ME 407 Mechanical Engineering Design
DETAILED DESIGN WORKSHOP GUIDELINE
In detailed design workshop you need to plan your calculation and analysis steps in detail. Based on
the results of your detailed design calculations and analysis you will have to make your design
decisions (in other words choose all design parameters). Your design decisions (hence, the analyses
related) can be divided into two main groups:


Decisions based on meeting the performance criteria targets:
o Plan the kinetic, kinematic, modal etc. analyses, control, appearance (if necessary)
related decisions (Whatever necessary for your system) to meet the specifications in
your problem definition.
 As an example, while designing a 4-bar mechanism, choosing the link lengths
and actuator to obtain a certain output speed and/or torque would fall into
this category.
o In the workshop, after presenting your plan, present also the decisions you have
reached.
Decisions based on avoiding all potential failures (component or system level):
o Plan the static or dynamic failure, fatigue failure, buckling failure, excessive
vibrations, excessive deformations etc. analyses (Whatever necessary for your
system) so that your system does not fail (meaning your system does not fail to
perform its functions).
o You should identify all possible critical failure modes for all the components in your
system.
 Using the 4-bar example above, choosing link cross-sectional areas, link
materials, revolute joint decisions (bearings, pin diameters, pin materials
etc.) based on static, fatigue failure analysis of the links in the mechanism
would fall into this category.
o When necessary, you should also specify a worst case scenario, which covers the
loadings which are not in the usual working conditions (i.e. not in the problem
definition directly) but are probable to happen.
 As an example, Batman’s grapple gun should support his weight, but carrying
two other people as well would be a worst case scenario.
To sum up, you should present your plan of detailed design in the workshop, which should include:

A hard copy of the geometric layout of your system with labels identifying each subsystem
in the system (you may use visuals presen ted in your Mock-up presentation).
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Detailed Design Workshop Guideline



A table that includes the following:
o Modeling/analysis/tests that you plan to build/perform/conduct to check if your
system is meeting the performance based design criteria:
 Present only the types of models/analysis/tests and on which
component/subsystem you plan to perform these. Results and details of
these models/analysis/tests should be available separately in case
instructors need to go through them.
 For each model/analysis/test, mention all assumptions, any commercial
software that use for the implementation.
o Modeling/analysis/tests that you plan to build/perform/conduct to check if your
system will avoid any failure during its operation
 Present only the types of models/analysis/tests and on which
component/subsystem you plan to perform these. Results and details of
these models/analysis/tests should be available separately in case
instructors need to go through them.
 For each model/analysis/test, mention all assumptions, any commercial
software that is used for the implementation.
A table that lists all your design decisions you will have to make and how these decisions are
related to results of modeling/analysis/test that you plan to perform.
o For example:
 material selection;
 geometrical dimensions and shapes of components in your system;
 specifics of off-the shelf components you have chosen to use in your system
i.e. actuators, sensors, etc.
 geometric tolerances;
 standard parts like bolts/nuts;
 heat treatment;
 etc.
A final table showing the final values of design decisions you have made
o For example:
 material selection;
 geometrical dimensions and shapes of components in your system;
 specifics of off-the shelf components you have chosen to use in your system
i.e. actuators, sensors, etc.;
 geometric tolerances;
 standard parts like bolts/nuts;
 heat treatment;
 etc.
Table 1 Decisions based on meeting the performance criteria targets
Modeling/analysis/test Component/Subsystem/Whole Design
system
Parameters to be
Decided
Explanation (State
assumptions, any
commercial
software that use
for the
implementation,
etc.)
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Detailed Design Workshop Guideline
Table 2 Decisions based on avoiding all potential failures (component or system level)
Modeling/analysis/test Component/Subsystem/Whole Design
system
Parameters to be
Decided
Explanation (State
assumptions, any
commercial
software that use
for the
implementation,
etc.)
Table 3 List of design decisions and parameters
Design Decision or Parameter
Relevant Component/Subsystem
(material selection; geometrical
dimensions and shapes of
components in your system;
specifics of off-the shelf
components you have chosen to
use in your system i.e. actuators,
sensors, etc.; geometric tolerances;
standard parts like bolts/nuts; heat
treatment, etc.)
Which
Modeling/analysis/test
were used for the
decision
Table 4 List of final values of design decisions and parameters
Final Results for Design
Decision or Parameter
Relevant Component/Subsystem
(material selection; geometrical
dimensions and shapes of
components in your system;
specifics of off-the shelf
components you have chosen to
use in your system i.e. actuators,
sensors, etc.; geometric tolerances;
standard parts like bolts/nuts; heat
treatment, etc.)
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Detailed Design Workshop Guideline