Design reuse research : a computational perspective

This paper gives an overview of some computer based systems that focus on supporting engineering design reuse. Design reuse is considered here to reflect the utilisation of any knowledge gained from a design activity and not just past designs of artefacts. A design reuse process model, containing three main processes and six knowledge components, is used as a basis to identify the main areas of contribution from the systems. From this it can be concluded that while reuse libraries and design by reuse has received most attention, design for reuse, domain exploration and five of the other knowledge components lack research effort

References to past designs

Designing by adaptation is almost invariably a dominantambiguity feature of designing, and references to past designs are ubiquitous in design discourse. Object references serve as indices into designers' stocks of design concepts, in which memories for concrete embodiments and exemplars are tightly bound to solution principles. Thinking and talking by reference to past designs serves as a way to reduce the overwhelming complexity of complex design tasks by enabling designers to use parsimonious mental representations to which details can be added as needed. However object references can be ambiguous, and import more of the past design than is intended or may be desirable

Re-using knowledge : why, what and where

Previously the 're-use' focus has centred on specific and/or standard parts, more recently however, [standard components] are being developed...to enable both the re-use of the part and the experience associated with that part'. This notion is further extended by Finger who states that 'designers may re-use a prior design in it's entirety,...may re-use an existing shape for a different function, or may re-use a feature from another design'. Reinforcing this notion we currently consider re-use to reflect the utilisation of any knowledge gained from a design activity and not just past designs of artefacts. Our research concerns the improvement of formal 're-use' support and as such we have identified a need to gain a better understanding of how design knowledge can be utilised to support 're-use'. Thus, we discuss the requirements of successful 're-use' and attempt to ascertain within this skeleton: what knowledge can be re-used; how to maximise its' applicability; and where and when it can be utilised in new design

Lignocellulosic Recycled Materials to Design Molded Products: Optimization of Physical and Mechanical Properties

The object is to contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution, by reusing a fraction of urban solid waste, forestry and agroindustrial waste: newspaper (ONP), office paper (OWP), corrugated cardboard (OCC), pine sawdust, eucalyptus sawdust and sugar cane bagasse as raw material to design biocontainers suitable for growing plants, by applying pulp molding technology. The purpose is to evaluate the effects of the combination of these lignocellulosic materials on the physical-mechanical properties and optimize responses in order to select an ideal mixture on basis the product?s necessities. An experimental design of type mixture of extreme vertices was followed, considering secondary fibers as base material, in a 0-100% proportion, and pine sawdust, eucalyptus sawdust and bagasse fibers as reinforcement, in a 0-40% proportion. An experimental matrix by each reinforcing material was proposed. Properties were evaluated: density, tensile, bursting, tearing, compression, stiffness, wet tensile, permeability and water retention, testing handsheets weighing 150 g/m2. Responses were optimized using a statistical program. It was found that OWP pulps increase strength properties; OCC pulps increases tear and wet tensile; ONP pulps increase stiffness and reinforcement materials increase permeability. Factors that allow reaching the objectives are a mixture of pulp OWP/OCC in a 50/50 proportion.Fil: Aguerre, Yanina Susel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; ArgentinaFil: Gavazzo, Graciela Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; Argentin

Providing value to a business using a lightweight design system to support knowledge reuse by designers

This paper describes an alternative approach to knowledge based systems in engineering than traditional geometry or explicit knowledge focused systems. Past systems have supported product optimisation rather than creative solutions and provide little benefit to businesses for bespoke and low volume products or products which do not benefit from optimisation. The approach here addresses this by supporting the creativity of designers through codified tacit knowledge and encouraging knowledge reuse for bespoke product development, in particular for small to medium sized enterprises. The implementation and evaluation of the approach is described within a company producing bespoke fixtures and tooling in shorter than average lead times. The active support of knowledge management in the company is intended to add value to the business by further reducing the lead times of the designs and creating a positive impact to business processes. The evaluation demonstrates a viable alternative framework to the traditional management of knowledge in engineering, which could be implemented by other small to medium enterprises

Recycled Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites Incorporated in Mortar for Improved Mechanical Performance

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) recycled from retired wind turbines was implemented in mortar as a volumetric replacement of sand during the two phases of this study. In Phase I, the mechanically refined GFRP particle sizes were sieved for four size groups to find the optimum size. In Phase II, the select GFRP size group was incorporated at three different volumetric replacements of sand to identify the optimum replacement content. The mixtures were tested for compressive strength, flexural strength, toughness, and the potential for alkali-silicate reaction. Incorporation of GFRP in mortar proves promising in improving flexural strength and toughness in fiber-like shapes and 1–3% volumetric fractions

Enhancing design learning using groupware

Project work is increasingly used to help engineering students integrate, apply and expand on knowledge gained from theoretical classes in their curriculum and expose students to 'real world' tasks [1]. To help facilitate this process, the department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management at the University of Strathclyde has developed a web±based groupware product called LauLima to help students store, share, structure and apply information when they are working in design teams. This paper describes a distributed design project class in which LauLima has been deployed in accordance with a Design Knowledge Framework that describes how design knowledge is generated and acquired in industry, suggesting modes of design teaching and learning. Alterations to the presentation, delivery and format of the class are discussed, and primarily relate to embedding a more rigorous form of project-based learning. The key educational changes introduced to the project were: the linking of information concepts to support the design process; a multidisciplinary team approach to coaching; and a distinction between formal and informal resource collections. The result was a marked improvement in student learning and ideation