Design Phase: Conceptualization, Benchmarking, and Modeling
The design phase is where engineers lay the foundation for their product by creating detailed 3D models, selecting appropriate materials, and benchmarking designs against existing products and industry standards. This stage also includes reverse engineering existing designs and incorporating necessary regulatory requirements to ensure product compliance.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software
Key Tools
Solidworks 3D CAD
A versatile CAD software widely used for designing injection-molded and thermoformed components. Its parametric design capabilities are ideal for creating complex geometries that can be easily modified as the design evolves.
CAD software plays a pivotal role in the design phase, enabling engineers to build precise 3D models that form the blueprint for the final product. CAD tools allow engineers to iterate designs quickly, test assemblies, and identify any issues early in the development process.
Key features of CAD tools
3D modeling and assembly: Allows engineers to visualize how parts interact within a complete assembly.
Parametric design: Updates to design parameters propagate through the entire model, streamlining revisions.
CATIA
Preferred for highly detailed designs, especially in industries like automotive and aerospace, where complex surfaces and composite materials such as fiberglass are used.
AutoCAD
Great for quick layouts and 2D design, commonly used for initial conceptualization and industrial equipment layouts.
Product Benchmarking Tools (hardware & software)
Portable CMMs
Tools like the Keyence XM Series and FARO Arm enable engineers to collect precise dimensional data from existing physical products or competitor components. This data is used to evaluate design accuracy, identify potential improvements, and ensure alignment with industry standards.
Benchmarking tools are critical for comparing new product designs with existing competitor products or previous models. By using a combination of software and hardware tools, engineers can assess how their designs stack up in terms of performance, cost, and manufacturability. Benchmarking helps identify design improvements early, ensuring that the final product meets market and performance expectations.
Key Features:
Dimensional analysis: Collect precise data from existing products to compare dimensions and tolerances.
Digital benchmarking: Convert physical products into 3D models to analyze and improve designs.
Performance comparison: Use benchmarking tools to compare your design’s strength, durability, and manufacturability against competitor products.
3D Laser Scanners
Devices like the FARO Edge or Creaform HandySCAN 3D are portable tools that scan existing components to create a digital benchmark. These digital representations can be used to refine designs or identify areas for improvement.
Software for 3D Scans
Geomagic Design X, converts 3D scan data into CAD models, allowing engineers to capture competitor or existing products digitally and compare them against their new designs. Another example FARO SCENE, a point cloud processing software used to evaluate existing parts.
Requirements Management and Standardization
Jama Connect
A highly effective requirements management tool that allows teams to capture, manage, and track product requirements throughout the development lifecycle. It supports cross-functional collaboration and integrates with design, testing, and validation processes.
Managing product requirements effectively during the design phase is crucial to ensure that the final product meets both customer expectations and regulatory standards. Requirements management involves defining, documenting, and tracking all necessary specifications related to performance, safety, functionality, and manufacturability. Tools for writing, tracking, and validating these requirements ensure that they are properly implemented throughout the design, prototyping, and production phases.
Key Features:
Requirements capture: Define product performance, safety, and functional specifications in a structured manner.
Traceability: Track the implementation of each requirement throughout the design and development stages, ensuring that nothing is missed.
Collaboration: Facilitate communication between teams, ensuring that design, engineering, and manufacturing are aligned with customer needs and regulatory requirements.
Verification and validation: Ensure that all requirements are tested and validated before moving to production.
IBM DOORS
This platform is widely used in industries like automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. It helps manage complex product requirements, ensuring traceability and compliance with standards.
Siemens Polarion
A requirements management tool that integrates with PLM and design systems. Polarion allows teams to create, approve, and track requirements, making it easier to ensure that all specifications are met during product development.
Writing and Managing Product Requirements
In many industries, products must comply with detailed regulatory standards and customer-specific requirements. Writing these requirements during the design phase ensures that the final product will be ready for market entry and compliant with industry certifications. The requirements document acts as a blueprint for the entire product development process, guiding material selection, component design, and testing procedures.
Best Practices for Writing Requirements:
Clarity: Each requirement should be clear, concise, and unambiguous to avoid misinterpretation.
Measurability: Include specific metrics for performance, durability, and safety so that compliance can be easily verified.
Testability: Ensure that every requirement can be verified through testing or analysis.
Traceability: Assign a unique identifier to each requirement to track its implementation through every phase of the product lifecycle.
In addition to managing internal product requirements, benchmarking designs against industry standards is vital to ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks. This includes aligning designs with SAE, ISO, ASTM, and other relevant standards. Adopting these standards early in the design process reduces the risk of costly redesigns or regulatory rejections later in the product lifecycle.
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Product Data Management (PDM) Tools
Siemens Teamcenter
A comprehensive PLM platform that provides full lifecycle management, from concept design through production. Teamcenter integrates seamlessly with CAD software and ensures that all product data is properly tracked and version-controlled.
PLM and PDM tools play a critical role in managing design data and revisions throughout the product development process. These tools create a centralized repository for all product data, ensuring the entire team works with the most current information.
Key Features:
Version control: Tracks changes and iterations in product design, ensuring the team is always working with the most up-to-date version.
Collaboration tools: Allows teams across different departments or locations to collaborate seamlessly on product designs.
Data centralization: Centralizes design data, making it easily accessible for revisions, regulatory audits, or production planning.
Autodesk Fusion 360 Manage
A cloud-based PLM system that supports small and mid-sized teams. Fusion 360 Manage integrates with CAD tools to manage design revisions, facilitate collaboration, and keep product data accessible across teams.
PTC Windchill
Known for its advanced product data management features, Windchill tracks design changes and ensures regulatory compliance throughout the lifecycle. It integrates with multiple CAD systems and offers detailed reporting for design validation.
Material Selection Tools
CES EduPack
A powerful material selection database that helps engineers filter materials based on mechanical, thermal, and environmental properties. CES EduPack allows users to balance performance with sustainability and cost considerations.
Selecting the right material early in the design phase ensures that the product will meet performance, cost, and manufacturing requirements. Material selection tools allow engineers to evaluate different materials based on strength, weight, cost, and environmental impact.
Key Features:
Performance filtering: Compare materials based on critical performance factors like tensile strength, flexibility, and chemical resistance.
Cost comparison: Evaluate the cost implications of different materials to find a balance between performance and budget constraints.
Sustainability analysis: Many tools now offer insights into the environmental impact of materials, helping companies make more eco-friendly decisions.
MatWeb
An online material database that offers detailed information on thousands of materials, including plastics, resins, and composites. Engineers can quickly compare material properties to select the best option for their injection-molded or thermoformed parts.
Granta Selector (Ansys)
An advanced material selection tool that integrates with CAD and simulation software. Granta Selector provides detailed data on material properties, including mechanical performance, cost, and environmental impact, helping engineers make informed decisions.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) Tools
DFMPro (Geometric)
A widely used DFM tool that integrates with CAD software to analyze parts for manufacturability. DFMPro identifies common design issues, such as thin walls, undercuts, or complex geometries, and offers suggestions for improving manufacturability.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) tools help engineers optimize their designs for efficient production. These tools analyze the design to identify potential issues that could increase manufacturing costs or cause defects, allowing engineers to make adjustments early in the design process.
Key Features:
Automated Design Analysis: DFM tools automatically analyze CAD models for potential manufacturing issues, such as thin walls, excessive draft angles, and deep undercuts, providing suggestions for design improvement.
Manufacturing Process Simulation: These tools simulate the injection molding process, predicting how plastic or other materials will flow through the mold, helping engineers identify and fix potential issues before production.
Defect Prediction: DFM tools detect possible defects like warping, shrinkage, or air traps that could arise during the production process. By catching these issues early, engineers can make necessary design adjustments to prevent production delays and improve part quality.
Material Optimization: DFM tools help optimize the use of materials, ensuring that parts are designed with the right thickness, geometry, and material distribution to minimize waste and maximize efficiency.
Cost Reduction: By analyzing designs for manufacturability, DFM tools help reduce production costs by identifying areas where simplifications can be made, improving cycle times and lowering tooling costs.
SolidWorks Plastics
A simulation tool that predicts the flow of plastic through a mold, identifying potential defects such as air traps, short shots, or warping. It helps engineers optimize their designs for injection molding, reducing production issues.
Autodesk Moldflow
A comprehensive tool for analyzing the plastic injection molding process. Moldflow simulates material flow and cooling within the mold, providing detailed insights into potential manufacturing challenges like shrinkage, voids, or cooling imbalances.