to overcome the problem caused by the intersection angle, the effect of them on the deposition should be well studied. This paper discusses the effect of toolpath intersection angle using design of experiment method. The impact of various parameters in the deposition process is studied. The approach and method can be integrated with path planning for a metal deposition process.
Design and Testing of a Variable Effective Compliance Transmission With an MR Damper
Authors: Parker Tiffany L. , Schmiedeler James P. , Westervelt Eric R.
Published: July 2010

This paper describes the design and experimental testing of a variable effective compliance transmission for use with revolute joints in robotic systems. The transmission consists of a parallel arrangement of a torsional spring and a rotary magnetorheological (MR) fluid damper and is placed between a brush–less DC gearmotor and an end-effector. While the stiffness of the torsional spring is constant, the damping of the MR damper can be adjusted by changing the applied current, which alters the apparent rigidity of the system. Hence, the transmission exhibits a variable “effective compliance”. Experimental results show that increasing the damping can reduce position errors during acceleration and deceleration phases of motion. Impact tests indicate that for small currents applied to the damper (low damping), the presence of the torsional spring reduces impact loads during constant velocity motion. In combination, these results indicate that the variable effective compliance transmission can improve safety without sacrificing precise motion control.
Minimizing Tip-Sample Contact Force in Automated Atomic Force Microscope Based Force Spectroscopy
Authors: Rivera Monica , Morris Carleen , Carlson David , Toone Eric J. , Cole Daniel G. , Clark Robert L.
Published: July 2010

In atomic force microscope based force spectroscopy, it is often necessary to minimize the tip-sample contact force. While it is possible to control the contact force using force feedback, this method is susceptible to sensor drift and is often under-utilized due to the noise associated with the feedback process. Here we present a method to control the tip-sample contact force for repeated pulling cycles without relying on force feedback or tedious user-controlled z-stage step increments. The custom pulling program uses the data recorded during the previous retraction cycle to automatically reposition the sample surface to account for changes in topography and system drift. Using this method we were able to complete 250 automated pulling cycles, 76% of which had evidence of tip-sample contact. Of those pulling cycles with tip-sample contact, the average contact force was 83 pN, with the maximum contact force not exceeding 292 pN.
Investigation of the Interpretability of Three Function Structure Representations: A User Study
Authors: Thomas Jonathan , Sen Chiradeep , Mocko Gregory M. , Summers Joshua D. , Fadel Georges M.
Published: July 2010

Function models are used during the conceptual design phase of the design process to model the intended use or objective of a product, independent of the products physical form. Function models also aid in guiding design activities such as generating concepts and allocating design team resources. Recent research effort have focused on the formalization of function models through a controlled vocabulary and archival of functional representations in computer-based repositories. However, the usefulness and interpretability of these function models has not fully been explored. This paper presents the results of a user study to ascertain the interpretability of functional representations at three levels of abstraction. In this interpretability is defined as the ability to identify the product based on a functional representation. These function models vary in abstraction in two dimensions: (1) the number of function within the model and (2) the specificity of the terms used within the functional models. Sixteen mechanical engineering graduate students are asked to identify the products from the functional models in these three abstraction levels. In addition to identifying the product, students are asked to record time and list any keywords in the functional model that help them to choose a product. Analysis of the results indicates that interpretability of a functional model increases substantially by using free language terms over a limited functional vocabulary and environmental context of the product. Additionally, the number of functions within the functional model correlates with the identification of similar products.
The Characteristics of Innovative, Mechanical Products
Authors: Saunders Matthew N. , Seepersad Carolyn C. , Ho¨ltta¨-Otto Katja
Published: July 2010

It is not easy to design an innovative product that delights customers. Current engineering design methods provide help in designing a good product, but the designer lacks tools that help him or her create a truly innovative, successful product. In this study, we analyzed 95 innovative, award-winning products against their competition to identify what made those products stand out from the competition. We focused on finding engineering-level characteristics that made the products successful. We developed a set of conditionally repeatable innovation categories that are used in the analysis. We found that the most innovative products were innovative in multiple categories. Overall, a vast majority (greater than 70%) of the award-winning products exhibited enhanced user interactions, with a similar percentage displaying enhanced environmental interactions, compared with approximately one-third of products offering an additional function and approximately half displaying innovative architectures. We conclude that breakthrough or innovative products are becoming increasingly centered on user interactions and that engineers need better methods to design these products.
Towards the Design of a Decoupled, Two-Dimensional, Vision-Based µN Force Sensor for Microrobotics
Authors: Cappelleri David J. , Krishnan Girish , Kim Charles , Kumar Vijay , Kota Sridhar
Published: July 2010

In this paper, we present three designs for a decoupled, two-dimensional, vision-based μN force sensor for microrobotic applications. There are currently no reliable, off-the-shelf, commercially-available force sensors to measure forces at this scale, that can be easily integrated into standard microrobotic test-beds. In our previous work, we presented a design consisting of a planar, elastic mechanism with known force-deflection characteristics. It was inspired by the designs of pre-existing MEMS suspension mechanisms. A CCD camera is used to track the deformation of the mechanism as it is used to manipulate objects in a micro/meso-scale robotic manipulation test-bed. By observing the displacements of select points in the mechanism, the manipulation forces can be estimated. Here, a building block approach for conceptual synthesis of compliant mechanisms methodology is used to design for decoupled displacements for the tracking points when the tip is subjected to forces in the XY-plane. By designing mechanisms with circular compliance and stiffness ellipses along with zero magnitude compliance and stiffness vectors, we are able to achieve our design requirements. Validation of this approach with macro-scale prototypes and recommendations for scaling the designs down for microrobotic applications are offered along with a sensitivity analysis of the final designs yielding insights for microfabricating such designs.
Scenario Based Modularization and Evaluation for Product Lifecycle Design
Authors: Fukushige Shinichi , Tonoike Keita , Inoue Yoichiro , Umeda Yasushi
Published: July 2010

Minimizing the environmental load and cost throughout the product lifecycle requires appropriate lifecycle design as well as product design. Product lifecycle can be designed easily by describing lifecycle scenario at an early stage and the product should be designed to realize the scenario. This paper proposes a modular design method that links lifecycle scenario to appropriate modular structure by unifying components applicable to the same lifecycle option, such as recycling, maintenance, reuse, and upgrading. Appropriate modular structures may differ with the lifecycle options, meaning that while the modular structure for recycling should be based on the type of material, the structure for upgrading should be based on the lifetime of components. The modules, therefore, can undergo lifecycle processes without disassembly into components. These may lead to easy management of components throughout the lifecycle and increase the efficiency of recovery processes and logistics in resource circulation. We also propose an evaluation method of modular product from the viewpoint of resource efficiency. For the evaluation, we formalize the probability that each module goes through preferable lifecycle paths designated by the scenario in order to represent the advantage of modularization. This paper also illustrates a case study in order to discuss effectiveness of the proposed method.
Recognizing Network-Like Hand-Drawn Sketches: A Convolutional Neural Network Approach
Authors: Fu Luoting , Kara Levent Burak
Published: July 2010

Hand-drawn sketches are powerful cognitive devices for the efficient exploration, visualization and communication of emerging ideas in engineering design. It is desirable that CAD/CAE tools be able to recognize the back-of-the-envelope sketches and extract the intended engineering models. Yet this is a nontrivial task for freehand sketches. Here we present a novel, neural network-based approach designed for the recognition of network-like sketches. Our approach leverages a trainable, detector/recognizer and an autonomous procedure for the generation of training samples. Prior to deployment, a Convolutional Neural Network is trained on a few labeled prototypical sketches and learns the definitions of the visual objects. When deployed, the trained network scans the input sketch at different resolutions with a fixed-size sliding window, detects instances of defined symbols and outputs an engineering model. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in different engineering domains with different types of sketching inputs.
Modeling DNA Motion Under Electrostatic Repulsion Within a Living Cell
Authors: David Regis A. , Jensen Brian D.
Published: July 2010

We are developing a new technique, called nanoinjection, to insert foreign DNA into a living cell. Such DNA transfection is commonly used to create transgenic organisms vital to the study of genetics, immunology, and many other biological sciences. In nanoinjection, DNA, which has a net negative charge, is electrostatically attracted to a micromachined lance. The lance then pierces the cell membranes, and the voltage on the lance is reversed, repelling the DNA into the cell. This paper presents a mathematical model to predict the motion (trajectory) of DNA particles within a cell in the presence of the electric field developed by the lance and the substrate. The model is used to predict the scattering of DNA through the cell due to electrostatic repulsion. We are currently preparing experiments which will be used to validate the model.
Applications of the Geometric Design of Mechanical Linkages With Task Acceleration Specifications
Authors: Robson Nina Patarinsky , McCarthy J. Michael
Published: July 2010

This paper formulates the kinematic specification of the synthesis problem for planar and spatial open serial chains in which the acceleration of the end-effector is specified. While the planar RR synthesis has been reported by the authors in some of their previous work, the synthesis of the spatial perpendicular RRS mechanical linkage with prescribed acceleration task is described in details in this paper and is a new contribution. Applications of this research focus on the design of planar RR and four-bar linkages to maintain specified local motion. In extending the research to spatial applications, a new strategy for failure recovery of a general six degree of freedom TRS robot arm is presented. It combines the second order effects of the task with the particular joint failure to yield free parameters that allow reconfiguration of the system to accommodate the failure.
Development of an Umbrella Checkout System: A Case Study of a Senior Capstone Design Project
Authors: Fuge Mark D. , Berkowitz Ben D.
Published: July 2010

Senior capstone design classes allow for both a theoretical and physical basis for learning the principles of the product realization process. By providing an example of the design process for a senior capstone project studied at Carnegie Mellon University, this work highlights insights gained about both the mechanical design process and the product itself. The product studied in this work is an umbrella check system that utilizes Radio Frequency Identification to create a tracking system for a communal resource. The product itself represents a departure from umbrellas as a personal item into use as common good within a community, which has important economic and environmental effects. This work will highlight the various product realization processes that took place in order to translate the product from a user need to a final design, including a traffic analysis based on Markov Models and the construction of several prototypes.
Empirical Analysis of Transformers in the Development of a Storyboarding Methodology
Authors: Wang Dennis , Kuhr Rachel , Kaufman Kristen , Crawford Richard , Wood Kristin L. , Jensen Dan
Published: July 2010

Transforming products, or more generally transformers, are devices that change state in order to facilitate new, or enhance an existing, functionality. Mechanical transformers relate to products that reconfigure and can be advantageous by providing multiple functions, while often conserving space. A basic example is a foldable chair that can be stowed when not in use, but provides ergonomic and structural seating when deployed. Utilizing transformation can also lead to novel designs that combine functions across domains, such as an amphibious vehicle that provides both terrestrial and aquatic transportation. In order to harness these assets of transformation, the Transformational Design Theory [1] was developed. This theory outlines a set of principles and facilitators that describe and embody transformation for the purpose of systematically assisting the design of transformers. To build on this theory, this paper analyzes a repository of popular transformer toys. Transformer toys are chosen for this study because of their richness in displaying a variety of kinematic aspects of transformation. Through this process, new definitions to describe transformation are garnered and a set of guidelines are developed to further aid designers. The empirical data set of transformer toys is rich in information and provides a basis for application to other fields, such as robotics and consumer products. These insights, in conjunction with the use of storyboarding, create a new method of designing transformers. This paper presents the method and concludes with a validation exercise in the creation of a new transformer toy.
Sorting Results of Automated Concept Generators Based on Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Authors: Poppa Kerry R. , Stone Robert B.
Published: July 2010

Early in the design process, it is desirable to produce a large number of potential solutions. Completely exploring a problem’s solution space is an unreasonable expectation for an unaided designer or design team. Computational tools have emerged to help designers more fully explore possible solutions. These automated concept generators use knowledge from existing designs and the desired functionality of the new product to suggest solutions. Existing automated concept generation methods produce many candidate solutions, but often provide unmanageably large sets of solutions. Techniques are needed to organize the set of concepts into smaller groups, more easily parsed by the human designer. This work proceeds from the hypothesis that the utility of automated concept generators can be enhanced if their output is sorted based on design for manufacture and assembly heuristics. Data to sort concepts is collected and a sorting method is proposed. Finally a case study is presented to demonstrate the method.
Analysis of a Large-Workspace Cable-Actuated Manipulator for Warehousing Applications
Authors: Hassan Mahir , Khajepour Amir
Published: July 2010

This paper discusses the kinetostatic model of a symmetric cable-driven parallel manipulator that consists of eight cables driving a moving platform in planar translational motions. This analysis is the initial phase of the development of a large-workspace manipulator for warehousing applications. The paper discusses the kinematics, workspace, and stiffness of the manipulator. An analytical expression for the workspace is presented. To enhance the manipulator stiffness, the cable layout is optimized based on maximizing the lowest natural frequency of the moving platform in the workspace.
Investigating the Use of (Re)Configurability to Reduce Product Family Cost and Mitigate Performance Losses
Authors: Cormier Phil , Van Horn David , Lewis Kemper
Published: July 2010

Commonality amongst a family of products provides both technical and economic advantages. However, with an increase in commonality, a loss of product differentiation can occur, resulting in product cannibalization. Furthermore, there is generally a required tradeoff between performance and cost when incorporating commonality into a family of products. This paper synthesizes recent research in system flexibility, system reconfigurability, and product families to develop a formal design method, which may allow a design firm to decrease family cost, increase commonality, and maintain or improve system performance. The system configurations can be set before they reach the consumer or be capable of being set by the consumer. (Re)configurability is used to denote that the solution may be permanent once configured (i.e., a configurable system) or the changes can be repeatable and reversible (i.e., a reconfigurable system). Added benefits to incorporating principles of product flexibility and (re)configurability are the possibility for the systems to age gracefully, adapt to meet future demands and operating environments, and incorporate newly developed technologies.
Considerations for Use of Square-Paddle Resonators for Arrays of Micro- and Nanoscale Devices
Authors: Judge John A. , Woods Teresa J. , Vignola Joseph F.
Published: July 2010

Mechanically coupling microscale or nanoscale resonators in more than one dimension requires a departure from classic beam resonator designs. A square paddle resonator is a simple geometry that allows easy coupling into two-dimensional arrays. These resonators can have high quality factors in the fundamental vibration mode if operated in vacuum. In this paper we summarize the behavior of such a resonator and describe several design considerations. We develop an expression for the inter-resonator coupling in terms of coupling beam geometry, estimate energy dissipation due to a variety of physical mechanisms, and empirically determine the vibration amplitude at which geometric nonlinearity becomes significant. Future experimental studies can exploit the expressions presented here, which facilitate design of two-dimensional arrays of square-paddle resonators that will be useful for a variety of potential applications.
Design Synthesis of 2-D Compliant Mechanisms Utilizing Serial Concatenation of Building Blocks
Authors: Krishnan Girish , Kim Charles , Kota Sridhar
Published: July 2010

In this section we implement a characterization based on eigen-twists and eigen-wrenches for the deformation of a compliant mechanism at a given point of interest. For 2-D mechanisms, this involves characterizing the compliance matrix at a unique point called the center of elasticity. At the center of elasticity, the translation and rotational compliances are decoupled. We give an intuitive graphical understanding of compliance at this point by representing the translational compliance as an ellipse and the coupling between the translational and rotational parameters as vectors (Coupling vectors). This representation gives us an intuitive understanding of series and parallel combination of building blocks. We obtain a parametric variation of these quantities for a compliant dyad building block, and show with examples how a mechanism can be synthesized by a combination of building blocks to obtain desired deformation requirements. We also propose a combination of series and parallel concatenation to achieve more than one specification simultaneously. Such a characterization can be extended to synthesize involving multiple ports.
A Building Block Approach for the Design of Statically Balanced Compliant Mechanisms
Authors: Hoetmer Karin , Herder Just L. , Kim Charles J.
Published: July 2010

Particularly when high-fidelity force feedback is required, such as in surgical forceps, the energy loss between input and output in compliant mechanisms is undesired. To restore the force feedback, the principle of static balancing can be applied, where a balancing segment with a negative stiffness is added to a compliant mechanism. Currently there are no mature methods for the design of statically balanced compliant mechanisms (SBCM). The goal of this paper is to investigate the possibility of extending the Building Block Approach for the design of statically balanced compliant mechanisms. To this end, the Building Block Approach is extended with negative stiffness balancing building blocks that can be added to a designed compliant mechanism. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, a statically balanced compliant gripper was designed by this Extended Building Block Approach. The maximum operating force of the unbalanced gripper of 3.5 N was reduced to −1 N for the balanced gripper. Thus, the gripper is slightly overbalanced. The gripper example demonstrates the functionality of the proposed method; the input-output stiffness of a compliant mechanism can be severely reduced by a balancing segment.
A Multiscale Design Methodology for Designing Hierarchical Multiscale Systems Considering Random Field Uncertainty
Authors: Chen Wei , Yin Xiaolei , Lee Sanghoon , Liu Wing Kam
Published: July 2010

A multiscale design methodology is proposed in this paper to facilitate the design of hierarchical material and product systems with the consideration of random field uncertainty that propagates across multiple length scales. Based on the generalized hierarchical multiscale decomposition pattern in multiscale modeling, a set of computational techniques are developed to manage the complexity of multiscale design under uncertainty. Novel design of experiments and metamodeling strategies are proposed to manage the complexity of propagating random field uncertainty through three generalized levels of transformation: the material microstructure random field, the material property random field, and the probabilistic product performance. Multilevel optimization techniques are employed to find optimal design solutions at individual scales. A hierarchical multiscale design problem that involves a 2-scale (submicro- and miro-scales) material design and a macro-scale product (bracket) design is used to demonstrate the applicability and benefits of the proposed methodology.
Forward Displacement Analysis of a Quadratic Spherical Parallel Manipulator: The Agile Eye
Authors: Kong Xianwen , Gosselin Cle´ment
Published: July 2010

A quadratic parallel manipulator refers to a parallel manipulator with a quadratic characteristic polynomial. This paper revisits the forward displacement analysis (FDA) of a quadratic spherical parallel manipulator: the Agile Eye. An alternative formulation of the kinematic equations of the Agile Eye is proposed. The singularity analysis of the Agile Eye is then dealt with. After an alternative solution to the FDA has been presented, a formula is revealed for producing a unique current solution to the FDA for a given set of inputs. A regular cube in the input space, which is singularity free, is also proposed for the Agile Eye. This work will facilitate the control of the Agile Eye.
A Function-Based Strategy for Analysis of Energy Systems in Transportation Vehicles
Authors: Putnam Nathan H. , Jensen Daniel D. , Wood Kristin L. , Seepersad Carolyn C.
Published: July 2010

Six functions are identified as the most critical (“core” functions) to transportation vehicle energy systems. These selections are validated through analysis of 25 function structures as well as observations of a number of existing energy systems. Identifying which of the core functions and which of the energy types are involved in a given energy system is the Core-Function Modeling strategy (CFM strategy). These functions and energy types (the framework of CFM) are used to categorize approximately fifty processes and devices. This list is the Energy Morph Matrix (EMM). An experiment is performed that demonstrates how the EMM can be used as an aid to the concept generation process. The EMM also adapts well to a more automated approach for designing energy systems when used in combination with a search algorithm to identify chains of energy components. By incorporating a metric such as system efficiency or energy density into the search and computing this metric for each chain of energy components, these chains can be ranked and leading candidates can be highlighted for further analysis.
An Under-Actuated 5-DOF Robotic Manipulator for Ultrasound Transducer Guidance Using a Passive Four-Bar Linkage
Authors: Provorse Allan R. , Nelson Carl A. , Bashford Gregory R. , Burnfield Judith M. , Kulig Kornelia
Published: July 2010

Robotic devices have made inroads in various areas of medical practice. This paper offers a design of robot kinematics for ultrasound probe manipulation to obtain reproducible Achilles tendon images for quantifying injury or response to treatment. The design includes a motor-controlled 4-DOF arm with an additional smaller, passive four-bar linkage mount for the ultrasound probe to optimize surface contact with the subject and increase the mobility to 5 DOF.
Novel Multi-Stage Inertia-Driven Delay and Switching Mechanisms
Authors: Murray R. , Rastegar J.
Published: July 2010

In many systems, an acceleration event triggers some downstream operation. In such devices the “acceleration event of interest” must be identified from among spurious accelerations, which are often of appreciable magnitude — sometimes greater than the event of interest — but are of short duration, perhaps one tenth that of the event of interest. Such devices, therefore, are essentially inertia-driven timing mechanisms. The principles presented here allow for designing practical triggering devices actuated by arbitrarily long acceleration events where traditional mechanical inertia switches would have to be impractically large due to the non-linearity of component motion. Here, during acceleration of the mechanism, a plurality of spring-mass elements are at first immobilized, but are released in succession. The final stage of the chain is then used to trigger some downstream event. The key is that the time during which individual components are permitted to displace is only a fraction of the total delay time. Therefore, the delay elements are never given the opportunity to achieve high velocities and hence do not travel great distances during the duration of the delay. In addition to illustrating the general approach, design examples showing novel mechanisms for immobilizing and successively releasing the inertial elements are offered.
Multi-Layer Means of Guiding a Large Displacement Microelectromechanical System
Authors: Smith David G. , Howell Larry L.
Published: July 2010

Large-displacment MEMS are susceptible to motion in off-axis directions, or motion deviating from the desired path of the device. The multi-layer means of guiding large displacement devices prevents the shuttle from moving away from the substrate, and effectively constrains the transverse motion; the guiding device does not inhibit the motion necessary for proper function of the device. The novelty of the device lies in the placement of the guide; positioning the guide inside of the the shuttle constrains the device without increasing the footprint size.