Engineering 11
Engineering Design
for Small-Volume
Electro-Mechanical
Systems
Bruce Mayer, PE
Licensed Electrical & Mechanical Engineer
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Technical Product Creation
 “Every Technological
Product Has To Be
Designed and its
Fabrication
Overseen, and
this is what
Engineers DO”
• Samuel Florman,
The Civilized Engineer
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
To Build a Designed Object
 Say you were Asked to BUILD or
CONSTRUCT From-Scratch Something
using Basic Hand Tools
 You would need (at a minimum)
• A list of Parts with P/N’s and Qtys
• Parts FABRICATED specially for this Object
• Parts PURCHASED from Catalogs for this
Object (a.k.a. “Standard Parts”)
• Instructions on how ASSEMBLE the Object
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Small-Volume Object Design
Raw-Material in
Basic-Shapes
(chosen by the
Engineer)
Parts Purchased
from Technical
Catalogs (Selected
by the Engineer)
Parts
Fabricated
per
Specialized
Designs
(your
BluePrints)
Assembly
Documentation
(Parts-List,
BluePrints,
Instructions, etc.)
Written/Drawn
by the Engineer
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
When Designing Something…
 Think About CRITICAL Issues
• Will It WORK
• Will it Meet the SCHEDULE &
BUDGET
• Can it be BUILT from MY
Design Documentation?
– Ask Yourself: “If I were Building this
object What Info would I need?”
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Discussion Scope
 We Examine what it takes to
BUILD small quantities
(dozens to hundreds per year)
of Engineering-Designed
ElectroMechanical Systems for Sale
 This Discussion Does NOT Address the
FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE of the
design; only what it takes to actually
BUILD IT, regardless of how Well it
works
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
BUILDING SomeThing is HARD
 Designing on Paper is MUCH EASIER
than Designing Something that must be
BUILT and Ultimately Sold
 The Build-Process exposes
• Incomplete Design Documents
– Wrong Parts Purchased
 Incorrect Order Number
– Part-Purchase Delayed
 Incorrect Supplier Phone Number
– $-Costs much higher than estimated
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
BUILDING SomeThing is HARD
 The Build-Process exposes
• Incomplete Design Documents
– Not Sufficient Information to Construct
 BluePrints Missing/Incorrect Dimensions
or Notes; e.g.,
 Inconsistent Material CallOut
 Missing/Confusing Lines
 Missing Surface Finish
 Schematics or Assembly Drawing
Missing/Incorrect ID-Information; e.g.,
 Missing Balloon CallOut for O-Ring, Bolt,
Valve, etc.
 Missing Value for Resistor or Capacitor
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
BUILDING SomeThing is HARD
 The Build-Process exposes
• Design Errors
– Mechanical Elements do NOT FIT
– Electrical Elements SHORT or do not PowerUp
– Can Not be Fabricated or Assembled as
Designed
– Mechanical Structures are NonRigid
 “Floppy” or “Doingy” or “Cheesy” of “Wobbly”
– Electrical or Fluid Systems are UnderPowered
or Noisy or Unstable
 “Whimpy” or “Flakey” or “Glitchy”
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
To BUILD an Engineered Design
 CORRECT & COMPLETE information
on PURCHASED-Parts Given to the
“Purchasing Department”
• NAMES & PHONE-NUMBERS
of ALL Suppliers
• Correct Catalog-Numbers for
ALL Purchased Parts
• Correct Order-Quantities
and Estimated $-Costs
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
To BUILD an Engineered Design
 Dot “i’s” & Cross “t’s” on
All FABRICATION Drawings
(the “BluePrints”)
• A single Missing-Dimension or Superfluous
Line or Missing Feature-Callout Brings
Production to a HALT
• OMISSIONS result in ReWork or Scrap;
e.g.;
– Forgetting a needed Removed-Feature (Hole or
Slot or Notch or Groove)
– Superfluous Removed-Feature (‘extra” hole)
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Designed Part (Piece Part)
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
To BUILD an Engineered Design
 COMPLETE Bill of Materials (“BoM”,
also called the “Parts List”)
• EVERY Nut, Bolt, Washer, WireConnector, Plumbing-Fitting, etc.,
Listed on the BoM Table
• Complete CallOuts  ALL parts shown
with “Balloons” containing part ID-number
 Clearly UNDERSTOOD Assy Dwgs
• Don’t Confuse
the Assemblers
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Typical Assembly Drawing
Balloon
CallOut
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On-Dwg BoM
Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Tools at the Engineer’s Disposal
 INGENUITY & CREATIVITY
• MOST Important
 Knowledge of SCIENCE
and MATHEMATICS
 Technical CATALOGS
 “BluePrint” Making Software
 Standard Fabrication Methods
• Machining, Welding, Injection-Molding, etc.
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Summary: Design Docs Include
 Purchased Part Information
• What Mfr-PN, Who Supplies, How Much $
 Fabricated Parts Drawings (BluePrints)
• 100% Accurate; generate NO Questions
from Fabricators
 BoM or Parts List
• 100% Accurate as it is used to “Pull Parts
from Stock” to Make an “Assembly Kit”
 NonConfusing Assembly Drawings
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Small Volume Design FlowChart
Supplier
Contact Info
Purchased Part
Catalog No.
Physical Design
to Scale
(LayOut)
Purchased
Parts
Order & Receive
Purchased Parts
Material
Selection
Fabrication
Notes
Formal “BluePrints”
(Use Std TitleBlock)
Assy Parts List
(Bill of Materials)
To Fabricator
Machine Shop, etc.
Assembly Drawing &
Documentation
Fabricated
Piece-Parts
Fabricator
contact Info
Physical Assembly
and/or Construction
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
All Done for Today
Engineering
Design
Pyramid
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Engineering 11
Appendix
Bruce Mayer, PE
Registered Electrical & Mechanical Engineer
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx
Engineering-11: Engineering Design
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Bruce Mayer, PE
BMayer@ChabotCollege.edu ENGR-11_Small_Volume_Design.pptx