development of a framework supporting collaborative global design based on a study into differing...

Development of a framework supporting collaborative global design based on a study into differing professional cultures

Steven Gowers

Final Year Research Project

MEng Innovation and Engineering Design with French

University of Bath - INP Grenoble

February - May 2003

Host Supervisor - Philippe Marin Bath Supervisor - Steve Culley

1. Project Background & Context

Current industrial trends…

• Globalisation

Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW)

• National

• Branch

• Corporate

• Professional

Differing cultures “ Culture is the collective ‘programming’ of the mind that distinguishes one group of people from another ” [Hofstede, 91]

[Ulijn & Weggman, 01]

• Increasing product complexity

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Development of CoDISSCollaborative Data and Information Sharing System

Global Design Experiment

Collaborative design between Elec and Mech engineers

Proposed development of CoDISS II and Virtual Project Platform (VP2)

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

1. Project Background & Context

2. Project Aims

Main areas of the project

1. A general ‘ cultural ’ study A study of two differing professional cultures

2. A specific ‘ optimisation ’ study Integrated optimisation-dimensioning of electromagnetic products

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Study the product design processes and the exchanges of information in the domains of mechanical and electrical engineering. Suggest new approaches to global design and specify and start to develop a support tool for collaboration.

3. A general ‘cultural’ study

Electromagnetic product development is a segregated activity, with designers adopting an ‘over the wall’ approach.

What are the problems?

A general study into Mechanical and Electrical engineering

• Specialist knowledge

Scientific principles, experiences, contacts

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

What are the problems?

A general study into Mechanical and Electrical engineering

• Specialist knowledge

Scientific principles, experiences, contacts

• Specialised computer environment

CDI Optimizer, Flux 2D, MathCAD, Mega

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Electromagnetic product development is a segregated activity, with designers adopting an ‘over the wall’ approach.

3. A general ‘cultural’ study

• Specialist knowledge

Scientific principles, experiences, contacts

• Specific approach

• Specialized computer environment

CDI Optimizer, Flux 2D, MathCAD

What are the problems?

A general study into Mechanical and Electrical engineering

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Electromagnetic product development is a segregated activity, with designers adopting an ‘over the wall’ approach.

3. A general ‘cultural’ study

Defining Requirements

Conceptual design

Embodiment design

Detailed design

Choice of structure

Optimisation, dimensioning and development of structure

Simulation and further development

Defining Requirements

A specific approach…Key observations

Little support for upstream stages

Very analytical

‘Overall’ approach

Lots of emphasis placed on optimisation

(Optimisation is a means of dimensioning an initial structure)

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

3. A general ‘cultural’ study

4. A specific ‘optimisation’ study

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Global Design experiment last year...

A segregated approach

• Spring selected by mechanical engineers in ‘isolation’

• Very iterative

• Clear deficiencies in the approach

A significant example…

4. A specific ‘optimisation’ study

A more integrated approach...

• Development of an analytical model for the spring

• Create an ‘overall’ analytical model

• Dimension the spring whilst at the same time optimising the overall structure

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

CDI Optimizer

Mechanical

CoDISS II

Shared information

Update parameters

Composed model

OPTIMISATION

Incorporate specifications

Analytical model

Fressort

Faimant

mg

F = ma

Design activities

Design activities

Analyticalmodel

CollaborationCollaboration

Electrical

5. Collaborative Optimisation

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Collaborative Optimisation - What advantages can it offer ?

• Effective and efficient way of carrying out coupled problems, in keeping with the ‘overall’ approach

• Optimisation engine carries out iterative dimensioning process

• Additional gains if products become more complex or if companies develop variants

• Central collaborative platform during embodiment stages

• Quickly identify if a common solution does not exist

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

6. Conclusions

• Specific study into two differing professional cultures

• Integrated optimisation approaches

• Development of a global communication platform supporting optimisation

Development of a framework supporting collaborative global design based on a study into differing professional cultures

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

6. Conclusions

6. Conclusions

Further research

Practical application in the development of a new electromagnetic product

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

• Specific study into two differing professional cultures

• Integrated optimisation approaches

• Development of a global communication platform supporting optimisation

Development of a framework supporting collaborative global design based on a study into differing professional cultures

Development of a framework supporting collaborative global design based on a study into differing professional cultures

University of Bath - INP Grenoble

February - May 2003

THANK YOU

Steven Gowers

en8spg@bath.ac.uk

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Segregated

Approach

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Segregated

Approach

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Collaborative

Optimisation

‘Update From File’ Implementation

Java

XML

Corba

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

5. Collaborative Optimisation

Implementation

Java

XML

Corba

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

5. Collaborative Optimisation

‘Update From File’

A specific ‘optimisation’ study

A significant example - the electromagnetic plunger

Resultant force due to magnet

Current charges bobbin

Movement of central core governed mainly by the spring

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

A significant example…

Electromagnetic plunger

Resultant force due to magnet

Current charges bobbin

Movement of central core governed mainly by the spring

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

A significant example…

Electromagnetic plunger

Resultant force due to magnet

Current charges bobbin

Movement of central core governed mainly by the spring

Problem :

dimension the spring

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

Presentation Plan

Steven Gowers - Final Year Research Project

1. Project background and context

2. Project Aims

3. A general ‘cultural’ study

4. A specific ‘optimisation’ study

5. Collaborative Optimisation

6. Conclusions