Research Methods: 3D Mechanical Engineering Process for Automation

This research paper investigates the development of a 3D mechanical engineering process for an automation company, addressing the challenges of implementing new 3D software and the resulting schedule and quality issues. The study employs qualitative research methods and a case study approach, utilizing data collection methods such as interviews, documentation analysis, and workshops. The research identifies inefficiencies in workflow, distribution of responsibilities, and departmental collaboration. It proposes improvements to cross-functional processes to enhance the company's engineering work, focusing on standardizing software and optimizing 3D technology. The proposed practices aim to improve the company's 3D engineering processes and have been approved for future implementation, with an action plan to facilitate changes after the study.

Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 1
Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering:
Developing the 3D Mechanical Engineering Process for Automation Company
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Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................2
Problem Definition......................................................................................................................................3
Current State............................................................................................................................................3
Business Objectives.................................................................................................................................5
Qualitative Goals.................................................................................................................................5
Quantitative Goals...............................................................................................................................5
Benefits.......................................................................................................................................................5
Limitations..................................................................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................................................................8

Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 3
Executive Summary
This research paper mainly focuses on developing 3D mechanical engineering process for an
automation company. The complete new 3D software was launched in most of the departments
in the company, although it lacked some of the basic instructions on how to handle the software.
This made it difficult for the company to make good use of the software to help in the
achievement of the company's set objectives. The initial process of development of the software
lacked thus the company had an itch in the implementation of the software's products. This
brought a problem of schedule and issues of quality. To help minimize or deal with this case of
unreliability, the company had to sit and organize as well as arrange on how to better a 3D
engineering process which will help in undertaking mechanical engineering in a well-
coordinated and organized way.
In this research, therefore, a methodology of qualitative research and case study approaches were
applied. This was in connection to the complexity and specificity of the phenomenon alongside
the research problem nature and the quest for exploration in details. To comprehend this thesis,
various components were put together. For instance, in the design section, five defined steps,
three data gathering methods and detailed expectations in each level with practical nature.
Various data collection methods were used. These included interviews analysis of documentation
and workshops. This was in line with the case company. in this approach, the first thing to be
done was carrying out analysis of the current state to get a detailed understanding of the existing
company’s practices on 3D engineering. Then this section was followed by the literature review.
Apart from analyzing the previous works of some scholars the literature review also focused and
proposal buildings that followed.
Moreover, this thesis research paper revealed the difficulties in the adaptation of new
engineering software which will assist in the coordination of the automation company. In the
analysis of the current state, the critical findings in line with the non-efficient flow of work,
sluggish distribution of responsibilities and roles for support and development, barrier in
departmental collaboration and communication in the engineering field. Based on the use of the
conceptual framework which was developed in the literature review and the suggestions made by
stakeholder, the research proposes an improvement of cross-function that can be used by the case
company in delivering and developing engineering work effectively.

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With the proposed practices, there can be an improvement in the case company on the 3D
engineering processes. Again, to deal with and focus on developing common and standard
software that performs engineering works and in the end attain the highest level where the
technology of 3D can support the performances of the engineering works with the use of process
reconfiguration. The system should also give a provision that allows changes of environmental
analysis. The study also shows the building logics of a new process within the context of the
cross-function. This also takes into account on a local scale the internal features of the separate
departments and to some level, the impacts of environmental global. Approval has been made on
the proposed practices by the case company and thus will be applied in the times to come. The
action plan proposed gave the case company an opportunity to implement the changes after the
study had been concluded.
Problem Definition
Design and automation is a technique which helps companies in improving their overall
competitiveness as far as the product is concerned. Thus, the adoption of the automation design
is needed in handling and allowing for the ease of reconfiguring the designed product. The
analogy is necessary when handling the products which require daily routine as well as overall
repetitive design. The automation of the design process more so for handling the products in the
manufacturing industries are viable and assist in hasting the product lead-time, efficiency as well
as assisting in the overall cost estimate management. Furthermore, the analogy on the product
automation and design ensure that the product meets the set criteria as well as provides that there
is immense optimization.
Current State
Most companies have been faced with the challenge of adopting design automation and the
related system. The main problem has been on the concept and the best format as well as the
identification approach to be utilized in the implementation process. The area under which the
chosen concept should be implemented as well as the reason why it has to implemented
continues to pose a makeable problem. Preferably, the concept definition is the immense aspect
which represents a makeable problem when dealing the design automation. In essence, the
definition of the needs in line with the system often makes it even harder to handle the issue at
hand. Furthermore, there is a close correlation in dealing with and defining the link as well as the

Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 5
overall process of eliciting the emerging needs regarding the system (Iştoan and De Dinechin
2017 p. 704).
There are various issues which one need to consider when handling the implementation process
entailing the designs as well as the overall automation systems. The limitations often are
essential when managing the companies which have scale operations and thus, the total financial,
as well as human resources, tend not to exceed the set needs in line with the implementation
processes. For instance, the development of the automation ranges to a tune of $60000 for small-
scale operators whereas the value is set at a makeable $800000 in line with the large-scale
manufacturing firms. The analyzed costs tend to incorporate the cost required for human
resources as well as application software. Also, the prices are also necessary for the overall
documentations, implementation as well as the system development process. Thus, the total cost
in line with the automation design tends to be an elaborate analogy and therefore, sometimes
challenging to appraise in the process. Subsequently, there is the global demand as well as
growth in line with the automation design in the industries. The overwhelming growth mainly
forecast via the estimated graph depicted in the illustration below (Iştoan and De Dinechin 2017
p. 704).
Figure Showing the Global Automation Forecast
Business Objectives
There two main business objectives mainly employed in line with this study and these are
discussed as indicated below (Iştoan and De Dinechin 2017 p. 704).

Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 6
Qualitative Goals
The primary aim of this process is to ensure that the learner gathers required skills in line with
design automation and overall works. The knowledge acquired will be of esential advantage and
will help the individual in design and the global product development.
Quantitative Goals
This appraisal focuses on the financial advantages which the system has in the long run. The
analysis and the analogy regarding the norm mainly illustrated and evaluated as indicated in the
figure below (Dai et al. 2018).
Figure Showing the Cash Forecast and the Quantitive Benefits Analysis (Harding and Shepherd
2017)
Benefits
The overwhelming advantages which the system has often are undisputable in most cases. In
essence, the process entails the adoption of the designs which helps in attaining the
competitiveness in the market. The involvement of the stakeholders in the process assists one in
actualizing the makeable benefits which the system has in the long run.some of the advantages
which the system have to include the overall applicability and the realization alongside the
implementation process. Furthermore, there are market-related advantages which one need to
consider and incorporate in the design works. Some of the essential elements in line with the

Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 7
whole process mainly illutsrated as indicated in the analogy and the evaluation below
(Zimmermann, Chen and Shea 2018 p.189).
Figure Showing the Correlation between the Market Benefits and the Overall Automation
(Walasek and Barszcz 2017 p.1227)
Furthermore, there are various test benefits in line with the automation designs. The analogies
regarding the benefits mainly illustrated as indicated in the graph below (Guo et al. 2018).

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Figure Showing the Test Automation Design Advantages (Di Tria, Lefons and Tangorra 2017
p.47).
Limitations
There are various limitations which the companies applying the concept of automation designs
tend to face. The approach is of immense advantages as compared to the traditional design
system. The design process often applied mainly outlined as indicated in the illustration below
(Beerel and Pedram 2018, May).
However, there are some limitations which often arises from the overall parametric process.
Some of the restriction mainly includes limited data on the previous design, lack of proper
research on the market requirements (Dai et al. 2018).

Research Methods and Experimental Techniques in Engineering 9
References
Beerel, P.A. and Pedram, M., 2018, May. Opportunities for Machine Learning in Electronic
Design Automation. In Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2018 IEEE International Symposium
on(pp. 1-5). IEEE.
Dai, G., Huang, T., Chi, Y., Zhao, J., Sun, G., Liu, Y., Wang, Y., Xie, Y. and Yang, H., 2018.
GraphH: A Processing-in-Memory Architecture for Large-scale Graph Processing. IEEE
Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems.
Di Tria, F., Lefons, E. and Tangorra, F., 2017. Cost-benefit analysis of data warehouse design
methodologies. Information Systems, 63, pp.47-62.
Guo, T., Xu, J., Sun, Y., Dong, Y., Davis, N. and Allison, J.T., 2018. Network analysis of design
automation literature. Journal of Mechanical Design, 140(10), p.101403.
Harding, J.E. and Shepherd, P., 2017. Meta-parametric design. Design Studies, 52, pp.73-95.
Iştoan, M. and De Dinechin, F., 2017, March. Automating the pipeline of arithmetic datapaths.
In 2017 Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE) (pp. 704-709).
IEEE.
Walasek, D. and Barszcz, A., 2017. Analysis of the adoption rate of building information
modeling [BIM] and its return on investment [ROI]. Procedia Engineering, 172, pp.1227-1234.
Zimmermann, L., Chen, T. and Shea, K., 2018. A 3D, performance-driven generative design
framework: automating the link from a 3D spatial grammar interpreter to structural finite
element analysis and stochastic optimization. AI EDAM, 32(2), pp.189-199.