Question

Assume you are given a task to design either Side-view mirror (students with even ID number) or Front grill (students with odd ID number) in your first job in automotive industry. In order to design a component or a system you need to satisfy the design criteria. Moreover, the interaction of the component or a system with neighboring component and/or system may pose additional design challenges. Before you begin your design work, answering the following question will help you make right decision and convince the management that your design meet all the criteria.

a. What is the function I need to achieve?

b. What are the metrics (e.g. NVH, FE, Durability, Space, Mass etc.)?

c. What kind of metric is it (lower the better, meet a threshold, nominal the best)?

d. Are there tradeoffs? What metrics are involved in tradeoff

e.What are the system alternatives?

f. What are the packaging tradeoffs?

g. What are the design parameters (Control Factors)?

h. What are the key inputs, outputs?

i. What type(s) of tests or simulation will provide me the desired data to make the tradeoff charts, achieve objectives?

j. Do I know how to do the tests or simulations? If not, how can you get this done?

Prepare a table with the possible answers to above questions. You need to use your imagination and engineering judgement to come up with your arguments.

Answer 1