The planning and scheduling of appropriate resources is essential in engineering design for delivering quality products on time, within cost and at acceptable risk. There is an inherent complexity in deciding what resources should perform which tasks taking into account their effectiveness towards completing the task, whilst adjusting to their availabilities. The right resources must be applied to the right tasks in the correct order. In this context, process modelling and simulation could aid in resource management decision making. However, most approaches define resources as elements needed to perform the activities without defining their characteristics, or use a single classification such as human designers. Other resources such as computational and testing resources, amongst others have been overlooked during process planning stages. In order to achieve this, literature and empirical investigations were conducted. Firstly, literature investigations focused on what elements have been considered design resources by current modelling approaches. Secondly, empirical studies characterised key design resources, which included designers, computational, testing and prototyping resources. The findings advocated for an approach that allows allocation flexibility to balance different resource instances within the process. In addition, capabilities to diagnose the impact of attaining specific performance to search for a preferred resource allocation were also required. Therefore, the thesis presents a new method to model different resource types with their attributes and studies the impact of using different instances of those resources by simulating the model and analysing the results. The method, which extends a task network model, Applied Signposting Model (ASM), with Bayesian Networks (BN), allows testing the influence of using different resources combinations on process performance. The model uses BN within each task to model different instances of resources that carries out the design activities (computational, designers and testing) along with its configurable attributes (time, risk, learning curve etc.), and tasks requirements. The model was embedded in an approach and was evaluated by applying it to two aerospace case studies. The results identified insights to improve process performance such as the best performing resource combinations, resource utilisation, resource sensitive activities, the impact of different variables, and the probability of reaching set performance targets by the different resource instances.

While there currently exists a great deal of research in the literature demonstrating various engineering applications for virtual reality (VR) and the benefits of these applications, VR adoption has been slow in part because of the high cost and resources required to setup and maintain the hardware for these applications. However, in the last 5 years, a new generation of VR hardware has emerged with cost and resource requirements which are a small fraction of previous hardware. This work begins with a survey of this newly available hardware summarizing recent advances for providing virtual input to all of the five human senses. The literature review then proceeds to highlight previous research into improving various aspects of the Engineering Design Process by using VR applications. The literature review concludes that given the significantly improved cost to benefit ratio of this new hardware, a tipping point has been reached where companies will see benefits from providing their engineering workforce with general access to VR hardware. From the conclusions drawn in the literature review, this work proceeds to explore and answer two main questions related to connecting and collaborating via this new VR hardware. The first question seeks to understand the trade-offs between cybersickness and disorientation from different styles of moving users in a collaborative VR environment (CVE). Since a CVE can be much larger than the physical world it is sometimes necessary to move the virtual participant which can cause cybersickness and disorientation. Understanding this trade-off is one key to creating a usable CVE. It is found that many users are willing to experience some mild cybersickness to significantly reduce the amount of disorientation experienced in a CVE. However, a second group of users are not willing to make this trade and hence require the ability to customize the CVE for their preferred trade-off between cybersickness and disorientation. The second question seeks to understand how a CVE with support for natural gestures can improve communication about complex 3D data over video conferencing which is the current standard for remote collaboration. It is found that such a CVE implemented with the latest low-cost consumer-grade VR hardware can improve communication speed up to 45% while also improving the accuracy of the communication. In addition, it was found that gestures in the CVE were much more effective and natural than mouse gestures in Skype, 93% of participants preferred the CVE over current video conferencing software, and 86% of participants stated they would like to have access to VR tools in their workplace.

While there currently exists a great deal of research in the literature demonstrating various engineering applications for virtual reality (VR) and the benefits of these applications, VR adoption has been slow in part because of the high cost and resources required to setup and maintain the hardware for these applications. However, in the last 5 years, a new generation of VR hardware has emerged with cost and resource requirements which are a small fraction of previous hardware. This work begins with a survey of this newly available hardware summarizing recent advances for providing virtual input to all of the five human senses. The literature review then proceeds to highlight previous research into improving various aspects of the Engineering Design Process by using VR applications. The literature review concludes that given the significantly improved cost to benefit ratio of this new hardware, a tipping point has been reached where companies will see benefits from providing their engineering workforce with general access to VR hardware. From the conclusions drawn in the literature review, this work proceeds to explore and answer two main questions related to connecting and collaborating via this new VR hardware. The first question seeks to understand the trade-offs between cybersickness and disorientation from different styles of moving users in a collaborative VR environment (CVE). Since a CVE can be much larger than the physical world it is sometimes necessary to move the virtual participant which can cause cybersickness and disorientation. Understanding this trade-off is one key to creating a usable CVE. It is found that many users are willing to experience some mild cybersickness to significantly reduce the amount of disorientation experienced in a CVE. However, a second group of users are not willing to make this trade and hence require the ability to customize the CVE for their preferred trade-off between cybersickness and disorientation. The second question seeks to understand how a CVE with support for natural gestures can improve communication about complex 3D data over video conferencing which is the current standard for remote collaboration. It is found that such a CVE implemented with the latest low-cost consumer-grade VR hardware can improve communication speed up to 45% while also improving the accuracy of the communication. In addition, it was found that gestures in the CVE were much more effective and natural than mouse gestures in Skype, 93% of participants preferred the CVE over current video conferencing software, and 86% of participants stated they would like to have access to VR tools in their workplace.

Legally binding targets set by the UK government to reduce carbon emissions by 2050 mean it is imperative that the efficiency of the UK housing stock is improved. Housing currently contributes over 30% of the UK s total carbon emissions and a large proportion of the current stock will still exist in 2050. There is therefore a need to retrofit this existing stock with energy saving measures, as the savings from new builds will not be adequate to meet the stringent carbon reduction targets. Whilst technologies to facilitate energy saving retrofit are available, there has been a low uptake from householders in the UK, in part due to the lack of consideration of user requirements within the design of these technologies. To investigate this issue further, this thesis considers two main questions: How can the design of energy saving measures and the process of retrofit of the existing UK housing stock be improved through the use of user centred design (UCD) and How can UCD methods be applied to the research and development process for energy saving measures in order to improve the outcome? Through the research, it became clear that in order to answer these questions, it would be necessary to work across disciplines and therefore a third Research Question was posed; How can UCD facilitate working across disciplines in the context of an energy research project? The results provide evidence of how UCD can effectively improve the design and development process of energy saving technologies, the process of retrofit and the practice of cross-disciplinary working within a research environment. The research is novel in several ways: firstly, the UCD process has been applied in the area of domestic retrofit, giving new insights into the barriers and opportunities to retrofit; secondly, home improvement has been investigated by viewing the home as a complete, interacting system, using novel methods; thirdly, a set of UCD specifications have been created to inform the design of heat pumps, a specific domestic energy saving technology, and finally, enhancements to the UCD process are made for use within an energy technology project, together with the development of six principles for effective cross-disciplinary working and conceptualisation of the bridge building role which the UCD practitioner fulfills.

abstract: A sample of 127 high school Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus students from two schools was utilized to study the effects of an engineering design-based problem solving strategy on student performance with AP style Related Rate questions and changes in conceptions, beliefs, and influences. The research design followed a treatment-control multiple post-assessment model with three periods of data collection. Four high school calculus classes were selected for the study, with one class designated as the treatment and three as the controls. Measures for this study include a skills assessment, Related Rate word problem assessments, and a motivation problem solving survey. Data analysis utilized a mixed methods approach. Quantitative analysis consisted of descriptive and inferential methods utilizing nonparametric statistics for performance comparisons and structural equation modeling to determine the underlying structure of the problem solving motivation survey. Statistical results indicate that time on task was a major factor in enhanced performance between measurement time points 1 and 2. In the experimental classroom, the engineering design process as a problem solving strategy emerged as an important factor in demonstrating sustained achievement across the measurement time series when solving volumetric rates of change as compared to traditional problem solving strategies. In the control classrooms, where traditional problem solving strategies were emphasized, a greater percentage of students than in the experimental classroom demonstrated enhanced achievement from point 1 to 2, but showed decrease in achievement from point 2 to 3 in the measurement time series. Results from the problem solving motivation survey demonstrated that neither time on task nor instruction strategy produced any effect on student beliefs about and perceptions of problem solving. Qualitative error analysis showed that type of instruction had little effect on the type and number of errors committed, with the exception of procedural errors from performing a derivative and errors decoding the problem statement. Results demonstrated that students who engaged in the engineering design-based committed a larger number of decoding errors specific to Pythagorean type Related Rate problems; while students who engaged in routine problem solving did not sustain their ability to correctly differentiate a volume equation over time. As a whole, students committed a larger number of misused data errors than other types of errors. Where, misused data errors are the discrepancy between the data as given in a problem and how the student used the data in problem solving. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Mathematics Education 2012

L’ingénierie système et le management de projet sont deux disciplines essentielles dans l'industrie, et représentent deux facteurs essentiels pour la réussite des projets. Cependant, depuis de nombreuses années, s’est établie une barrière culturelle entre les praticiens de l'ingénierie des systèmes et ceux de la gestion de projet. Alors que l'ingénierie des systèmes s’intéresse aux éléments techniques, le management de projet a la responsabilité globale du projet ; de ce fait, certains considèrent que leurs activités sont indépendantes plutôt que de les considérer comme des parties d’un tout. Par conséquent, le travail coûte souvent plus, prend plus de temps, et fournit une solution non optimale pour le client. Alors comment faire pour supprimer les barrières entre les différentes équipes, les pratiques et les connaissances, afin de prendre les décisions dans le projet sur la base des vues intégrées de ces parties prenantes ? La réponse à cette question est essentielle pour assurer le succès du projet et améliorer la performance en entreprise. Cette thèse se place à l'intersection de plusieurs disciplines, notamment l’ingénierie système et le management de projet. Elle promeut le développement collaboratif de systèmes multi-technologies et la prise de décision partagée entre les parties prenantes. Notre premier objectif porte sur l'harmonisation des descriptions des processus du management de projet et d'ingénierie des systèmes sur la base des normes et guides de bonnes pratiques internationaux. Notre proposition est d'élaborer un cadre de processus fondamentaux et alignés pour supporter le management des processus d’ingénierie système qui peut être adapté à des entreprises de profils différents (PME, ETI ou grands groupes). Pour cela, nous comparons les cinq normes et guides d'ingénierie des systèmes (ANSI/EIA 632, ISO/IEC 15288, IEEE 1220, INCOSE Handbook et Sebok) et les trois normes et guides de gestion de projets (PMBoK, ISO 21500, ISO/IEC 29110) afin d'évaluer la cohérence de ces documents de référence en ce qui concerne les processus qu'ils décrivent et qui sont impliqués dans l'ensemble du projet. Au-delà de l'intégration des pratiques par l'utilisation de ce cadre, nous offrons aussi aux ingénieurs systèmes et managers un ensemble d'indicateurs qu'ils peuvent partager afin de faciliter la coopération entre eux et leur permettre une prise de décision collaboration dans le suivi et le pilotage des projets. Les indicateurs sont évalués à la fois par les ingénieurs systèmes et les managers et leur importance est décidée collaborativement à l’aide d’une méthode multicritère d’aide à la décision (AHP). Ensuite, sur la base des valeurs des indicateurs, les méthodes du chemin critique (CPM) et de gestion adaptative de la valeur acquise (EVM) sont utilisées pour évaluer l’avancement du projet et du développement du système. Quatre indices sont ainsi définis pour supporter le processus de prise de décision tout au long du projet afin de permettre la prise de décisions collaborative et de rendre celle-ci plus rationnelle. / In a highly competitive economic context, companies need to improve their performance in entire life cycle of a product. It is often found that company organization leads to segregation between systems engineering and project management, with the result that decision-making is sometimes misguided and may compromise project execution, whereas, although they each have specific visions and targets, these disciplines are nonetheless intended to serve a common objective, which is to satisfy the customer. So it is an important issue to facilitate their adoption and their joint deployment within the company, in order to improve decision-making in engineering projects. The proposal of the thesis involves bringing systems engineering and project management closer together in order to help both systems engineers and project managers assess the project progress. Based on this assessment, they can adjust the project policy dynamically through the project life cycle. In this thesis, we first harmonize the standards and guides from systems engineering and project management domains and define an integrated process groups organized into 3 groups of processes. Then we identify a set of key indicators related to these process groups, indicators are then valuated and give the evaluation of the indicator based on the analytic hierarchy process method to integrate the views of systems engineers and project managers in an additional way. On the basis of these indicators, we use the critical path method and earned value management method to assess the project progress values and define two project indexes to assess and insight the project progress easier.

The current trend in industry to encourage engineering designers to take an active part in the analysis of their own design solutions is apparent in many companies today, domestically as well as abroad. From a research project with the objective to develop a computer-based design system for the design of lightweight grippers, one of the major difficulties was to overcome the system users’ lack of knowledge and experience in the design of lightweight structures and Computer-Based Design Analysis (CBDA). CBDA here refers to the use of analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and computer-based structural optimization. In order to handle these difficulties, the author introduced the use of templates. In the given context, a template refers to an especially preformatted code, which contains the implemented information/knowledge necessary to perform a specific task on an operational level. It should be noted that the use of templates as a means of support in performing a specific design or analysis task is not a new phenomenon in industrial practice. Inspired by the opportunities provided by the template approach, the main objective set out for the thesis project was to facilitate the active participation of the engineering designers in performing CBDA singlehandedly, or in any other organizational setting, by utilizing a Template-Based Design Analysis (TBDA) approach, as an integrated part of their activities within the engineering design process. The evolutionary research approach for the development of the TBDA approach is based on surveys in Swedish as well as international industry, literature surveys, the development of a Generic Design Analysis (GDA) process model (facilitating integration of the activities between CBDA and engineering design) and a number of demonstrator projects to deepen the insights into TBDA. Note that as the TBDA approach is intended for use in industrial practice, the approach is independent of specific engineering design and product development processes utilized in industry. The conclusion of the thesis work clearly supports the claim that TBDA is not only a competitive approach to current alternatives in supporting the engineering designers performing CBDA, but also of a complementary nature providing functionality not included in the alternative approaches currently used in industrial practice. / Vid framtagning av nya produkter måste man utgå ifrån de behov som den blivande kunden ställer i form av krav och önskemål på produkten för att den ska vara intressant att inhandla och använda. För att säkerställa att den blivande produkten har de egenskaper som efterfrågas, används idag omfattande simuleringar av den blivande produktens egenskaper. Simuleringar består i avancerade beräkningar med hjälp av dator. Genom att utföra dessa tidigt i utvecklingsarbetet, så kan man väsentligen korta ned tiden för utveckling och konstruktion av produkten. Detta uppnås framför allt genom att minska behovet av att bygga och prova prototyper. Beräkningar i utvecklings- och konstruktionsarbetet spelar därför idag en väsentlig roll för att ta fram konkurrenskraftiga produkter på ett snabbt och effektivt sätt. I denna avhandling har ett nytt tillvägagångssätt tagits fram för att låta konstruktörer själva beräkna sina konstruktionsförslag. Hittills har merparten av alla beräkningar av detta slag genomförts av beräkningsingenjörer. Nu kan man genom att tillämpa den i avhandlingen framtagna tillvägagångssättet att med hjälp av digitala mallar (program för att lösa speciella uppgifter i konstruktionsarbetet) och det föreslagna tillvägagångssättet MallBaserad KonstruktionsAnalys (MBKA) tillåta att konstruktörer, som vanligtvis inte är specialister på beräkningar, självständigt kan utföra sådana analyser. Mallarnas roll är alltså att överbrygga brister i kompetens och erfarenheter av konstruktionsberäkningar. Redan idag finns konkurrerande sätt att tillåta konstruktörer att delta i beräkningsarbetet, men då oftast med direkt stöd av en beräkningsingenjör och med tillgång till riktlinjer. Dessa kräver att konstruktören har en viss grundkompetens för att kunna följa och tillämpa dessa. MBKA ställer inte dessa krav på kompetens och insikter, vilket gör att den kan betraktas inte bara som en konkurrent till existerande tillvägagångssätt utan också erbjuda ett helt unikt och nytt stöd genom att inte kräva kunskaper och insikter om konstruktionsberäkningar. Av de reaktioner som erhållits i intervjuer i svensk industri, så ter sig framtiden för MBKA som mycket lovande. Många företag funderar redan idag på att införa tillvägagångssättet. Innan så kan ske, måste dock MBKA utvecklas ytterligare, vilket är målet för den fortsatta forskningen. / <p>ISRN LUTMDN/TMKT-15/1032-SE</p>

Over the last two decades, there has been widespread international interest in the development of the molten salt reactor concept due to its passive safety, high coolant boiling temperature, low operational pressure, high thermal efficiency, and ease of breeding. Terrestrial Energy Incorporated (TEI) is developing a thermal-spectrum converter type molten salt reactor, called the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR-400) to be built by 2030. A physics experiment is needed in order to validate the theoretical predictions of the temperature reactivity coefficients of the IMSR-400. This thesis will determine the feasibility of conducting a subcritical experiment, utilizing a Deuterium-Deuterium Fusion Neutron Source (DD). / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The purpose of the research reported here was to determine the impact learning the engineering design process (EDP) would have on the critical thinking skills of high school physics students. An EDP unit was conducted with 5 classes of high school physics students in grades 10-12 over 1 month. The EDP unit's curriculum allowed for the gradual release of responsibility as students became more familiar with the EDP and more consistent in using it. The six steps used in this EDP unit were Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test, and Improve. The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal was given as a pre- and post-test to measure the growth in critical thinking skills. By measured standards, qualitative analysis and observation, students showed an increase in critical thinking skills and in confidence to use them.

Die Konferenz »Entwerfen – Entwickeln – Erleben« bietet ein besonderes Podium zum Austausch von Wissenschaft und Praxis entlang des Produktentwicklungsprozess mit einem Schwerpunkt Industrial Design. Der vorliegende Band enthält Beiträge der Sessions zum Industrial Design sowie ausgewählte Posterveröffentlichungen der Konferenz 2016. Darin werden Themen und Ansätze von der Anwenderintegration, neuen Prototypen, Service Design, User Experience und der Gestaltung von Emotion über Design in der Digitalen Revolution und für eine nachhaltige Zukunft, Design in mobilen und für Sicherheitsanwendungen bis hin zu Designmanagement, Feasibilitydesign und Reengineering vorgestellt und diskutiert. Die Technische Universität Dresden und technischesdesign.org ermöglichten in Kooperation mit der Gruppe Virtuelle Produktentwicklung der Wissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft für Produktentwicklung (WiGeP) und dem Rat für Formgebung die fachübergreifende Diskussion des Schwerpunkt-Themas inmitten der interdisziplinären Dresdner Wissenschaftslandschaft. Ein zweiter Band »Entwerfen Entwickeln Erleben 2016« (ISBN 978-3-95908-062-0, herausgegeben von Ralph Stelzer) fasst die Beiträge zur Konstruktionstechnik und zur Virtuellen Produktentwicklung zusammen.:Hybride Prototypen im Design Sebastian Lorenz · Maria Klemm · Jens Krzywinski 11 Anwenderintegration in strategische Designprozesse von Industriegütern Frank Thomas Gärtner 23 Die Relevanz semiotischer Dimensionen als „System der möglichen Fehler“ für die Usability Klaus Schwarzfischer 37 Service Design = Kognitives Design – Über die Gestaltung von Berührungspunkten und Perzeption in analogen und digitalen Benutzungskontexten Oliver Gerstheimer 51 Design und User Experience in der Flugsicherung – Assistenzsystem zur Fernüberwachung im Multi-Airport-Betrieb Rodney Leitner · Astrid Oehme 63 Die Gestaltung in Zeiten der Digitalen Revolution Gerhard Glatzel 79 Designing a Sustainable Future with Mental Models Anke Bernotat · Jürgen Bertling · Christiane English · Judith Schanz 91 Design in globalen Industrien – Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen von Dräger Herbert Glass · Matthias Willner 105 Untersuchung von emotionalen Wirkungsmechanismen im Produktdesign Mareike Roth · Oliver Saiz 115 Strak als Schnittstelle zwischen Design und Konstruktion – Ergebnisse einer Prozessberatung bei Miele Norbert Hentsch · Matthias Knoke 127 Feasibility Design – „Designqualität in Serie bringen“ Knut Lender 139 Experimenteller Ansatz zu Effekten subjektiven Erlebens in VR-basierter Risikobeurteilung Patrick Puschmann · Tina Horlitz · Volker Wittstock · Astrid Schütz 153 Simulation komplexer Arbeitsabläufe im Bereich der digitalen Fabrik Thomas Kronfeld · Guido Brunnett 169 Vom Wert der designerischen Perspektive des Erlebens beim Re-Engineering von Produkten: ein Best-Practice-Project Philip Zerweck 183 Vorgehensweisen zum Einsatz universitärer Produktentwicklung als Innovationstreiber Bernd Neutschel · Martin Wiesner · Michael Schabacker · Sandor Vajna 197 Considering emotional impressions in product design: Taking on the challenges ahead Susan Gretchen Kett · Sandro Wartzack 215 Methode zur Verbesserung der Usability durch gezielte Förderung mentaler Modelle Marcus Jenke · Karoline Binder · Thomas Maier 233