PMD Topic 1 Design Philosophy

1994 by Alexander H.
Slocum
Precision Machine Design

Topic 1
Introduction to the design process for
precision machines
Purpose:
This lecture provides an introduction to the machine design
process, with emphasis on overall design philosophy, case
studies, and concept selection methods.
Outline:
Design methodology
Functional Requirements, Design Parameters, &

Preliminary calculations
Conceptual designs
Importance of sketching designs
Conceptual design:
Machining center design case study
Coordinate measuring machine design case study
Decision making methods
"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success.

When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole
soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be
energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful and you will accomplish
your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without
enthusiasm"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
1-1
1994 by Alexander H. Slocum
Basic precision machine design philosophy
Designs should be made as mechanically good as is

reasonably possible.
Increases in performance are then obtained via measurement,

mapping, and servo control:
Cost
Metrology frame based

servomechanism
Mapped servomechanism
Simple servomechanism
Mechanical system
Difficulty = Environment Load Range Speed

Accuracy
Make the design hospitable to measurement:
Make room for sensors.
Design in alignment surfaces.
Minimize Abbe errors.
Use modular elements whenever possible:
Create a platform concept that is upgradeable merely

by substituing new components.
Choose bearings, actuators, sensors, and controller as

interdependent components.
Design the machine as if you had to use it.
1-2
Organize your thought process
Design is like a giant box of Legos
You need to empty the box on the floor and spread the
Legos out in order to find the best parts for your
spaceship.
While looking for a cool wing, you may discover a better

engine!
So:
Organize your brain to be a collector and analyzer of

information.
Organize your thoughts to be a digester of information and a

synthesizer of new designs.
Organize your mind to be an n-dimensional holographic

comparator.
Provide it with systematic and random search, compare,

and synthesizing capabilities.
1-3
Imagine that your mind is a vast three dimensional array of

cubes which are designed to hold information:
Wisdom
Knowledge
Imagination
With time, the number of cubes that are filled with

information grows.
When you read about a new type of bearing, you file the
information in a knowledge cube.
New methods for using bearings may be filed in an

imagination cube.
Past experiences with the bearing may be filed in a

wisdom cube.
Random or systematic search patterns through the array of

cubes allows you to think of solutions to problems.
During the search for solutions:
Often you will discover that there is a collection of cubes

that do not have the contents you need.
Thus you may discover the need for a new invention.
1-4
How to keep informed
Catalogs.
One must keep things in perspective and not develop

catalogitis.
Catalogitis: "design is the gospel according

catalogs, and thou musteth use stock parts."
to
The use of standard versus nonstandard parts must be

considered carefully.
Before specifying a part, a designer should also check a

listing of companies (e.g., in the Thomas Register) .
Trade magazines and their "Bingo cards" (used to order

manufacturers' product literature).
A small personal library of reference books.
Societies that exists for engineers.1
Standards used that pertain to the products being designed.2
Networking:
You must build a network of friends and associates who

can help you to keep informed, and vice versa.
You must be able to function effectively in a team.
For example, the American Society for Precision Engineering in Raleigh, NC (919)
839-8444, and the Japan Society of Precision Engineering.
2
For example, a designer of rotary tables or spindles should keep a copy of Axis of
Rotation: Methods for Specifying and Testing, ANSI Standard B89.3.4M-1985, and
Temperature and Humidity Environment for Dimensional Measurement, ANSI Standard
B89.6.2-1973. A catalog of standards is available from the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, United Engineering Center, 345 East 47th St., New York, NY
10017.
1-5
Whenever you obtain a new piece of information
Search through your mind and see if this new piece can
combine with any existing pieces to make something useful.
Take note during the search if the information can be useful

to someone else whom you know has a problem that needs
solving.
Networking is one of the most powerful assets of an

information-based society.
Always look for new applications and opportunities.
Opportunity always knocks, but one needs to do a careful

MFT (mental Fourier transform) to see where the peaks are!
1-6
Resulting Overall design strategy

1 ) Carefully establish your database and networks as stated
above.
2 ) Remember Maudslay's maxims:
l . Get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish,
then you will probably get it.
2 . Keep a sharp look-out upon your materials: get r i d
of every pound of material you can do without. Put
yourself to the question, "what business has i t
there?" Avoid complexities and make everything as
simple as possible.
3 . Remember the get-ability of parts.
Stated by Henry Maudslay in the 1700's, they are the

foundation of concurrent engineering.
3 ) Know your customers. Talk to them directly, in addition to

listening to marketing and maintenance and manufacturing.
1-7
Recognize that there are three types of design:
Scaled design:
An existing design does the job well, and just needs to

be scaled for the new application.
For example, a ballscrew size change for a larger

machine.
Evolutionary design:
An existing design is pretty good, but fundamental

improvements can be made.
For example, a ballscrew evolves into a planetary

rollerscrew.
1-8
Revolutionary design:
A totally new approach is used to achieve the same

function, but with better performance.
For example, a linear electric motor instead of a

screw-type transmission.
Rail
Carriage
Linear motor
magnet assembly
Linear
motor coil
1-9
But be careful not to jump to quickly!
INA introduced ballscrew-like shaft with a helical gothic

arch lead.
Instead of small balls rolling on a large shaft (at high

speed), it uses four ball bearings:
The inner races are rounded to mate with the

gothic arch groove, and the axes of rotation are
inclined to the shaft.
The result is an order-of-magnitude lower rolling

element velocity, and no need for lost contact during
recirculation.
This actuator is half the cost of a linear motor system

and can run at nearly the same speed!
It is perfect for the actuation of grinding tables at

either creep-feed or reciprocal grinding speeds;
However, it still has the issue of shaft rotational
inertia.
1-10
The Result of all the above is the Design Process

A good designer:
Carefully budgets time and resources.
Defines what she wants to accomplish (functional
requirements).
Defines the resources available (materials, parts that
can be used).
Creates solutions ranging from a safe solution to a
neat, wild WOW solution.
Evaluates the physics and feasibility of solutions that
can be created within the context of the allowable time
and budget!
Updates the schedule and budget
Embodiment and Details: Makes the design happen in a
timely, orderly, well-documented manner.
Implements the design (competes) and then reflects on
what went right and wrong.
Functional Requirements, Design Parameters, &

Before you start designing, you have to get your box of
Legos in order.
You are designing a deterministic machine, so
deterministically:
Determine what the machine must do (Functional
Requirements, Frs)
Start thinking about what elements (Design Parameters, DPs)
could enable you to satisfy the FRS.
Identify the physics that govern the performance of the DPs.
1-11
Functional Requirements (FRs) & Design

Parameters (DPs)
From the overall strategy, the functional requirements can be
developed (sketches of the design strategy can be helpful).
Design Parameters: Physical attributes that satisfy FRs.
Physics of the problem

It is often useful to list the physics involved next to the
functional requirements (simple models can help).
Example:
Basic FRs
Fast travel
speed
Initial DPs
Easy to do
Impressive
WOW
0.25m/s
.5 m/s
1 m/s
Dominant
physics
F=ma
=Fr
V=at
V=r
x=0.5at
Front
scooper
Forklift
type (raise
only)
Raise and
curl
Raise, curl,
extend
M=Fl
=Mc/I
Climb peak
wheels
close
spaced
Tracks
Jump!
Friction
F=F N
Not
flippable
Low center Outriggers

of gravity,
wide stance
1-12
BIG wheels, M=0

no
basic
protruding
stability
hardware,
drives upside
down
Conceptual design
Conceptual design can affect a machine's:
Accuracy.
Repeatability.
Resolution.
Frictional qualities.
Difficulty of design.
Difficulty of manufacture.
Operating cleanliness.
Cost.
Safety.
Ruggedness.
Availability.
Any overlooked item will come back to haunt you, so get it

right the first time!
1-13
There are several methods for generating conceptual

designs:
FIRST get the design team to identify the
Functional Requirements!, Then:
Individual thought:
Rohrbach's 635 method:
Often the most creative.
First individual, and then group analysis and

discussions, offers the best of both worlds.
Group brainstorming:
Greatest breadth of resources applied collectively.
1-14
Individual thought is often the most creative.
Do leisurely things (e.g., long walks) that you know inspire

creative thought.
Get out of traffic and take alternate routes.
Sketch ideas and the ideas principal components.
Cut out the principal components and pretend they are

modular elements.
Like toy building blocks, try different combinations of

components to make different machines.
Pit one machine idea against another and imagine

strategies for winning.
Take the best from different ideas and evolve them into
the best 2 or 3 ideas that you can think of.
1-15
Rohrbach's 635 method:
Six people write down their three best ideas and circulate
them to the other five for comments.
The people then get together to discuss their ideas.
A written record is made of who first had the idea, so

personality conflicts are more easily avoided.
It tends to generate a collective mind, so everybody knows

what everyone else has been thinking.
The group mind then works together in a more efficient

manner when brainstorming.
1-16
Group brainstorming:
A means to often solve personal creativity deadlocks.
A means to make sure something hasn't been overlooked.
Group personality factors must be considered:
Shy individuals getting run over.
Aggressive individuals driving.
An individual's personality often has nothing to do with

creativity.
Careful to avoid conflicts over the issue of who first thought

of the idea.
The people in the group must be willing to take praise or

scolding as a group.
Formal methods exist.
Psychologists have generated established rules to make

the process work successfully.3
Have the meeting over the hardware! or in the shop!
G. Pahl and W. Beitz, Konstruktionslehre, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1977.

Translated and published as Engineering Design, Design Council, London, 1984, pp. 8788.
1-17
Importance of sketching designs
The ability to sketch approximate scale drawings of a

concept is invaluable.
Sloppy disproportionate sketches send a signal to

managers that the design will also be sloppy.
Design sketches of ideas and major components allow one to

build and compare models of ideas.
A matrix of ideas can be laid out and "what-if"

scenarios can then be performed.
"Moving" components (a piece of paper) from design to

design allows for rapid real-time evolution.
1-18
The ability to sketch a stick figure of a design and label the

error motions is invaluable.
Knowing where the errors are signals that you

understand the physics of the design.
The ability to tell which error motions cause critical errors

at the tool point is invaluable.
Knowing what the critical errors are signals that you

understand the details of the design.
A stick figure helps to:
Define the sensitive directions in a machine.
Locate coordinate systems.
Set the stage for error budgeting.
It helps to prevent the designer from locking in on a shape

too early.
Spindle
(rotor in bearings)
110 Z carriage
300
215
Wheel/
Workpiece
240
330
115
400
100
Y carriage
Sensitive for surface
and profile grinding
700
545
Table
Sensitive for profile

grinding
Column
300
450
1700
100
Reference
Bed
425
315
1700
400
1-19
Sketching example: A surface grinder:

Z axis linear motion bearings
Z axis Ballscrew
Y axis column
Y axis carriage
Z axis carriage
Table
Bed
Wheel
Z
Y
X
Y axis motor
1-20
Past the hand sketch, and before the computer sketch, to
determine feasability, and to guiode initial FEA.
Spreadsheets provided with this course to aid in the design of
precision machines:
Spreadsheet
Purpose
AHP.XLS
To apply the Analytic Hierarchy Process to selection of the "best"

concept
BALLSCRW.XLS To determine equivalent load rating for ballscrew selection

BEAMBEND.XLS To determine slope, bending, and shear deflections of a simply
supported beam loaded by its own weight.
BIMAT.XLS
To determine thermal deformations in a bi-material beam
BOLTJDES.XLS
To design bolted joints
CYLNDEXP.XLS To calculate the radial displacement of a pressurized cylinder

HERT.XLS
To determine Hertz contact stresses between bodies in point

contact.
HERTZTAN.XLS To determine tangential stiffness and contact stress between two

bodies (e.g., for friction drive design)
KINCOUP.XLS
To design three groove kinematic couplings
KINSLIDE.XLS
To analyze of errors in a kinematically supported carriage (slide)
RAILDES.XLS
To design bolted "boxway" bearing rails
RAILFND.XLS
To determine characteristics of a bolted rail on elastic foundation
SCREWPOW.XLS To calculate power to turn a screw

CLD.XLS
To design a constrained layer damper
THERMERR.XLS To determine temperature gradient induced errors in a simply

supported beam
TMDDES.XLS
To design tuned mass dampers
1-21
Error Budget Spreadsheets provided with this course to aid in

the design of precision machines:
Spreadsheet Name
User Input
Output to User
CShelp.XLS
Location (position and

orientation) of coordinate
systems for tool and work.
none
CS_inp.XLS
none.
Ideal location of tool in work.
K_inp.XLS
Compliances between
coordinate systems.
None.
F&M_inp.XLS
Forces and moments applied to

coordinate systems.
Resultant sum forces and

moments.
Temp_inp.XLS
Thermal expansion coefficient

and temperature differences
between coordinate systems.
Thermal expansion errors.
Geo_err.XLS
Geometric errors between the

coordinate systems
Sum_err.XLS
None
Sum of all the errors in each

coordinate system.
Err_out.XLS
Error toggle switch and

mapping improvement factors
Ideal and actual location of tool in

work, and the resulting location
error between the tool and the
work in the reference frame
1-22
Conceptual design: Decision making methods
There are many systematic methods available for evaluating

design alternatives.
Most rely on some sort of weighting of attributes to

arrive at a "desirability score".
The simplest method is a linear weighting scheme:
Apply a desirability value to each parameter that affects

the performance of a component in a design.
Easiest to use provided user bias can be minimized.
Acceptable when there are only a few design alternatives

to consider.
A linear weighting scheme (a series of +, -, 0 wrt a

baseline design) will give equal weighting to attributes.
Design 1 Design 2 Design 3 Design 4

(Baseline)
Accuracy
Ergonomics
Cost
Flexibility
Robustness
Manufacturability
Serviceability
Total + and -
-1
Use to identify positive attributes of competing designs that

can be blended in with the best to make it better.
1-23
Example: Select a linear bearing for a machine tool
Factors to consider in their selection include:

Accuracy of motion: Straightness, Smoothness.
Friction Characteristics: Static , Dynamic .
Cost: Purchase, Install, Maintain
When there are more than several variables, it is often

difficult to evaluate their relative importance.
It is like trying to add Newtons to meters, the dimensions

cannot be added properly.
A method is needed to non-dimensionalize the parameters.
Rail
Carriage (saddle)
Keeper
Base
C, Co
E1
Mt
Mto
Ml
Mlo
S1 THREAD
H1
N2
B
E2
E3
N1
H2
N3
S2 SCREW SIZE
A2
A3
S3 SCREW SIZE
A1
R
R
u
R
Ru
V
R
Rl
Rl
1-24
Thomas Saaty developed the Analytic Hierarchy Process

(AHP) to help make complex decisions.
First determine the relative importance of each

characteristic at each level in the outline of design
attributes.
Next evaluate the relative characteristics of each

component of the design with respect to the most explicit
characteristic.
Comparisons are done with experienced personnel from:
Engineering
Marketing
Manufacturing
Service
The relative evaluation characteristics' importances are

debated in an open forum.
The relative importances of the components are debated

in an open forum.
Egos are diffused, and only rationally justifiable

positions are accepted.
This is an excellent method to start a project off

on a concurrent engineering track
1-25
Step 1: Setting up the AHP Model
Compare the AHP's construction to a system of water tanks

100%
Le v e l 1
40%
20%
40%
Le v e l 2
Le v e l 3
25%
15%
12%
8%
15%
15%
10%
The distribution of water is analogous to the distribution of

priorities (or weights).
The desirability (or weight) for each entry with respect to

other entries on that level can be equated to:
The distribution (by percent) of the initial volume of

water among the reservoirs on the same level.
At any level the total percentage of water distributed among

the reservoirs at that level is equal to 100%.
Select a bearing for a Diamond Turning Machine
Accuracy
Straightness
Smoothness
Friction
Dynamic
Cost
Static
1-26
Purchase
Install
Maintain
Step 2: Importance of design choices
The evaluation of a design option is done by determining its

"importance" for each Level 3 entry (the lowest level).
The "importance" of an item with respect to each entry in

Level 3 can be expressed in terms of actual physical values.
Most often, a numerical scale should be used such as:

Importance
Definition
Equal importance
One a little more important than the other (1/3)
One is more important than the other (1/5)
One is much more important than the other (1/7)
Absolute importance (1/9)
Accuracy
Friction
Cost
Accuracy
Friction
.5
Cost
.25
.5
The team debates the comparisons and fills out the top row.
The matrix is diagonal, and determinism is applied to ensure
consistency.
Check lower diagonal values to make sure the team agrees
with them.
This forms a "fuzzy Logic set" characterizing what

the team feels are the important judgment factors
for a design.
1-27
Priority is approximately the geometric mean of the row.
Overall priority is normalized with respect to the sum of the

individual priorities.
The level three normalized priorities are multiplied by the

corresponding level two normalized priorities.
This yields a normalized weight for the level three

characteristics.
For the bearing selection, the spreadsheet output for levels 2

& 3 is:
Priority N. Prior.
2.000
0.571
1.000
0.286
0.500
0.143
3.500
1.000
=57%
=29%
=14%
Accuracy Straight. Smooth.

Straightness 1.000 0 . 5 0 0
Smoothness 2.000
1.000
Sum
3.000
1.500
Priority N. Prior. N. Wght

0.707
0.333
0.190
1.414
0.667
0.381
2.121
1.000
0.571
33*57=19%
67*57=38%
Friction
Static
Dynamic
Sum

2.000
0.800
0.229
0.500
0.200
0.057
2.500
1.000
0.286
80*29=23%
20*29=6%
Accuracy
Friction
Cost
Sum
Cost
Purchase
Install
Maintain
Sum
Accuracy Friction
1.000 2 . 0 0 0
0.500
1.000
0.250
0.500
1.750
3.500
Static Dynamic
1.000 4 . 0 0 0
0.250
1.000
1.250
5.000
Purchase
1.000
2.000
2.000
5.000
Cost
4.000
2.000
1.000
7.000
Install Maintain
0.500 0.500
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
2.500
2.500
Level 2
Level 3
Level 3

0.630
0.200
0.029
1.260
0.400
0.057
1.260
0.400
0.057
3.150
1.000
0.143
Note that the total of all the normalized weights is 1.0.
Each matrix is diagonal (mathematical relationships).

enter numbers in bold
Level 3
Only
This defuzzifies the qualitative judgments so they

can be applied in a deterministic manner to evaluate
options.
1-28
Step 3: Results
Desirability is found by combining the normalized weights

with the relative evaluations of bearing characteristics:
7
desirability = (level 3 weights) (bearing desirability values)

j=1
Again, a team discusses and justifies the comparisons, s o

novice designers become enlightened.
For the bearing selection, the spreadsheet output is:
Bearing comparison:
Straight. Smooth. Static mu Dyn. mu Purchase
Sliding teflon 7 0 . 0 0 0 7 . 0 0 0
1.000
2.000
5.000
Rolling balls 6 0 . 0 0 0 5 . 0 0 0
3.000
5.000
3.000
Hydrostatic
90.000 9.000
9.000
5.000
1.000
Install
3.000
5.000
2.000
Overall Norm
Maintain Goodness Goodness
5.000
0.274
0.27
5.000
0.283
0.28
1.000
0.443
0.44
To prevent a person from driving the results to their

favorite without rational discussion:
Each product in the overall goodness column is

normalized by the sum of the choices' desirability values.
1-29
The AHP should be used by a group of "experts" from

engineering, marketing, manufacture, maintenance, etc.
The numbers you generate while practicing alone may

seem arbitrary to you.
However, they do get you to think about the design

criteria.
A group will educate members about why design

decisions are made.
It helps a group to rapidly converge on consensus,

because it forces members to focus on one topic at a
time.
It then gives a deterministic means to pull all the

elements together for a total decision.
1-30
Case study: Cincinnati Milacron's high speed

machining center (HSMC)
Designed for high speed hole drilling and near-net-shape

part finishing.
Speed and reliability were of prime concern.
Goal was to minimize the number of parts.
Machine would be used in duplex mode (two machines facing

each other), so a horizontal spindle was required.
1-31
Conceptual designs
Fully articulated and traveling articulated designs:
Low rigidity.
Large error at tool cause by angular error at joint (Abbe

error).
Too many degrees of freedom.
1-32
Scissors jack design:
Large number of joints.
Non-uniform transmission ratio:
1-33
Rectilinear design for a high speed machining center:
Linear axes are easy to manufacture.
Configuration lends itself to the use of a single moving wall

to prevent chips and coolant from getting into sensitive
areas.
Spindle
1-34
Moving wall
1-35
Effects of sealing systems on concept selection
Greater stiffness and accuracy can be obtained if the duplex

requirement is dropped and the pallet is allowed to be on a
moving axis.
The spindle is then carried on a 2 degree of freedom

stacked axis.
The work holding table (pallet) has a single degree of

freedom.
With the pallet on a Z axis, the spindle stacked axes only

needs a single seal:
The Y axis can be positioned behind a moving wall.
1-36
Case study: Sheffield's ring bridge coordinate

measuring machine (CMM)
Structural configurations for CMMs:
Fixed table cantilever arm CMM.
Moving bridge CMM.
Column type CMM.
Moving ram horizontal arm CMM.
Moving table horizontal arm CMM.
Gantry type CMM.
Ring bridge type CMM.
Goodness can be defined by CA factor:

CA = volume throughput
accuracy price
(1.6.1)
The CA factors for existing machines and the CA factor

customers wanted indicated the need for a new CMM design.
Z
Ring bridge
Workpiece
table
Probe
1-37
Applying the AHP method to CMM design
The CA factor is not too helpful for a qualitative comparison

of design concepts.
Existing design types to be evaluated using the AHP include:
Fixed table cantilever arm

Moving bridge
Column
Moving ram horizontal arm
Moving table horizontal arm
Gantry
Ring bridge
1-38
AHP parameters for CMM evaluation:
Accuracy
Modularity
Scanning (contouring)
X axis
Abbe (sensors)
Yaxis
Abbe (actuators)
Zaxis (ram)
Abbe (bearings)
Structure
Center of stiffness/mass congruence
Dynamic (stiffness)
Evolvability
Dynamic (mass)
Automated
Decoupling (part weight)
Touch trigger
Different sizes
Cost
Sale price
Ergonomics
Maintain
Operator
Labor to produce
Service
Components to buy
Sales
Manufacturability
Bearings
Structure
Assembly
1-39
The importance of the major design criteria were assumed to

be:
Accuracy
Cost
Manufacturability
Modularity
Evolvability
Ergonomics
Sum
Manufact- Modul- E v o l v - ErgonNorm.

Accuracy
C o s t urability
arity
a b i l i t y o m i c s Priority priority
1.00 1 . 0 0
3.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
2.69
0.34
1.00 1.00
3.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
2.69
0.34
0.33 0.33
1.00
1.67
1.67
1.67
0.90
0.11
0.20 0.20
0.60
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.54
0.07
0.20 0.20
0.60
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.54
0.07
0.20 0.20
0.60
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.54
0.07
2.93 2.93
8.80
14.67
14.67
14.67
7.88
1.00
Existing design types evaluated using the AHP gave the

following results:
Column
Moving table horizontal arm
Moving bridge
Fixed table cantilever arm
Moving ram horizontal arm
Ring bridge
Gantry
1-40
0.75
0.84
0.88
1.00
1.01
1.05
1.07
When one performs a sensitivity analysis by trying different

priorities in the AHP spreadsheet:
The accuracy requirement drives the decision towards a

closed frame structure.
It also implies that the part should not rest on a moving axis.
The gantry design drives the main mass closer to the center
of mass and stiffness.
The ring bridge design drives the mass through the bottom
portion of the ring.
If ease of part loading and the ability to program the CMM

in teach mode, the ring bridge may become an equal choice.
The lighter moving structure of the bridge design would

make the gantry machine easier to move by hand.
Even though the access is more limited.
1-41
Two designs were done, and cost and ergonomics

considerations indicated the ring bridge design was best.
From the sales literature

Company):
(Courtesy of Sheffield Measurement, a Giddings & Lewis
1-42

PMD Topic 1 Design Philosophy

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PMD Topic 1 Design Philosophy

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1994 by Alexander H.

Precision Machine Design

Functional Requirements, Design Parameters, &

Importance of sketching designs

Machining center design case study

Coordinate measuring machine design case study

Decision making methods

"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success.

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

Basic precision machine design philosophy

Designs should be made as mechanically good as is

Increases in performance are then obtained via measurement,

Metrology frame based

Difficulty = Environment Load Range Speed

Make the design hospitable to measurement:

Make room for sensors.

Design in alignment surfaces.

Minimize Abbe errors.

Use modular elements whenever possible:

Create a platform concept that is upgradeable merely

Choose bearings, actuators, sensors, and controller as

Design the machine as if you had to use it.

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

Organize your thought process

Design is like a giant box of Legos

While looking for a cool wing, you may discover a better

Organize your brain to be a collector and analyzer of

Organize your thoughts to be a digester of information and a

Organize your mind to be an n-dimensional holographic

Provide it with systematic and random search, compare,

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

Imagine that your mind is a vast three dimensional array of

With time, the number of cubes that are filled with

New methods for using bearings may be filed in an

Past experiences with the bearing may be filed in a

Random or systematic search patterns through the array of

During the search for solutions:

Often you will discover that there is a collection of cubes

Thus you may discover the need for a new invention.

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

How to keep informed

One must keep things in perspective and not develop

Catalogitis: "design is the gospel according

The use of standard versus nonstandard parts must be

Before specifying a part, a designer should also check a

Trade magazines and their "Bingo cards" (used to order

A small personal library of reference books.

Societies that exists for engineers.1

Standards used that pertain to the products being designed.2

You must build a network of friends and associates who

You must be able to function effectively in a team.

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

Whenever you obtain a new piece of information

Take note during the search if the information can be useful

Networking is one of the most powerful assets of an

Always look for new applications and opportunities.

Opportunity always knocks, but one needs to do a careful

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

Resulting Overall design strategy

Stated by Henry Maudslay in the 1700's, they are the

3 ) Know your customers. Talk to them directly, in addition to

1994 by Alexander H. Slocum

Recognize that there are three types of design:

An existing design does the job well, and just needs to