1,606 research outputs found

    CAD and virtual reality in construction

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    Includes bibliographical references (p. 175-184).Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2007.published_or_final_versio

    Toward semantic model generation from sketch and multi-touch interactions

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    Designers usually start their design process by exploring and evolving their ideas rapidly through sketching since this helps them to make numerous attempts at creating, practicing, simulating, and representing ideas. Creativity inherent in solving the ill-defined problems (Eastman, 1969) often emerges when designers explore potential solutions while sketching in the design process (Schön, 1992). When using computer programs such as CAD or Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, designers often preplan the tasks prior to executing commands instead of engaging in the process of designing. Researchers argue that these programs force designers to focus on how to use a tool (i.e. how to execute series of commands) rather than how to explore a design, and thus hinder creativity in the early stages of the design process (Goel, 1995; Dorta, 2007). Since recent design and documentation works have been computer-generated using BIM software, transitions between ideas in sketches and those in digital CAD systems have become necessary. By employing sketch interactions, we argue that a computer system can provide a rapid, flexible, and iterative method to create 3D models with sufficient data for facilitating smooth transitions between designers’ early sketches and BIM programs. This dissertation begins by describing the modern design workflows and discussing the necessary data to be exchanged in the early stage of design. It then briefly introduces the modern cognitive theories, including embodiment (Varela, Rosch, & Thompson, 1992), situated action (Suchman, 1986), and distributed cognition (Hutchins, 1995). It continues by identifying problems in current CAD programs used in the early stage of the design process, using these theories as lenses. After reviewing modern attempts, including sketch tools and design automation tools, we describe the design and implementation of a sketch and multi-touch program, SolidSketch, to facilitate and augment our abilities to work on ill-defined problems in the early stage of design. SolidSketch is a parametric modeling program that enables users to construct 3D parametric models rapidly through sketch and multi-touch interactions. It combines the benefits of traditional design tools, such as physical models and pencil sketches (i.e. rapid, low-cost, and flexible methods), with the computational power offered by digital modeling tools, such as CAD. To close the gap between modern BIM and traditional sketch tools, the models created with SolidSketch can be read by other BIM programs. We then evaluate the programs with comparisons to the commercial CAD programs and other sketch programs. We also report a case study in which participants used the system for their design explorations. Finally, we conclude with the potential impacts of this new technology and the next steps for ultimately bringing greater computational power to the early stages of design.Ph.D

    Design of a smart wallet product

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    Development of a design feature database to support design for additive manufacturing (DfAM)

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    This research introduces a method to aid the design of products or parts to be made using Additive Manufacturing (AM), particularly the laser sintering (LS) system. The research began with a literature review that encompassed the subjects of design and AM and through this the need for an assistive design approach for AM was identified. Undertaking the literature review also confirmed that little has been done in the area of supporting the design of AM parts or products. Preliminary investigations were conducted to identify the design factors to consider for AM. Two preliminary investigations were conducted, the first investigation was conducted to identify the reasons for designing for AM, the need for a design support tool for AM and current challenges of student industrial designers designing parts or products for AM, and also to identify the type of design support they required. Further investigation were conducted to examine how AM products are developed by professional industrial designers and to understand their design processes and procedures. The study has identified specific AM enabled design features that the designers have been able to create within their case study products. Detailed observation of the case study products and parts reveals a number of features that are only economical or possible to produce with AM. A taxonomy of AM enabled design features was developed as a precursor for the development of a computer based design tool. The AM enabled design features was defined as a features that would be uneconomical or very expensive to be produced with conventional methods. The taxonomy has four top-level taxons based on four main reasons for using AM, namely user fit requirements, improved product functionality requirements, parts consolidation requirements and improvement of aesthetics or form requirements. Each of these requirements was expanded further into thirteen sub categories of applications that contained 106 examples of design features that are only possible to manufacture using AM technology. The collected and grouped design features were presented in a form of a database as a method to aid product design of parts or products for AM. A series of user trials were conducted that showed the database enabled industrial designers to visualise and gather design feature information that could be incorporated into their own design work. Finally, conclusions are drawn and suggestions for future work are listed. In summary, it can be concluded that this research project has been a success, having addressed all of the objectives that were identified at its outset. From the user trial results, it is clear to see that the proposed tool would be an effective tool to support product design for AM, particularly from an educational perspective. The tool was found to be beneficial to student designers to take advantage of the design freedom offered by AM in order to produce improved product design. As AM becomes more widely used, it is anticipated that new design features will emerge that could be included in future versions of the database so that it will remain a rich source of inspirational information for tomorrow s industrial designers

    Mechanical property of fused deposition parts

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    Involving users in the design process: the role of product representations in co-designing

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    Allowing users to be part of shaping change in new product development can contribute to more successful products. Advances in recent years in digital product representations (such as CAD and rapid prototyping) can potentially offer economic and time-saving benefits to this process. The research in this thesis has generated guidelines to support co-designing activity by exploring the issues of user involvement in the design process, paying particular attention to the use of digital (computer-based) and non-digital product representations to facilitate understanding and communication. The guidelines emerged through empirical research. The first stage of the research explored users' perceptions of physical and emotional product properties through digital and rapid prototyped representations: initial guidelines for Including product representations in co-designing were generated. An Interview study was then conducted to examine the wider issues of user involvement in designing and the use of digital and non-digital product representations from the standpoint of ten practicing - designers. Challenges and barriers to user Involvement were perceived but designers were open-minded to the Idea of digital co-designing. In parallel an audit was undertaken to evaluate product representation technologies for their ability to facilitate co-designing: traditional non-digital methods of sketching and hand-made models were used to develop criteria for this benchmarking. Limitations were found with existing technology and it was apparent that traditional methods (e. g. hand-drawn sketches and models) were better able to facilitate co-designing at this time than digital methods. These findings led to recommendations for future co-designing tools. Co-designing processes were then explored through six practical studies conducted with individuals and small groups of users. Users experimented with designing and making improved handles for a small gardening tool through sketching and day modelling. Design concepts were then taken further into digital media, through 3D scanning, digital CAD images and rapid prototyping and presented back to users for evaluation. Co-designing was also explored through a commercial context with an international packaging manufacturer. Ten users communicated design ideas for improved packaging by triangulation of notes, sketches, discussion and modelling activity. This produced user-led design criteria and commercially valuable concept designs. Important insights were gained into how codesigning may be facilitated within a commercial context and the experiences of the stakeholders. Several pertinent ethical issues such as ownership of ideas, incentives and rewards for user involvement were raised. The thesis concludes with guidelines and recommendations for co-designing, particularly regarding the role of product representations

    2 Degree of Freedom Robotic Leg

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    Professor Xing, an assistant professor at Cal Poly, proposed the 2 DOF Robotic Leg project for this quarter’s senior project class. The project is to build a robotic leg attached at the hip to a stand, which will be used as a teaching tool and eventually help develop Cal Poly’s very own robotic quadruped. Since this project has multiple uses after its completion, there are multiple customers that it must perform well for: the Cal Poly Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department, the ME Lab instructors, and the students. The Scope of Work (Sections 2 & 3) is composed of 2 main sections: Background and Objectives. The Background covers all research regarding similar products and dynamic systems while the Objectives outline the problem statement and the team’s objectives required to complete this project. The following sections are comprised Team Capy’s process of achieving those objectives throughout the yearlong project. This is described in detail and broken into the following sections: Concept Design, Final Design, Manufacturing plan, Design Verification Plan, Project Management, and Conclusion. This project’s scope has significantly changed throughout the year, resulting in a very iterative design process that led to excellent results. This document details every step of that process, leading to the development of the final design and its manufacturing process
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