THE WORLDWIDE

GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
FOR DESIGN

CHAPTER ONE
 OBJECTIVES

1. Describe the role of graphics in the design process.

2. Identify stages in the design process.

3. Contrast concurrent versus traditional design processes.

4. List five professions that use technical drawings.

5. Describe four creativity techniques.

6. Explain why standards are important.

7. Identify three purposes for technical drawings.

 UNDERSTANDING THE
ROLE OF TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
Technical drawings serve one of three purposes:

• Visualization
• Communication
• Documentation
(Project developed and
created by Philips Design.)

(Courtesy of Woods Power-Grip Co., Inc.)

(Courtesy of Dynojet Research, Inc.)
 Technical Drawings Purposes:

• Visualization
• Communication
• Documentation

A wide variety of professions use technical drawings to communicate and

document designs. Some examples are civil engineering, mechanical
engineering, electrical engineering, architecture, bio‐resource engineering,
landscape design, landscape architecture, industrial design, construction
engineering, construction technology, patternmaking, project management,
fabrication, and manufacturing.
The Stages of the Design Process
1. Problem identification: First, a clear statement of
the need for and objectives for the design must
be written.

2. Ideation: Technical sketches are often used to

convey concepts to multidisciplinary teams.

3. Refinement/analysis: Designs may be rethought,

based on engineering analysis. CAD models and
sketches are useful during the analysis and
compromise stage. Accurate 2D or 3D CAD
models and drawings are created to refine the
design.

4. Implementation/documentation: Production
and/or working drawings providing the details of
manufacture and assembly are finalized and
approved.
 Concurrent Engineering
Traditionally, design and manufacturing activities have
taken place in sequential order rather than concurrently
(simultaneously). This step-by-step approach seems
logical, but in practice it has been found to be wasteful.

Sequential Process

Concurrent engineering
is a systematic approach that integrates
the design and manufacture of products
with the goal of optimizing all elements
involved in the life cycle of the product.

The Concurrent Process

 Life cycle design
Life cycle design means that all
aspects of a product (such as design,
development, production, distribution,
use, and its ultimate disposal and
recycling) are considered
simultaneously.

The basic goals of concurrent

engineering are to minimize product
design and engineering changes and to
reduce the time and cost involved in
taking a product from design concept
through production and ultimately to
introduction into the marketplace.
 Computer‐Aided Design
and Product Development
Computer Aided Design (CAD)

Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)

Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

CAD allows for a range of activities, from

modeling 2D and 3D geometry to creating
drawings that document the design for
manufacturing and legal considerations.

CAE allows users to simulate and analyze

structures that will be subject to various temperatures, static
loads, or fluctuating loads.

CAM provides computerized control for manufacturing processes.

 Designing Quality into Products
DFSS Design for Six Sigma is an approach that uses engineering and
statistical tools to design products in a way that predicts and minimizes
customer and manufacturing problems.
Six Sigma is a process originated at Motorola to improve quality by
reducing or eliminating defects.
DMAIC Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control are steps
defined in a continuous improvement process that attempts to define
and ensure critical to function (CTF) characteristics.
QFD Quality Function Deployment is a tool for decision making that
helps companies focus on a customer-driven approach and set of
product characteristics.
 The Digital Database
All the information to manage, design, analyze, simulate, package, market, and manufacture a product
can be shared with a diverse group of users through a single complex digital database.

(Courtesy of Parametric Technology Corporation)

GRAPHICS TOOLS IN ACTION
Design Phase: Problem Identification
Designers and engineers use graphics for
visualization, communication, and
documentation throughout the design process.
A case study from Santa Cruz Bicycles will
illustrate the tools used in the redesign of its
V10 model, a downhill racing mountain bike…

At the problem identification stage, the team

worked to enlarge the criteria for judging the
solution. The team identified three primary
goals for the redesign:
• Get maximum forward movement from a suspension
that also absorbs bumps.
• Improve the handling to give the rider better control.
• Minimize the weight to make a lighter bike.
 Design Phase: Ideation
Generate Concepts
At the ideation stage, being able to draw a readable freehand sketch is vital to
“selling” your idea to your design team colleagues. This stage is called universal
possibilities because the group seeks to consider every possible solution and not limit
the design by preconceived notions of what will be best.

The V10’s rear wheel attaches to a

triangular swingarm that connects to
the front part of the frame with a pivot.
This allows the rear wheel to travel up
and down.

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles.)

Design Phase: Decision Process/Design Selection
Compromise Solutions

The design selection process varies by

company and by the design challenge. It may
be informal and conducted by a single
individual, or it may be a highly formal
process in which different teams compete for
development dollars for new products. In all
cases, design selection narrows the field of
options for the final design.

These skeleton models are useful for

kinematic analysis
 Data
Data generated from each model showed the behavior of the suspension and how
the bike handled. Data from the kinematic analysis were captured in a spreadsheet
and used to compare the various arrangements of lengths and angles in the designs

This graph
compares the
measure of rear‐
wheel travel
produced from
the skeleton
model during
ideation.
 Prototype
This prototype “mule” for the V10 can be ridden and evaluated by a human
rider.

Rendered models or
prototypes convey
options for the final
look …

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles.)

 Design Phase: Refinement
During the refinement stage, the product concept is solidified into an accurate plan for
making the product. Different options are evaluated in terms of how much they will
cost, how long they will take to make, how well they satisfy the customer’s
requirements, how durable they will be, how difficult they are to assemble and
service, how environmentally sustainable the design is, and so forth.

This subassembly is a combination of features that

were evaluated during refinement.
Criteria for this project:
Weight: How much will a component or choice of
material add to the weight of the bike?
Strength: Can the material used to make the part
stand up to the stresses generated during a bike
race?
Cost: Is a lower‐cost option available? Or is the cost
justified because of what it adds to performance?
Optimization: Does the choice result in fewer parts
to make or better clearance between parts?

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles.)

 Design Phase: Analysis
The analysis phase tests the design and feeds back information to refine the design
further, forming the second key iteration or “loop” in the design process. Crucial here
are the performance criteria that the design must meet.

The rib shown here in red is constrained to be 10 mm

back of and 12 mm down from the pivot point. If the
pivot location is changed, the rib will be updated to
preserve the relationship defined by the constraints.

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles.)

 Finite Element
Analysis
Finite element analysis can be performed within the solid modeling software, or the
model can be imported into a separate analysis package

(Courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles.)

Analysis
Human factors software provides a database of
different body types and sizes for this purpose.

“Mannequins” of various shapes and sizes

can be added to the solid model to assess
ergonomic factors
Design Phase: Decision Process/Design
Selection
Representatives from marketing, sales, and graphic design were added to the
team, and the aesthetics of the design were considered.

Multiple options for the look of the frame triangle were considered in the final
design review.
 Design Phase: Implementation
Sample parts are requested so that the physical parts can be measured
against the model and tested to see how they fit together. Mechanical
testing, ride testing, and destructive testing are done on the sample parts
while there is still time to make a change to alleviate problems

This sample part for the swingarm

failed during testing
 Design Phase: Documentation
The documentation phase of the design process captures the final design
and freezes it. Each company has its own procedures for managing models
and controlling changes to the model database, but it must create
permanent records for archival purposes, patent applications, and other
legal uses.

Drawing generated from the solid model includes notes Exploded views such as this one can be used
to illustrate assembly or service manuals
 Rapid Prototyping
Although the design has been finalized, there still may be changes during the
implementation phase (as well as later when the product is in production).
With rapid prototyping and design simulations using the solid model, it is
easier and more cost effective to anticipate these issues in the refinement
stage .

Rapid Prototyping. The

ZPrinter 450 from Zcorp
“printed” the colored part
shown in about four hours.
(Courtesy of Z Corporation.)
 CREATIVITY TECHNIQUES
How do you develop new ideas?
Examine Manufactured Products

Study the Natural World

Watch the Web

Research Patent Drawings

Design Groups

Full‐Scale Wooden Replica of

the Ornithopter, a Flapping‐
Winged Flying Machine
Conceived by Leonardo da
Vinci
(Courtesy of Peter Chadwick © Dorling Kindersley.)
 More CREATIVITY TECHNIQUES
How do you develop new ideas?
Research Patent Drawings

Patents can be a great source of ideas. A

patent is issued by the U.S. government and
grants the holder the “right to exclude others
from making, using, or selling” a specific
product for a specific time period. The patent
process was first developed as a way to
promote the disclosure of technical advances.
You can research the current state of design
for your product idea at the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office’s searchable website
(www.uspto.gov). The U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office has strict regulations as to
how designs are presented in patent
drawings so the drawings are easy to
reproduce
 PRODUCT DEFINITION
Product definition refers to the collection of digital or hard copy documents
that specify the physical and functional requirements for a product.
SHOWING THE DESIGN PROCESS IN A
PORTFOLIO
A portfolio is a
representative
sample of work that
helps communicate
your skills and
talents, usually to a
prospective
employer or client.

(Courtesy of John Mountz.)