DECISION BASED VARIABLE MECHATRONIC DESIGN PROCESSES
Year: 2011
Editor: Culley, S.J.; Hicks, B.J.; McAloone, T.C.; Howard, T.J. & Clarkson, P.J.
Author: Hehenberger, Peter; Farrokhzad, Babak; Poltschak, Florian
Series: ICED
Section: Design Processes
Page(s): 122-133
Abstract
Mechatronics design is integration of mechanics, electronics and software. As new functionality in products is realized to a large extent through integration of mechanics, electronics and software the need for knowledge integration between these disciplines becomes central. As a result both processes as well as the system modeling approach must support both the highly innovative functionality that are radically new for the organization as well the traditional features and models. Facing this challenge is the focus of this paper. After a brief wrap-up of recent concepts of innovation processes, the authors describe the specific characteristics of mechatronics design. Using the “degree of innovativeness” a key tailoring criterion, the authors will show how the existing and proven concept of idea management and innovation processes proposed by Thom as well as the staged-gate process proposed by Cooper have to be expanded to support mechatronic systems design and development. In the end, using this approach the development of a new product, an electrohydraulic compact axis, is briefly sketched within the context of the proposed process.
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