Methodik der schrittweisen Gestaltsynthese

• Methodology of incremental embodiment design

Lemburg, Johannes Peter; Feldhusen, Jörg (Thesis advisor)

Aachen : Shaker (2009)
Dissertation / PhD Thesis

In: Schriftenreihe Produktentwicklung und Konstruktionsmethodik 6
Page(s)/Article-Nr.: 109 S. : Ill., graph. Darst.

Zugl.: Aachen, Techn. Hochsch., Diss., 2009

Abstract

BRIEF: Read chapter 7.3 "Methodik" on page 82-84. This is the quintessence of this thesis. Another aspect of it is the appliance of semiotics as a tool for analysing principle solution sketches, as it is done in chapter 6 (page 59-70) and culminates in the definition of symbols for embodiment design on page 77.ABSTRACT: The Methodology of Incremental Embodiment Design states that the single steps of the design process, especially the step of embodiment design, are limited by the cognitive capability of human thinking. These limitations are contrasted with the ability of pattern recognition, that allows efficient judgment of complex situations and directed choice of options for action within a vast number of given possibilities. From the confession of limited mental ressources follows, that additional external means not only enhance but are mandatory for engineering design. One premise is, that this means cause preferably little cognitive load to leave more resources to the problem solving processes. Therefore the methodology has a need for native ways to represent archieved outcomes of its intermediate steps. Sketches of principle solutions, as a kind of effordless created line drawings, are an appropriate tool to represent aspects of a technical concept while developing it. To externalise partly embodied results is an act of communication of the designer with either himself or another person. This communication is an exchange of informations that are coded with signs. To achieve a precise information exchange this signs and their multilayered use have to be distinguishable and interpretable. For this purpose the knowledge of the instruments of semiotics is useful. The course of the methodology is a cascaded procedure, with the designer to define its pace and speed. Within a higher cycle of an opportunistic approach, readily identifiable sub-solutions of the embodiment design task are deteced. This allows the influence of expert knowledge and intuition and leads to an efficient convergence of the specific problem areas at hand. Not directly apparent problems are covered within an underlying systematic cycle by breaking them apart into their elementary items. The systematic cycle consists of steps of fast analysing and synthesising, that are passed multiple times and which are based uppon the elementary design model of working surface pairs and channel and support structures. The continuous change of the perception is the core of this systematic approach. While analysing, working surface pairs or their connecting channel and support structure are of main interest, and while synthesising a single working surface together with its adherent structure is focussed. The generation or variation of working surfaces utilizes the methods of systematic engineering design, which are founded in the basic rules and priciples for embodiment design. This task-tailored and highly structured approach fosters the quick passing of the single steps and avoids mental blocks caused by too high complexity and too many possibilities.

Institutions

• Chair of Engineering Design [411610]