Table of Contents
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Step 1. Prepare the List of Metrics
The table below presents the metrics, or engineering specifications, that will be used by the team to design against.
This has to be updated to be consistent with list of needs
Metric No. | Metric | Importance | Units |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Rigid Under Max Load | 5 | lbs. |
2 | Minimum Vertical Deflection | 5 | inches |
3 | Minimum Horizontal Deflection | 5 | inches |
4 | Shield all moving components | 5 | Yes/No |
5 | Creates no additional obstacles | 5 | Yes/No |
6 | Shield all greasy/dirty components | 5 | Yes/No |
7 | Securely fastened in place | 5 | Yes/No |
8 | Intervals of height adjustment | 5 | inches |
9 | Parallel to Floor | 5 | degrees |
10 | Total Time to Adjust | 5 | seconds |
11 | Maximum Force Required by user | 5 | pounds |
12 | Torque Required | 1 | ft-lbs. |
13 | Spacing of bars at base | 3 | ft. |
14 | Area of Footprint | 3 | sq. feet |
15 | Range of Motion | 5 | inches |
16 | Elevation | 5 | inches |
17 | Visible Display | 4 | yes/no |
18 | Difference in bar heights | 1 | inches |
19 | Cycles to failure | 4 | cycles |
20 | No modification to existing supports | 5 | Yes/No |
21 | Distance to power source | 2 | feet |
22 | Man-hours of Naz. Maintenance | 3 | $ |
23 | Building modifications for relocation | 3 | $ |
24 | Material Costs for relocation | 3 | $ |
25 | Maintenance personal can explain work needed | 2 | Yes/No |
26 | PT student can read and operate machine | 4 | Yes/No |
27 | NSF budget | 5 | $ |
The metrics, or engineering specifications, that you created in the preceding list should be directly related to the customer needs. In other words, if you have created an engineering specification, it should have some relationship to a need imposed by the customer or the marketplace. Use the table below to map your customer needs against the metrics (or engineering specifications). In many design and product development circles, the rows along the left is often referred to as the voice of the customer, while the columns across the top are often referred to as the voice of the engineer.
- Customer Needs as Related to Engineering Metrics Matrix
QFD Diagram of Customer Requirements & Engineering Needs
Step 2. Collect Competitive Benchmarking Information
Relatively few Sr. design projects start from a clean sheet of paper. In most cases, there are some baseline solutions or products that could meet the vast majority of the customer's needs.
Write one or two paragraphs about each benchmark solution from the market place. Include a picture of the product, preferably illustrating the product in use or operation.
- Benchmark 1 - Trailer Jack
- Broke down a trailer jack into all components, took careful note of how it worked, and took careful measurments. In addition to sketches, pictures were also taken, as shown below.
Step 3. Set Ideal and Marginally Acceptable Target Values
Given the customer needs, awareness of the marketplace, and resource limitations of the current project, assign preliminary engineering specifications on each of the metrics. In addition to setting the nominal or target value or each specification, provide guidance to the team on the ideal value or direction that the team should strive for, once the nominal target values have been realized.
Metric No. | Need Nos. | Metric | Importance | Units | Marginal value | Ideal Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Need 1 | Rigid Under Max Load | 5 | lbs. | 300 | 400 |
2 | Need 2, 7 | Minimum Vertical Deflection | 5 | inches | based on current | |
3 | Need 3, 7 | Minimum Horizontal Deflection | 5 | inches | based on current | |
4 | Need 4, 6 | Shield all moving components | 5 | Yes/No | safety analysis | |
5 | Need 5 | Creates no additional obstacles | 5 | Yes/No | safety analysis | |
6 | Need 8 | Shield all greasy/dirty components | 5 | Yes/No | safety analysis | |
7 | Need 9 | Securely fastened in place | 5 | Yes/No | yes | yes |
8 | Need 10 | Intervals of height adjustment | 5 | inches | >1 | 1 |
9 | Need 11 | Parallel to Floor | 5 | degrees | 0.05 | 0 |
10 | Need 12, 14 | Total Time to Adjust | 5 | seconds | 90 | 60 |
11 | Need 12 | Maximum Force Required by user | 5 | pounds | >10 | 8 |
12 | Need 13 | Torque Required | 1 | ft-lbs. | >5 | 4.5 |
13 | Need 15 | Spacing of bars at base | 3 | ft. | 3 | 3 |
14 | Need 15, 20 | Area of Footprint | 3 | sq. feet | 100 | 50 |
15 | Need 16 | Range of Motion (change in height) | 5 | inches | 15 | 17 |
16 | Need 16 | Elevation (from floor) | 5 | inches | 29-42 | 27-44 |
17 | Need 17 | Visible Display | 3 | yes/no | no | yes |
18 | Need 18 | Difference in bar heights | 1 | inches | 0.25 | <0.125 |
19 | Need 19, 21 | Cycles to failure | 4 | cycles | 160000 | 320000 |
20 | Need 22 | No modification to existing supports | 5 | Yes/No | yes | yes |
21 | Need 23 | Distance to power source | 2 | feet | 5 | 1 |
22 | Need 24 | Man-hours of Naz. Maintenance | 3 | hours | 3 | 2 |
23 | Need 24 | Building modifications for relocation | 3 | $ | 400 | 200 |
24 | Need 24 | Material Costs for relocation | 3 | $ | 100 | 50 |
25 | Need 25 | Maintenance personal can explain work needed | 2 | Yes/No | yes | yes |
26 | Need 26 | PT student can read and operate machine | 4 | Yes/No | yes | yes |
27 | Need 27 | NSF budget | 5 | $ | >1500 | 1500-install cost |
Step 4. Reflect on the Results and the Process
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