Most of the literature on Robust Design has so far focused on making technical performances of
products and processes as much insensitive as possible to the action of noise factors, often
representing physical variables. When studying the human-machine interaction, we can try to
achieve system robustness to “human” noise factors in general, by considering variations in:
psychological impact, body shapes and cognitive psychology in usage. These are new frontiers of
Robust Design.
This work started from three research lines, namely Kansei Engineering, Robust Ergonomic
Design, and Human Machine interface design, the former involving cognitive and psychological
aspects within product placement, the second addressing human body variation, related to driving
comfort and feeling, the latter focused on understanding a robust way to approach the Human
Machine interaction in usage, tuning and optimizing physical, functional and dynamical
characteristics of the motorcycle, also using the results of the first two research lines: machine
features from the first and rider posture from the second.
A Six Sigma framework (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control - DMAIC) has been
followed to better organize the flow of ideas for each field. The machine design is here figured as a
process subjected to continuous improvement issue. DMAIC is just considered as a suitable
framework showing how the different research purposes have been pursued during their
development, as well as a research process can be approached like a production one: they both have
input parameters, noise factors and final target.
The aim of this work is to show how to integrate three different fields in the early concept
design phases of a new motorcycle model: the machine features/strengths (engine, brakes, power,
shapes, preparation) defined under the customer perspective, the ergonomic interface, both static
and dynamic, and finally the relation between machine geometric features and dynamic strengths,
through the user style filter