VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE SIMULATION CASE STUDY IN MECHATRONIC PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT BASED ON SYSTEMS ENGINEERING APPROACH
Por:
Mejia-Gutierrez, R., Carvajal-Arango, R.
Publicada:
1 ene 2013
Resumen:
Nowadays consumers are demanding products richer in technologies and
associated services. That is why the link between disciplines, such as
Engineering Design and Mechatronics, gets stronger each day, especially,
due to the different functionalities and features that should be
integrated in products in a more articulated manner. In order to prepare
the future generation of engineers, they should be aware and must know
the supporting tools recently available in the market to support and
automate these interactions among disciplines. Regular engineering
design approaches, start from requirements understanding and end with a
physical prototype, passing by conceptual and detailed design.
Nevertheless, the product design process should allow engineering
students to forecast product behaviour and its validation through
simulation in early design phases, before physical prototyping. In some
cases, complexity increases as products require the integration of
technical systems involving mechanics, electronics and control, among
others. Therefore, design concepts cannot be easily tested using a
traditional CAD package that needs a physical prototype for validation
purposes. This article presents a case study using a Systems Engineering
approach in academia (with RFLP Requirements/Functions/Logical/Physical)
to develop a virtual prototype of a mechatronic product, its simulation
and validation against data obtained from the real product. The RFLP
method allows engineers to test designs at early design phases by using
virtual prototype and virtual simulation, including behaviour and
electronics. Therefore, design concepts can be validated without having
the need to build physical prototypes which implies higher costs and
manufacturing time. From the academic point of view, students can be
aware that their design concepts will work properly in the real world by
performing enriched simulation processes.
Filiaciones:
Mejia-Gutierrez, R.:
Univ EAFIT, Design Engn Res Grp GRID, Antioquia, Colombia
Carvajal-Arango, R.:
Univ EAFIT, Design Engn Res Grp GRID, Antioquia, Colombia
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