How Does Engineering Design Work?

Product development is a dynamic, thrilling, and essential part of business for investment castings companies like ours. A systematic approach or engineering methodology helps in creating castings with complex geometries.

A process-driven approach to all aspects of design – from prototyping to production, from conceptual design to customer happiness is the very heart of engineering design. Indeed, engineering design flows in the warp and weft of the way we make castings.

How Does it Work?

Engineering design goes through multiple steps. And typically, engineering design is said to encompass seven major steps:

• Problem definition
• Research phase
• Brainstorming
• Prototyping
• Testing & finalising
• Analysis & redesign
• Communicating results

Problem Definition

A specific problem or need felt by a customer is the best starting point. Therefore, it is critical to define this problem correctly and in detail. This will propel efficient teams to build what customers need, and not just what they are able to make. Answers to questions such as the following will help:

• What is the specific problem area or pain point?
• Who is the customer facing this problem?
• Why is a solution important?

Research

Competitors, market trends, customer preferences, consumer behaviour, existing products, and basically anything else that is considered background research should be done in this step. Thorough research helps in not just understanding the existing products & services but also mistakes that can be avoided.

Brainstorming

Just the sheer number of techniques that are available to do brainstorming should tell us how important this step is! Starbursting, ideation, Round Robin, ABC, mind mapping, etc – a good engineering design team will choose the method that works most productively for themselves. But, at the end of this step a design team will have multiple solutions to a well-defined problem.

Prototyping

Here too, there are different kinds of prototypes that can be created. From simple sketches to working models, from simulations to digital twins, or even a full-size working model – all prototypes should be as close to the final product as possible. A good prototype will help in identifying problem areas, and in assessing user experience too.

Testing and Finalising

During this step, the design team tests the prototype(s) extensively. Each solution may seem feasible and ideal, but the aim of this step is to choose only the one(s) that have true potential to be the ‘perfect’ solution. And because the team started with the correct definition of the problem, any prototype that fails in any way to solve this problem should be rejected.

Analysis

Is there any scope for improvement? Painstaking analysis holds the answer. Small tweaks, large changes, additions, or deletions – they all take place in this step. Extensive analysis of the product coupled with user feedback helps the design team in considering all necessary changes in or redesign of the product.

Communication of Results

This is the culmination of the design process. Every engineering design project is completed only when results are shared in a well-documented manner. Good teams will always document every step, and every thought so that it serves as a record and reference for the next project.

To conclude, engineering design also works on fundamental principles of functionality, good design, safety, and sustainability. It is an iterative process that helps manufacturing companies like ours create investments castings that are reliable, and innovative.