The aim of the paper is to identify from the perspective of designers, what is required to optimally design smart habilitation devices for additive manufacturing, whilst ensuring a high quality multi-user experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with designers to identify the key requirements to develop such devices. The outcome of this study will provide a preliminary framework for designers to take advantage of the state-of-the-art of design for additive manufacturing in order to meet the expectations of multiple users of smart devices for pediatric occupational therapy.

Crucial in the design process, Technology Readiness Levels are a common form of technology maturity assessment. Studies suggest that the TRL scale can be subjective and biased. Automating the assessment can reduce human bias. This paper highlights important challenges of automation by presenting data collected on 15 technologies from the nanotechnology sector. Our findings show that, contrary to claims from the literature, patent data exists for low maturity technologies and may be useful for automation. We also found that there exists unexpected trends in data publications at TRL 2, 3 and 4.

There is a growing interest in design research to explore sustainable consumption via products that are cherished as they age. This paper presents an empirical study exploring the influence of patina (signs of surface aging) on consumers’ willingness to discard products and aesthetic appreciation. Results show participants are predisposed to discard everyday products regardless aesthetic qualities (patina). This implies designers should look beyond the presence of pure aesthetic qualities of aging and emphasise symbolic qualities of aging to stimulate appreciation as products age.

This research aimed to gain insight into current practices and challenges with respect to the adoption of virtual testing and integration with physical testing in product development processes. A focused workshop investigated industrial perspectives on adopting virtual testing and current challenges. This paper reports the findings from the workshop in which representatives from a range of industries explored how virtual testing is used to support physical testing in their different contexts. This paper discusses the current challenges industries face in adopting virtual testing and changing role of physical testing, with reference to recent literature on physical and virtual testing and supported by an earlier empirical case study. This paper reports areas where more research is needed to support industries in overcoming these challenges.

Despite its importance, the understanding of the behavioural mechanisms underlying rebound effects triggered by sustainable design is still limited. Through a systematic literature review, this study analyses and discusses 18 behavioural mechanisms. The key gaps of behavioural research on rebound effects are (1) limited in-depth analysis of different mechanisms (2); lack of clearly defined concepts; and (3) neglect of various research topics. To bring the behavioural understanding of rebound effects and sustainable design to a higher level, four key steps for future research are suggested.

A comprehensive domain independent system-level perspective of conceptualization of design is a major driver for successful product development. Such a general design model, Integral Design, was developed based on a specific Dutch design method, Methodical design, which was aimed specifically for applications in the Mechanical Engineering domain. The design method was specifically developed with the help of experiences designers and is meant for young students in a multi-disciplinary design context, such as building design. Integral design provides a suitable framework, existing of phases and specific steps, for guiding users through the design process. It support not only the designers but also helps them to make the process explicit and to communicate the actions and results to their stakeholders. The focus in this paper is on presenting the overall frame work of the design method. In the Netherlands in several bachelor and master educational programs at Technical High schools and the University of Technology Eindhoven use this model to teach students mechanical engineering design and building services design. As such it is one of the most popular design method in the Netherlands.

Additive Manufacturing is doing its first steps in the production of spare parts. Usually the spares belong to legacy systems, and the tooling to produce them is no longer available. Re-designing spares that are designed for a previous industry mindset can be sometimes challenging. In this study a rather classic design approach is compared to a functional driven approach. Four case studies from different clients are reported, remarking the benefits and drawbacks of using design for additive manufacturing practices in Laser Powder Bed Fusion.

To help industries in their sustainable and circular transition from internal combustion engine production to electric motor production, the deployment of (i) a sound environmental impact assessment methodology, such as life cycle analysis, coupled with (ii) Design for Re-X tools, such as circularity indicators, is instrumental. To demonstrate the industrial relevance and complementary of both approaches, two consecutive workshops are conducted with a major original equipment manufacturer of recreational boats and their associated engines. On this basis, two circularity indicator-based tools were used to quantify and enhance (i) the circularity potential of the electric outboard as a whole, and (ii) the circularity performance of the two most impactful components, based on the LCA results: the electric motor unit and the lithium-ion battery pack. In all, the practice sessions supported the generation of strategic and operational ideas to improve the circularity of the electric outboard. As the industrial participants found both frameworks easy to use and efficient, all the details and resources used to conduct, replicate, or adapt such workshops in other industrial contexts are shared.

The literature lacks methodologies to make supply chains of composite materials circular. The proposed approach aims to transform scraps and off-specification products into secondary raw materials. Its novelty is to find innovative applications, instead of re-introducing scraps in the loop they come from. The case study investigates how scraps can be re-worked and re-used as raw material. First, the processes are analyzed; some components are then re-designed to be made of the discarded scraps (composites material). Results reveal that the symbiosis can ensure green, high performing products.

Today's rapidly evolving and changing market dictates constant changes in design requirements during the development process of a product. If development teams are unable or unwilling to adapt to these changes, this will ultimately lead to an uncompetitive product. How the change in requirements will affect the development process depends on the complexity of the product and the development phase in which the change in requirements occurs. The principles of Agility and the methods that follow these principles help in the successful introduction of changes in the product development process. The paper provides guidelines for the development of complex physical products taking into account the principles of Agility. The guidelines were set based on a critical review of the e-bike drive development process.

Shorter product lifecycles are also leading to even shorter planning times for the development of production systems. In most companies, the restructuring is carried out within a few weeks during the annual holidays. Digital tools such as simulations or the digital twin are used to avoid delaying the restructuring during this time. However, the introduction of a 3D model of the factory is often the first point of failure for many companies. This article proposes a six-step process model that enables the transition from 2D to 3D design. The process model was evaluated in a research project.

This paper examines how human and organizational factors need to be designed to achieve strong technological maturity of either the products or the production process. In a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA), a combination of intensive training and strong worker participation is found to be associated with strong technological maturity in the two organizational contexts: firms with a strong entrepreneurial culture and in large firms oriented towards customer-oriented innovation. Overall, the paper uncovers designs or causal recipes for a successful digital transformation.

use-case scenarios, including homes, hospitals, workplaces, and recreation. Though the area of Social Robotics has gained traction in recent years, the majority of the studies so far have studied single-human and single-robot interaction. In comparison, Social Robots are increasingly being placed in human teams, likely affecting team dynamics. On the other hand, Engineering teams work together to deliver outstanding results and the processes in these teams are social. We propose that Social robot can be added to engineering human team to enhance team cohesion and performance. Therefore, this paper presents a preliminary framework towards developing a conceptual framework to study team cohesion in Human-Robot Teams (HRTs) in engineering context, looks at different roles of social robot and how the responses, behaviours, emotions of social robots shape outcomes in the engineering team. The research specifically focuses on team cohesion because team cohesion is reportedly one of the most critical concepts in team dynamics. The paper outlines the research objectives, framework and concept workflow.

Fourth industrial revolution called Industry 4.0 has radically transformed production systems in manufacturing companies by the integration of emerging technologies. However, manufacturers must overcome several barriers, such as the lack of qualified talent to develop and manage various high-technology systems. Assembly system design aims to define proper assembly line configurations with the optimal performances to overcome increased competitiveness in the market. Nowadays, assembly system design should consider industry 4.0 concepts integration beyond traditional aspects like system balancing and sequencing. In this paper, we introduce a project-based learning approach to teach engineering students assembly system design taking into account industry 4.0 dimension. This project is carried out in collaboration with an industrial partner to design and implement car doors assembly line. The project demonstrated students interest and prepared them better for industry 4.0 era.

Engineering design methods are typically evaluated via case studies, surveys, and experiments. Meanwhile, domains such as the health sciences as well as software engineering have developed further powerful evaluation approaches. The objective of this paper is to show how evaluation approaches from the health sciences and software engineering might further the evaluation of engineering design methods. We survey these approaches and show which approaches could be transferred to the evaluation of engineering design methods.

Objective To analyze and discuss the application of synaesthesia theory in modern product design and emphasize the important position and necessity of synaesthesia in modern product design. Methods Based on the concept of synesthesia, the value, significance and design principles of synesthesia in modern product design were further analyzed and summarized through the study of concrete examples of shape, color, material and using methods. Conclusion When the concept of synesthesia is applied to product design, it can enhance the expressive force of products, realize users' synesthetic perception, mobilize users' senses to give psychological suggestions, meet users' various psychological needs, and bring users a richer physical and mental experience.

The present analytical design of shrink fits typically results in an uneven stress condition that can lead to failure in a variety of manners. With increasing loads and the use of brittle materials, the optimization of the stresses in the shrink fit hence becomes increasingly necessary. Currently existing approaches do not solve the problem satisfactorily or increase the manufacturing and design effort. This paper therefore considers the implementation of an AI-based stress optimization using reinforcement learning, which performs stress optimization by geometrically contouring the interstice.

This paper present a pedagogical tool to address a lack of creative approach in traditional education on embedded sensors. The tool is built in a systematic way from the data sheet information of a large number of different sensors. The tool presents the main monitoring capabilities of embedded sensors on cards to assist students in the creative stages of product design. An experiment was conducted to test its educational potential with 30 Masters students in product design. The statistical analysis on the experiment data indicate that the tool enables the improvement of knowledge on embedded sensors, with a more significant gain in advanced thinking skills. Finally, the tool is easy to implement in product design education and accessible to a wide range of students.

Breakthrough technologies introduce a radically new capability or a drastic performance improvement. However, the existing engineering design literature does not specifically pay attention to them. In this paper, we present a conceptual framework for breakthrough technologies, aiming for a more detailed characterization of breakthrough technologies. First, based on a literature survey, we reflect on the relationship between breakthrough technology and innovation. In addition, we explore the relationship between breakthrough technologies at the component and system level. Next, we propose a conceptual framework with dimensions in which breakthroughs may occur and the corresponding expansion of concepts and knowledge, drawing from C-K theory. We subsequently apply the framework to the case of a laser sail-propelled interstellar probe. We conclude that the relationship between component and system-level breakthrough technologies requires further exploration. Furthermore, the coupling between the breakthrough technology and market breakthrough in the form of a new business model seems interesting for future work.

The additive manufacturing of parts made from close-to-production materials poses a great challenge. One example are highly viscous silicones, as used in injection moulding. For small production quantities, the manufacturing of injection moulds is uneconomical. This paper presents tensile specimens printed with an in-house developed dispensing system, which are analysed for air cavities (micro-CT scans) and mechanical properties. Based on the results, advice for the design and slicing parameters of parts using high-viscosity silicones in AM by means of material extrusion are developed.