Robert H. Todd

The Implementation and Impact of ISO 9000 among Small Manufacturing Enterprises

Quality is essential to customer satisfaction and competitive success. Unfortunately, resource constraints can place the small‐firm manufacturer at a quality disadvantage. This paper considers the benefits and barriers to International Standards Organization (ISO) 9000 certification among small‐firm manufacturers. An empirical study explores whether small manufacturers can successfully implement and benefit from a standardized and resource‐intensive program such as ISO 9000. The answer is yes if management can internalize core ISO practices. Keys to success include inculcating a quality culture, reducing behaviors that inhibit ISO adoption, performing a readiness analysis that helps tailor the ISO program to company needs, and leveraging a dynamic environment to drive quality consciousness.

Compliant Joint Design Principles for High Compressive Load Situations

Buckling failure has been a major obstacle in designing compliant joints in high compression applications. This paper describes two principles, isolation and inversion, that can be successfully applied to many compliant joints to increase their ability to withstand high compressive loads by avoiding buckling-prone loading conditions. Isolation and inversion give rise to a new breed of compliant joints called high compression compliant mechanisms (HCCM). HCCMs have many of the inherent advantages of compliant mechanisms with the additional qualities of high load-bearing joints. This added robustness in compression can be achieved without adversely affecting the kinematic behavior of the joint.

Elements of a successful capstone course considering the needs of stakeholders

One of the principal objectives of engineering education is to prepare graduates for the practice of engineering in industry. Industry involvement in the educational process can be very helpful in devising programs to meet this objective. Yet, engineering education has a number of other stakeholders including students, faculty, academic administrators, and others. Identifying and meeting the needs and wants of these various stakeholders is essential in developing educational programs and learning activities that are effective and sustainable. Stakeholders in engineering education are identified, including their wants and needs. Alternative approaches to developing a Capstone course, with input from these stakeholders, are proposed and evaluated in light of stakeholder needs and wants. A case study for developing a two-semester senior design capstone course at Brigham Young University is presented. In this example more than 300 industry sponsored, design and build, projects have been completed by cross-functional student teams over more than ten years. Feedback from alumni on the success of this course in meeting desired educational objectives is also presented.

Simplified Manufacturing Through a Metamorphic Process for Compliant Ortho-Planar Mechanisms

Most simplified manufacturing processes generally result in two-dimensional features. However, most products are three-dimensional. Devices that could be manufactured through simplified manufacturing processes, but function in a three-dimensional space, would be highly desirable — especially if they require little assembly. Compliant ortho-planar metamorphic mechanisms (COPMMS) can be fabricated through simplified manufacturing processes, and then metamorphically transformed into a new configuration where they are no longer bound by the limitations of ortho-planar behavior. The main contributions of this paper are the suggestion of COPMM definitions, an investigation into the morphing process, and the description of a COPMM design process. This work also contributes a case study in designing COPMMs to meet particular design objectives.Copyright

A 3-D Chain Algorithm with Pseudo-rigid-body Model Elements

A chain algorithm element is created from pseudo-rigid-body segments and used in a chain calculation that accurately predicts the force deflection relationship of beams with large 3-D deflections. Each chain element is made up of three superimposed pseudo-rigid-body models acting orthogonally in relation to each other. The chain algorithm can accurately and quickly predict large displacements and the force-deflection relationship of lateral torsional buckled beams. This approach is not intended to compete with finite element analysis, but rather is a supplement tool that may prove particularly useful in the early phases of design when many analysis iterations are required. The 3-D chain algorithm is demonstrated and compared to the finite element analysis for the nonlinear large-deflection, post-buckling path of a flexible beam undergoing lateral-torsional buckling.

Integrated product and process design: a capstone course in mechanical and manufacturing engineering

A senior capstone design course entitled Integrated Product and Process Design has been jointly developed and taught at Brigham Young University by faculty from the departments of both mechanical and manufacturing engineering. The course features a structured approach to product and process design based on the Quality Function Deployment system. Teams of four to five students from both mechanical and manufacturing engineering work on selected, industrially sponsored design projects. These projects require both design and manufacturing solutions. The students are required to develop both functional prototypes and manufacturable production samples. An industrial environment is fostered in the course. The content of the course and an evaluation of its effectiveness are discussed.<<ETX>>

Experiences and observations in introducing students to design and manufacturing globalization

During the spring of 2004, a new graduate course was offered at Brigham Young University with the objective of introducing engineering students to design and manufacturing issues associated with global product realization. Learning activities in the course included a study of relevant literature, case studies on globalization issues, team projects, and exercises. The course culminated with three weeks of visits to design and manufacturing enterprises involved in globalization in the United States, Japan, and China. This course was again offered during the spring of 2005. This paper presents some of the motivation for developing the course and the experiences and observations in conducting the course.

The how and why of teaching an introductory course in manufacturing processes

The author describes the philosophy, development, and content of the introductory course in manufacturing processes taught at Brigham Young University. During the course, students are involved in a wide variety of learning experiences. The course has been designed to help students learn about manufacturing processes and how things are made, the importance of integrating product and process design, and the importance of learning how to work together in teams to get things done.<<ETX>>

Analysis of Elliptical Rolling Contact Joints in Compression

This paper presents elliptical rolling contact joints in compression as an alternative to circular rolling contact and conventional revolute joints where high quality force transmission—low friction and backlash—with variable output are desired. Parameters specific to the joint and its position are defined in terms of relative link angles and elliptical surface geometry. These relationships allow elliptical rolling contact joints to be incorporated in vector loop summations used in kinematic analysis. Notably, elliptical rolling contact is developed as the more general case of which circular rolling contact is a subset. Elliptical rolling contact joints are shown to offer several benefits over circular rolling contact, including reduced Hertz contact stresses, variable output velocity, maximum use of contact interface by distributing small rotations across surfaces of small curvature, reduced forces on constraining members, and no-slip pure rolling provided by either connecting links or flexures, without the need for gear teeth or friction.

A Study of the Effects of Culture on Refrigerator Design: Towards Design for Culture

In designing products, the needs and values of customers in foreign countries differ as influenced by their respective cultures. The authors present a new aspect to be considered in designing: Design for Culture. A case study is presented of the effects culture has on the design of refrigerators in regions of the world including United States, Europe, Japan, and Developing Countries such as Brazil.Copyright