The objective of this research is to support DfX considerations in the early phases of design, particularly Design for the Environment. In order to include DfX considerations, especially early in the design process, there needs to be access to knowledge and information that is usually only applicable further downstream in...
The fuzzy front end of engineering design can present a difficult challenge, and as such, recent engineering design research has focused on guiding and influencing the way a designer ideates. Early ideation can be especially difficult when attempting to integrate specific design objectives in product design, called Design for X...
As CAD tools become more sophisticated, engineers are able to more easily create complex part geometries with minimal mass given strength and stiffness requirements. However, these complex part geometries can be difficult to subtractively manufacture, which consequently increases manufacturing cost and production time. This thesis presents a method independent of...
Using repositories to store product design information can provide additional and extensive design knowledge to the global design community. Using repository data in the design of new products can be especially impactful for DfX design objectives, such as product sustainability, about which many engineering designers have limited knowledge. Furthermore, repositories...
Organizations are constantly looking for innovative strategies to face more stringent competitive environments and the ever increasing market globalization. An alternative these organizations can pursue to respond to these challenges is to optimize their supply chain network (SCN). Important considerations when optimizing a SCN involve determining locations for plants and...
Over 54 million people report having disabilities in the United States. In addition, there are 40.3 million people 65 years and older living in America. As the population continues to live longer and problems with obesity continue to increase, the number of people with limited capabilities will escalate as well....
Small organizations may face several management challenges, such as developing non-centralized management structures, knowledge retention in rapid turnover environments, complex operations, and diverse stakeholder requirements. Many methodologies exist to address such management challenges, including viable system model, knowledge management, and Toyota production system, or lean manufacturing. Each of these methodologies...
Sustainable product design is becoming an important component of the development of consumer products. Currently there are limited design resources to aid in the creation of environmentally sustainable products. The purpose of this research is to theorize a new method for integrating sustainable design knowledge into the early design phase...
Small business energy analysts often specialize in one aspect of the business. This specialized focus is done by necessity due to scarcity of resources and to maintain a proprietary market niche. However, this specialized focus results in a growth inhibitor due to their lack of ability to address all the...
To address aggressive global competition, retain customers and increase revenue, firms are required to pursue New Product Development (NPD) projects. Ventures of this nature are risky and fail often. Numerous factors influence the survival of a project. In this research, 16 factors have been identified and selected as indicators of...
The objective of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility fiber-reinforced turbine components through a design and manufacturing study. The motivation for using composites is to reduce weight and simplify manufacturing especially at high production volumes. In addition, natural fiber composites are implemented for applicable components to reduce environmental impact....
This thesis is the result of two research publications, which together form a framework for the evaluation of product innovativeness with potential future applications to early design. Innovation is a challenging concept to quantify. Experts seemingly have a grasp of what innovation is when they see it, however this evaluation...
Hydrogen has been shown to be a promising replacement for fossil fuels for use in light duty vehicles because it is a clean, renewable and plentiful resource with a high gravimetric energy density. However, in order to obtain an acceptable volumetric energy density, densification of the hydrogen is required. Adsorptive...
This paper combines two research publications working toward the development of an integrated framework for commercial sustainable building design. Current methodologies utilize a traditional architectural top-down approach to sustainable building design practices that consumes financial and temporal resources early in the design process. By identifying the array mechanical subsystems required...
Cellular manufacturing, which is also referred to as group technology among researchers, has primarily been used as a means to increase productivity, efficiency and flexibility. Under group technology, similar jobs, which have similar shape, material, and processing operations are assigned to the same group. Moreover, dissimilar machines are assigned to...
Future engineers need to be competitive in today's expanding global industries. They must have capabilities beyond standard engineering practice. In an attempt to develop students capable of working in a globally distributed design and manufacturing environment, Oregon State University (OSU) and Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Ravensburg (DHBW) have developed a senior...
A flexible flowshop, comprised of one or more stages having unrelated parallel machines, is investigated in this research. Unrelated parallel machines can perform the same function but have different capacity or capability. Since this problem is motivated by industry research, dynamic job release times and dynamic machine availability times have...
Training is a key business process used to increase the skills and knowledge of employees in an effort to improve overall performance. Evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of training processes is necessary to ensure time, money, and resources are used to provide the most benefit possible. This investigation is...
This research studied the relationship between three input variables and outcomes related to the use of quality circles (QCC) in a Chinese manufacturing company. After a thorough review of the literature, three managerial input variables were identified, including goal clarity, goal difficulty, and management support. Five outcomes were measured, including...
Photovoltaic (PV) cells have long been an attractive alternative for the consumption of fossil fuels but current manufacturing practices suffer from poor energy efficiency, large carbon footprints, low material utilization, high processing temperatures and high solvent usage. A critical step in PV production is the deposition of CdS as a...