A study of prototypes, design activity, and design outcome
Section snippets
Related work
A prototype is an early embodiment of a design concept. Prototypes can range from simple 2-D sketches that represent design thinking (Ullman et al., 1990, Goel, 1995, Suwa and Tversky, 1997) to foamcore mock-ups to sophisticated 3-D rapid prototyping designs that are nearly indistinguishable from a manufactured item. By definition, prototypes are not production stage design.
Testbed
This study examines the work produced in an advanced mechanical engineering design course for juniors and seniors at the California Institute of Technology in the Fall of 2002 (‘Class 1’) and again with a different set of students in the Fall of 2003 (‘Class 2’). Each course includes 23 students divided into 12 teams of two (one team consisted of a student and a teaching assistant). In these teams, each student is required to design, build and test his or her own standalone device to compete in
Prototypes
The following results for prototypes are from Class 2 only. No data on part count was kept for Class 1 because the study of prototypes in Class 2 in fact grew out of preliminary research on sketching in Class 1. These prototypes could all be described as proof-of-concepts, using Ullman's (2003) categorizations. Prototypes were fabricated using material removal methods (milling and turning) on metals and plastics and polymer casting. Applying the classification scheme for prototypes of Houde and
Conclusions
We now consider the answers to the questions posed in the introduction in light of the findings of this study.
Acknowledgments
The author gratefully acknowledges the support and guidance of the instructors of the course, Prof. Erik Antonsson, Prof. Joel Burdick, and Dr. Curtis Collins at the California Institute of Technology, and the commendable design efforts of the students that are the basis of this research. The author also acknowledges the generous sponsors of the course: Applied Materials, Amerigon, Dr. David and Mrs. Barbara Groce, Honeywell, Idealab!, Mabuchi Motor, Northrop Grumman, The San Diego Foundation,
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