Browsing by Subject "Product Design"

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Appreciating the Characteristics and Influences of Joseon Korea’s Furniture Design
(2022) Morris, Gabrielle;
In today’s increasingly globalized world, a solid understanding and appreciation of cultures outside our own is a crucial asset for scholars of many fields, including designers. This study aims to introduce the reader to the furniture design traditions of Korea, as well as examine possible explanations for why this country’s design has so far been studied less often in the West compared to other East Asian countries. This research focuses on furniture design from the time of the Joseon dynasty, which lasted from roughly 1392 CE to 1910 CE. Furniture from this era is heavily customized to the culture of its time yet enjoys a growing popularity in recent decades. Its main influences are shown in its adaptations to a daily life built on a floor-sitting culture and Neo-Confucian ideas alongside local preferences and attitudes. While these characteristics make Joseon furniture design unique, they also contribute to the difficulty of studying these traditional pieces, many of which have either been lost to time or resist categorization along the same definitions as other furniture design studies. Other contributing factors to the lack of study of Joseon furniture design are more political, including Korea’s history of interaction with other countries. Despite these obstacles, traditional Korean furniture design is highly relevant in the modern age and deserves attention from students and designers for the lessons it can provide.
A detailed design analysis of a lumenally delivered, flexible, balloon-assisted, sterile endoscopic overtube.
(2010-09) Buesseler, Ryan Kenneth
The goal of this project was to develop a sterile surgical device for gaining peritoneal cavity access without external incisions via the body's major natural orifices. Such Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) interventions have recently received innovative attention as the next step in minimally-invasive surgery, however, the safety and efficacy depends greatly on sterility. The research for this thesis focused primarily on gastric interventions is divided into four main foci: tensile testing and determination of the most accurate material model for human gastric tissue, FEA analysis of the balloon dilation, experimentally validating these results using a silicone tissue phantom, and the paper design of a theoretical prototype. Tensile testing the human gastric tissue provided the only material properties for the entire stress-strain curve known to the literature to be accurate. A series of tests were conducted on several different freshly donated organs. Statistical analyses were performed comparing the inner and outer layers, and the 0° and 90° orientation. These results showed that while visually different, the elastic portion of the stress-strain curve showed no statistical differences between layers or orientation. A FE model was created in 2D axisymmetric and 3D to determine the minimum size incision needed to dilate large enough to allow passage for the device and endoscope without inducing irreversible damage to the tissue. Conclusions from tensile testing led to the material model being hyperelastic, homogeneous, and isotropic. ABAQUS Explicit was used to model the quasi-steady state problem and to more effectively manage contact definitions in the 3D simulation. The models were also simulated with a silicone material for experimental validation. Using the same assumptions from the ABAQUS model, a physical experiment was performed with the silicone tissue phantom. From a circular incision of 10mm, several final diameters were tested. Rigid objects were used to dilate rather than balloons for ease of visualization. The surface had nodal coordinates drawn on the material and digital images taken before and after dilation. Coordinates were extracted using xyExtract.exe, and strains calculated with a user defined MATLAB program. Taking the above work into consideration, three different prototype designs were proposed. All three incorporate dual-donut balloons as the primary means of dilating the initial incision, holding the device in place, and providing a mechanical means for ensuring sterility while maintaining insufflation. The first embodiment simply incorporates dual balloons on the end of a PTFE sheath. The second utilizes a corkscrew-shaped singular balloon crimped in the middle to form the dual expansion zones. Finally, the last prototype design uses a second outer sheath to encapsulate both balloons which provides the dilatory force to the tissue, and acts as a long cylindrical balloon to stabilize the length of the sheath.
Fidelity and Feedback: A mixed methods analysis of prototype testing of children's toys
(2023-05) Codner, Andria
Prototyping is an essential part of the design process that helps determine desirability, feasibility, and viability of a product. Prototype testing with intended end users is important to determine if the current direction of the product meets the user’s needs, if the concept is feasible, and if the model functions correctly. Typically, prototype testing occurs with the intended end user, however, when designing products for children this has not historically been the case. Prototypes of products designed for children were tested with adults. In doing that, the designers missed the opportunity to truly engage with their intended audience and to learn more about their specific wants and needs. Because this field of testing prototypes with children is relatively new, there are multiple areas in which more research could be completed. One research area that deserves more exploration is how the fidelity of physical prototypes affects children’s understanding of the prototypes, and therefore impacts the feedback that the children give the design team. Another area of research that is needed is understanding how to balance prototype testing feedback received from multiple stakeholders; for toy products, this can include stakeholders like children, parents/guardians, experts in the toy industry and/or design field, and the client.This thesis research begins to fill those gaps in the research by using mixed methods to analyze data collected from a project-based design course, which was developing new toy products for children. The data captured were students’ reports of stakeholders’ feedback in testing sessions and the students’ own reflections on the experiences of testing. The relationships between the children’s understanding and feedback and the fidelities of the prototypes in terms of form and function were explored. The feedback from multiple stakeholders is also compared on the types of feedback, how feedback is given, and how feedback is implemented into the design of the product. The results of this thesis will aid designers in making effective and efficient decisions when deciding how to prototype and test children’s products.
The Influence of Human Factors and Ergonomics on Data-Driven Design Criteria for a Handheld Skin Screening Camera System
(2020-08) Bornstein, Alexandra
This study is an extension of ongoing research conducted at the Minneapolis VA Health Care. The original study included the development of a long-handled camera system to support skin screening. This project aimed to develop an effective handheld skin screening camera system using human factors and ergonomics (HFE) centered design criteria. This skin screening camera system resulted in the form of a look- and feels-like prototype model to support preventative skin care for persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and persons with diabetes mellitus (DM). Each of these populations are at risk of developing wounds such as pressure injuries (PIs) or diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The proactive ability to identify wounds in the early stages (a reddened area) and thus prevent further development of these injuries not only reduces financial burden but can also increase the sense of independence and psychosocial wellbeing. This study was conducted with four study participants from SCI and four from DM populations through the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Using HFE-focused data collection with study participants provided a blueprint for the design and development of the Phase Two prototype. This enhanced user experience through ease of use, dimensions, adjustability, safety and security, comfort, and overall effectiveness of the device. The Phase Two prototype design received an overall satisfaction rating of 4.69 out of 5 (between quite satisfied and very satisfied) from study participants. The results of the study indicated that other design features could be implemented to improve the usability of the device. This includes consideration of how the product would be manufactured, development of the mobile device application, and accommodating user needs.
Pitch Perfect: The Investigation of Presentation Quality Effect on Product Concept Evaluation
(2019-10) Kwon, Jieun
In New Product Development (NPD) process, designers and engineers work together to create product innovation. The concept selection stage is part of the early design process, in which stakeholders can come together to decide which idea is appropriate for further development. During the selection phase, the designers or engineers pitch their ideas to an audience, while the audience, who are investors, consumers, management, or peer designers, evaluate the idea based on the presentation. During this simple process, the audiences’ perception of the product idea is often influenced by the presentation quality. In this dissertation, the author examines if the quality of presentation can promote or overshadow the value of product ideas. With 3 different product ideas and 3 different presentations that differ in quality, this project demonstrates how a moderate idea that is presented well, can be seen as better than excellent ideas that are poorly presented. In addition, this study examines if the expertise of the viewer can weaken the presentation effect. The results indicate that the expertise on product design strengthens the presentation effect, yet whether product experts give higher scores or lower scores to the high-quality presentations is inconclusive.
Structural Analysis And Design Of Variable Displacement Linkage Pumps
(2017-05) Ravula, Anirudh Reddy
Fluid power systems are ubiquitous, providing high power within a small package. They are also capable of producing extremely high forces and rapid precise response. However, the average efficiency of fluid power systems is just around 21%, while consuming 2% of the total energy in the United States. A large percentage of these energy losses is due to ineffective flow control methods. While variable displacement pumps offer a more efficient method of controlling the speed of an actuator over metering valves, most of them are inefficient at low displacements. The variable displacement linkage pump architecture, developed recently at the University of Minnesota, shows great promise to achieve high efficiency across the full displacement range. Pin joints, which have a linear relationship between energy loss and displacement, are used instead of hydrodynamic planar joints used in conventional pumps. In this thesis, a new generation variable linkage pump prototype, with a displacement of 10cc/rev and maximum pressure of 3500 psi, is presented. The pump was designed to address the issues of previous generation linkage pump prototypes by improving the volumetric efficiency and reducing the size, thereby advancing the pump towards commercialization. A primary focus of this work was supporting design decisions using structural analysis. A specific focus was on minimizing the linkage deflection by designing the links to be in double shear. The finite element analysis results were validated by comparing the rotational deflection of the adjustment mechanism assembly obtained through simulations with that of those from experimental results. Unlike conventional variable displacement pump architectures, linkage pumps have the potential to pump a slurry, as the pumping fluid can be separated from the lubricating fluid. However, conventional reciprocating seals like elastomeric and clearance seals wear quickly and leak when operating with abrasive fluids, whereas packed glands and mechanical seals, which are the popular choice in industrial slurry pumps, result in high leakage and high initial cost respectively. Rolling diaphragm seals offer negligible friction and zero effective leakage, possibly offering a better option compared to other seals. However, commercial diaphragm seals are currently being used for pressures under 60bar and not much research has been done since 1970’s to improve their pressure capability. In this thesis, a preliminary study is presented on analyzing the behavior of rolling diaphragms under various conditions using finite element analysis. The convolution portion of the seal was analyzed by modelling fiber and elastomer individually. Increasing the fiber diameter and number of fibers reduced the deformation of elastomer and stress induced in the fiber. Fiber diameter is found to be a more important parameter than the number of fibers. Analysis showed that a Kevlar reinforced neoprene diaphragm seal would be able to withstand 80 bar before the elastomer fails. The possibility of modifying the design to withstand higher pressures is also discussed in this thesis. In addition to work on the inline triplex variable linkage pump prototype, this thesis also describes structural analysis that supports the design of a cam driven radial configuration of the variable linkage pump. Challenges of this multi-body finite element analysis were identifying proper contact interfaces, generating high quality mesh, and simplifying the geometry to reduce the computational time. Further, it was not practical to model the full detail of commonly found component like bearing due to large number of contacts between rollers and raceway. The contributions of this work include constructing a systematic approach of using FEA to drive the design process, identifying proper contact interfaces, and developing a simplified bearing model. The cam driven linkage pump is used as a case study to demonstrate the application of these analysis tools.

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