Vehicular Mechanism Robustness Analysis Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for designing mechanical systems in vehicles often rely on arbitrary robustness values based on older designs, failing to account for variations in manufactured parts, leading to potential failures due to out-of-specification components.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines primary functions of vehicular mechanisms, analyzes components under in-specification and out-of-specification conditions to establish lower and upper failure values, and modifies components to achieve a modified robustness value between these limits, ensuring enhanced robustness and reducing the likelihood of recalls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If predetermined robustness values from older designs are used, then design process is simplified, but reliability under out-of-specification conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the robustness parameter from arbitrary predetermined values to calculated values based on actual component failure data. The system determines lower and upper failure values by analyzing component behavior under out-of-specification conditions, then calculates optimal robustness values that prevent failure. This transforms the design approach from using fixed historical values to using dynamically calculated values based on actual system performance data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of component failure modes and out-of-specification conditions before finalizing the design. By determining lower and upper failure values in advance through simulated out-of-specification testing, the system prepares robustness values that account for potential manufacturing variations before actual production, preventing failures rather than reacting to them.
2Reliability
If robustness is increased to account for manufacturing variations, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-analysis by automatically determining lower and upper failure values through simulated out-of-specification testing. The patent creates a self-contained design process where the system analyzes its own component failure modes and calculates appropriate robustness values without requiring external expert intervention, thereby managing complexity through automation rather than increasing it.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the determined lower and upper failure values feed back into the robustness calculation process. By using the results of out-of-specification analysis to inform the final robustness value selection, the system creates a closed-loop design process that automatically adjusts robustness based on actual performance data, reducing the need for complex manual adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for increasing the robustness of a mechanism for a vehicle including the steps of determining a primary function of the mechanism, identifying components of the mechanism used during the primary function, analyzing each component under in-specification conditions, analyzing each component under decreasing out-of-specification conditions during performance of the primary function to determine a lower failure value for each component, analyzing each component during performance of the primary function under increasing out-of-specification conditions to determine an upper failure value for each component, determining a modified robustness value for each component, wherein the modified robustness value is between the lower and upper failure values and modifying each component in the vehicular mechanism to have a robustness that is approximately the modified robustness value of the respective component.