DOCSLIB.ORG

Parametric Design Constraints Management Using the Design Structure Matrix: Creation of an Electronic Catalog for a Safety Belt System by Jerrold I

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Parametric Design Constraints Management Using the Design Structure Matrix: Creation of an Electronic Catalog for a Safety Belt System by Jerrold I Parametric Design Constraints Management Using the Design Structure Matrix: Creation of an Electronic Catalog for a Safety Belt System by Jerrold I. Lavine M.E., Mechanical Engineering Cornell University, 1993 B.S., Mechanical Engineering State University of New York at Binghamton, 1991 SUBMITTED TO THE SYSTEM DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY February 2000 @ Jerrold I. Lavine 1999. All rights reserved. The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in nart Signature of Author Uystem Design and Management Program December 1, 1999 Certified by el E. Whitney Senior Research Scientist Center for Technology, Policy, and Industrial Development Thesis Supervisor Certified by Ali A. Yassine Research Scientist Center for Technology, Policy, and Industrial Development Thesis Supervisor Accepted by Thomas A. Kochan LFM/SDM Co-Director -Rrri M Rtinkirrnf=nnnr nf Management Accepted by Paul A. Lagace L"..--LFM/SDM Co-Director Professor of Aeronautics & Astronautics and Engineering Systems MASSACHUSETTS I TITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY JAN 2 01 LIBRARIF.R Parametric Design Constraints Management Using the Design Structure Matrix: Creation of an Electronic Catalog for a Safety Belt System by Jerrold I. Lavine Submitted to the System Design and Management Program On December 1, 1999 in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and Management ABSTRACT A framework was developed for a comprehensive evaluation of a product development process that encompasses the physical system and system level requirements to assure their coordination for efficiency and optimization. With this analysis, efficient information flows and requirements can be incorporated into the process so that the optimum product will be delivered, consistent with the organizational structure, while satisfying system and sub-system level constraints. An evaluation of this form also identifies required enablers for process and product improvement. Traditional systems engineering relies on a top-down product and target-setting decomposition process with aligned organizations. For modular products that have standard interfaces and with experienced organizations with established procedures, this process is appropriate. For integral products and processes, this approach is not effective at delivering an optimized system in performance, program or organizational metrics. An approach that allows system development to occur in parallel with sub-system system design is preferred. Based on process, product and requirement metrics, a preferred alternative and improvements can be identified. The case study presented in this thesis involves the design and development of automobile safety belts constrained by regulatory location requirements. Based on a Design Structure Matrix evaluation of the process, an electronic catalog of parametric constraints was created that allowed process changes, resulting in a 90% staffing requirements reduction while improving quality and consistency. This new process also supports system level performance optimization by allowing effected sub-system design and development to occur based on the full envelope of permissible locations. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Daniel E. Whitney Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Ali A. Yassine Title: Senior Research Scientist Title: Research Scientist 2 Acknowledgements Dr. Dan Whitney and Dr. Ali Yassine from the Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development at MIT have been instrumental in the development of this thesis' topic and content. Their desire for knowledge and teaching demonstrates their commitment to education and industry. I would like to thank Ford Motor Company for their support while pursuing this degree. Ford's support financially and professionally of individuals who are continuing their education demonstrates the importance of people to its organization. With these types and levels of support, and the people it develops, Ford will continue to be a world class organization. My wife Faith supported my countless hours of school and work with encouragement and motivation. I will always be grateful for her help, patience and understanding. My parents and in-laws have instilled in me a work ethic that has allowed me to thrive both academically and professionally. 3 Table of Contents Page Title Page 1 Abstract 2 Acknowledgements 3 1. Introduction 5 A. Product Development Process 7 B. Types of Design Processes 9 C. Ford's Product Development Process 14 D. C3P Initiative 18 E. Safety Belt Design 19 2. Original Safety Belt Sub-System Design Process 21 3. Design Structure Matrix Methodology (DSM) 26 A. DSM Process Example 26 B. Process Evaluation and Development 30 4. Use of DSM for Safety Belt Validation Process 33 A. Data Collection 33 B. Matrix of the Original Process 37 C. Development of an Improved Process 40 D. Additional DSM Insight 44 E. DSM Limitations 46 F. Re-Engineering Framework Using DSM 47 5. System Engineering and Process Evaluation 50 A. System Types and Evaluation 50 B. Level of Decomposition 52 C. Connectivity Map 54 D. Safety Belt Application 57 6. Electronic Catalog Initiative 65 A. Catalog Concept 65 B. Catalog Hierarchy 66 C. Catalog Item Life Cycle 69 D. Safety Belt Application 71 E. Parametric Constraints 78 F. Item Naming and Numbering Convention 78 G. Launching the Catalog 79 H. Additional Potential Applications 80 7. Conclusion 82 8. References 85 4 1. Introduction The product development process develops and delivers a system on the basis of fulfilling a customer need. The organization and management of the process is dependent on the industry's infrastructure and experiences. Traditionally, complex mechanical systems development begins with decomposing the system into functionally organized sub-systems. The components that make up the sub- system are then optimized for select criteria and integrated to form the system. This top-down approach works well for modular systems with a well-established architecture. When sub-systems are tightly coupled to provide system level attributes, this approach can result in sub-system optimization with non-optimal system level performance. The systems engineering approach and process selected must account for the interactions between the sub-systems and their ability to deliver system level performance. An interconnected sub-system and system mechanical design process insures that constraints are satisfied while allowing for system level multi-attribute optimization. For design problems that are utilizing already available sub-systems or concepts, the use of a selection design process can facilitate this. This thesis investigates a thorough and proactive approach for driving the design process based on using sub-system selection and requirements to define feasible boundaries for the affected system level designs. The case study documented as a part of this thesis involves the automobile safety belt and child seat anchorages design and development process. The 5 primary constraints used to drive this process are regulatory location requirements. These requirements were selected because they are defined spatially, and demonstrating compliance to regulatory requirements is a prerequisite to product market availability. Thus, without exception, they must be satisfied. In addition, these constraints are interrelated with the system level comfort and performance attributes. The original design and development process was evaluated using the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) methodology in order to capture the sub-system interactions, information flows and requirements, along with organizational interactions. Based on an objective evaluation of this model, improvements were identified that resulted in a new process being developed that uses the associativity of CAD files and an electronic catalog of parametric requirements. As a result, the staffing resource requirements to demonstrate compliance with safety belt and child seat anchorage regulatory location requirements have been reduced 90%, saving over $1 million annually. This new process and tools also assure consistent interpretation and demonstration of compliance to the requirements, reduced interfacing system design changes, and improved system level performance. This thesis addresses the problem of how to address systems engineering problems by developing a holistic evaluation of the process, physical system, and functional requirements in order to develop and implement a new process that supports system level performance optimization based on the spatial envelope of permissible locations. This desired approach allows system development to 6 occur in parallel with sub-system design. In addition a new concept called a Connectivity Map was developed. It presents in one array the relationships between the process steps, the functional requirements addressed by each step, and the physical components that participate in delivering those requirements. It is an original approach for identifying the system architecture type, and causes and types of process iteration. The remainder of this chapter provides an overview of the product development process and types of design processes that are a part of it. In addition, information about Ford Motor Company's product development process is presented with background information regarding
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Parametric CAD Modeling: an Analysis of Strategies for Design Reusability
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Repositori Institucional de la Universitat Jaume I Parametric CAD Modeling: An Analysis of Strategies for Design Reusability Jorge D. Cambaa, Manuel Conterob, Pedro Companyc aUniversity of Houston. Houston, TX. [email protected] bUniversitat Politècnica de València. Valencia, Spain. [email protected] cUniversitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain. [email protected] Abstract CAD model quality in parametric design scenarios largely determines the level of flexibility and adaptability of a 3D model (how easy it is to alter the geometry) as well as its reusability (the ability to use existing geometry in other contexts and applications). In the context of mechanical CAD systems, the nature of the feature-based parametric modeling paradigm, which is based on parent-child interdependencies between features, allows a wide selection of approaches for creating a specific model. Despite the virtually unlimited range of possible strategies for modeling a part, only a small number of them can guarantee an appropriate internal structure which results in a truly reusable CAD model. In this paper, we present an analysis of formal CAD modeling strategies and best practices for history-based parametric design: Delphi’s horizontal modeling, explicit reference modeling, and resilient modeling. Aspects considered in our study include the rationale to avoid the creation of unnecessary feature interdependencies, the sequence and selection criteria for those features, and the effects of parent/child relations on model alteration. We provide a comparative evaluation of these strategies in the form of a series of experiments using three industrial CAD models with different levels of complexity.
    [Show full text]
  • Parametric Design Thinking About Digital and Material Surface Patterns
    INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION 6 & 7 SEPTEMBER 2018, DYSON SCHOOL OF DESIGN ENGINEERING, IMPERIAL COLLEGE, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM PARAMETRIC DESIGN THINKING ABOUT DIGITAL AND MATERIAL SURFACE PATTERNS Wenche LYCHE, Arild BERG and Kristin ANDREASSEN OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University ABSTRACT There is a growing need in contemporary society to understand new and emerging relationships between technology and creativity. In practice-oriented areas of education such as design, many instructors have come to understand the importance of different learning styles and how students benefit when presentation of new material is varied to reach all students. The concept of parametric design thinking enabled by advanced computational processes has recently been identified as a relevant approach to design education. The present research further explores parametric design thinking through two case studies of design workshops in an educational context and how this approach can promote diversity. The first case (Robotised Clay Workshop) documents material exploration and creative and aesthetic possibilities in digitalised clay processes. The second case (Surface Patterns in Textiles: From Tradition to Digitalisation and Back) explores digitalised processes in hybrid textile design. The two case studies contribute to the exploration of parametric design thinking as an educational approach and discuss digitalisation and the relations of body, hand and mind in terms of the Vygotskyan ‘zone of proximal development’. This content was synthesised for a workshop on surface patterns for third-year bachelor design students. The paper identifies some potentials and pitfalls of this pedagogical approach and concludes that students’ awareness of conformity and diversity in the design process can be used as a starting point to explore digital surface patterns, offering students a new way of learning about function, aesthetics and product semantics through parametric design thinking.
    [Show full text]
  • The Challenges of Parametric Design in Architecture Today: Mapping the Design Practice
    The Challenges of Parametric Design in Architecture Today: Mapping the Design Practice A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in the Faculty of Humanities 2012 Yasser Zarei School of Environment and Development Table ooofof Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Introduction to the Research ....................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2: THE POSITION OF PARAMETRICS 2.1. The State of Knowledge on Parametrics ............................................................................................. 12 2.2. The Ambivalent Nature of Parametric Design ..................................................................................... 17 2.3. Parametric Design and the Ambiguity of Taxonomy ........................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 3: THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. The Research Methodology ................................................................................................................ 29 3.2. The Strategies of Data Analysis ........................................................................................................... 35 CHAPTER 4: PARAMETRIC DESIGN AND THE STATUS OF PRIMARY DRIVERS The Question of Drivers (Outside to Inside) ............................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER 5: MAPPING THE ROLES IN THE PROCESS OF PARAMETRIC DESIGN 5.1. The Question Of Roles (Inside to Outside)
    [Show full text]
  • College of Architecture (08/31/21)
    Bulletin 2021-22 College of Architecture (08/31/21) dimensional and three-dimensional work, including drawing, College of drafting and making. The experiential qualities of architecture are introduced through basic considerations of scale and human interaction. The course work includes studio, work, lectures, Architecture presentations by students, readings, writing assignments and field trips. Credit 4.5 units. Phone: 314-935-6200 Email: [email protected] A46 ARCH 112 Introduction to Design Processes II Website: http://samfoxschool.wustl.edu This core design studio engages the basic principles of architectural design through iterative processes of drawing Courses and making, using a variety of tools, media and processes. The course work includes studio work, lectures, student • A46 ARCH (p. 1): Architecture presentations and local field trips. Prerequisite: A grade of C- or better in Arch 111 or co-registration in Arch 111. • A48 LAND (p. 29): Landscape Architecture Credit 3 units. Architecture A46 ARCH 112B Introduction to Design Processes II This introductory design studio course engages the basic Visit online course listings to view semester offerings for principles of architectural context, composition and experience. A46 ARCH (https://courses.wustl.edu/CourseInfo.aspx? Using the theme of Drawing and Observing, the studio integrates design and drawing to challenge the students to observe sch=A&dept=A46&crslvl=1:4). the world more carefully, creating narrative drawings that serve as a foundation for design proposals. Throughout the semester, students will engage various design processes -- A46 ARCH 108A You Are Here: Engaging St. Louis's Racial including freehand drawing, collage, orthogonal projection and History Through Site + Story model making -- that will serve as a window into the field of By acknowledging the pressures and pains of our political architecture.
    [Show full text]
  • Design of Parametric Software Tools: Optimizing Future Health Care Performance by Integrating Evidence-Based Knowledge in Architectural Design and Building Processes
    Lighting in Engineering, Architecture and the Environment 37 Design of parametric software tools: optimizing future health care performance by integrating evidence-based knowledge in architectural design and building processes J. B. Sabra & M. Mullins Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark Abstract The studies investigate the field of evidence-based design used in architectural design practice and propose a method using 2D/3D CAD applications to: 1) enhance integration of evidence-based design knowledge in architectural design phases with a focus on lighting and interior design and 2) assess fulfilment of evidence-based design criterion regarding light distribution and location in relation to patient safety in architectural health care design proposals. The study uses 2D/3D CAD modelling software Rhinoceros 3D with plug-in Grasshopper to create parametric tool prototypes to exemplify the operations and functions of the design method. To evaluate the prototype potentials, surveys with architectural and healthcare design companies are conducted. Evaluation is done by the administration of questionnaires being part of the development of the tools. The results show that architects, designers and healthcare design advisors recon the tool prototypes as a meaningful and valuable approach for 1) integrating and using evidence-based information; and 2) optimizing design processes and health care facility performances. Further study focuses on parametric information relations in Building Information
    [Show full text]
  • Design Methods for Democratising Mobile Game Design
    Design Methods for Democratising Mobile Game Design Mark J. Nelson Abstract Swen E. Gaudl Playing mobile games is popular among a large and Simon Colton diverse set of players, contrasting sharply with the lim- Rob Saunders ited set of companies and people who design them. We Edward J. Powley would like to democratise mobile game design by ena- Peter Ivey bling players to design games on the same devices they Blanca Pérez Ferrer play them on, without needing to program. Our concept Michael Cook of fluidic games aims to realise this vision by drawing on three design methodologies. The interaction style of The MetaMakers Institute fluidic games is that of casual creators; their end-user Falmouth University design philosophy is adapted from metadesign; and Cornwall, UK their technical implementation is based on parametric metamakersinstitute.com design. In this short article, we discuss how we’ve adapted these three methods to mobile game design, and some open questions that remain in order to em- power end user game design on mobile phones in a way that rises beyond the level of typical user- generated content. Author Keywords Mobile games; casual creators; metadesign; parametric design; end-user creativity; mixed-initiative interfaces. ACM Classification Keywords H.5.m. Information interfaces and presentation: Miscel- laneous Introduction Fluidic Games Our starting point is the observation that mobile games To support on-device casual design, we are developing have attracted a large and diverse set of players, but a what we call fluidic games [5-7]. These blur the line smaller and less diverse set of designers.
    [Show full text]
  • GUI-Based Chinese Font Editing System Using Font Parameterization Technique
    Typography and Diversity http://www.typoday.in GUI-based Chinese Font Editing System Using Font Parameterization Technique Minju Son, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Soongsil University, [email protected] Gyeongjae Gwon, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Soongsil University, [email protected] Jaeyeong Choi, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Soongsil University, [email protected] Geunho Jeong, Gensol Soft, Seoul, Korea, [email protected] Abstract: When creating Roman fonts, about 256 characters should be designed. Whereas creating Chinese fonts, around 8,000 widely used characters should be designed from the total 80,000 to 100,000 characters. In order to solve these problems, many studies on programmable fonts have been performed since 1980s. METAFONT is a font designing system for improving the quality of TeX typesetting in TeX document, and it represents programmable fonts. However, as METAFONT is a programming language, it is very difficult for general font designers to design fonts directly by using it. In order to solve this problem, we propose a GUI-based Chinese font editing system by font parameterization technique, which can easily edit fonts in web browser. Key words: Font Editor, Programmable Font, Font Parameterization, METAFONT. 1. Introduction Recently, the development of portable devices has increased the number of places where fonts are essential, such as e-books, websites, mobile games, books, newspapers, etc. When creating Roman fonts, about 256 characters should be designed. Whereas creating Chinese fonts, around 8,000 widely used characters should be designed from the total 80,000 to 100,000 characters. When generating fonts, characters are generally described as ‘outline’.
    [Show full text]
  • From Design Automation to Generative Design in AEC
    The Journey from Design Automation to Generative Design in AEC Dieter Vermeulen Technical Sales Specialist AEC Generative Design & Engineering @BIM4Struc © 2020 Autodesk, Inc. DESIGNS TODAY @BIM4Struc TRADITIONAL DESIGN PROCESS @BIM4Struc @BIM4Struc @BIM4Struc @BIM4Struc GENERATIVE DESIGN: A form of artificial intelligence, dedicated to the creation of better outcomes for products, buildings, infrastructure and systems. @BIM4Struc GENERATIVE DESIGN PROCESS PEOPLE COMPUTER PEOPLE @BIM4Struc STADIUM DESIGN CONSTRUCTION PLANNING SITE DRAINAGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING SPACE PLANNING FAÇADE DESIGN @BIM4Struc Generative design is a methodology and a process more than a singular product or tool @BIM4Struc Benefits of Generative Design @BIM4Struc What level of design progression ? @BIM4Struc Traditional Design @BIM4Struc Sketching @BIM4Struc Computer Aided Drafting @BIM4Struc Parametric Design @BIM4Struc PARAMETRIC DESIGN Designer/engineer uses computer as passive machine one one limited human + computer = design @BIM4Struc PARAMETRIC MODELING @BIM4Struc Parametric Modeling a = 2 b = 1 a – b = c @BIM4Struc Parametric Modeling a = 2 b = 1 a – b = c f(x) @BIM4Struc Parametric Modeling a = 2 b = 1 a – b = c @BIM4Struc Conceptual Tower Mass – Design Model Assign Parametric Create Geometry Modify Parameters Document the Idea Constraints @BIM4Struc Design Automation @BIM4Struc input design output automation @BIM4Struc Dynamo Ecosystem to increase capabilities REVIT API Difficulty REVIT DYNAMO Expressive Power @BIM4Struc Dynamo to simplify things PROGRAMMING
    [Show full text]
  • Communication and Participation in Virtual Environments
    P. Rajagopalan and M.M Andamon (eds.), Engaging Architectural Science: Meeting the Challenges of Higher Density: 52nd 727 International Conference of the Architectural Science Association 2018, pp.727–734. ©2018, The Architectural Science Association and RMIT University, Australia. Communication and Participation in Virtual Environments Towards a parametric participatory urban design decision-making platform Shuva Chowdhury Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand [email protected] Marc Aurel Schnabel Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand [email protected] Abstract: We seek a framework for engaging people in urban design decision-making process by employing virtual tools. We adopt our previously developed parametric tools for design communication as a bridging method between conventional and participatory urban design approaches. We hypothesise that a virtual participatory urban design platform can provide more design associated information for laypeople to participate in design decision-making. The conventional urban design approaches investigate urban form as purely through the lens of urban professionals. In participatory urban design approaches the design decisions remain as general assumptions because of lack of enough associated information. Therefore, we have developed a methodology to produce urban forms by taking advantages of computational tools to engage stakeholders in complex urban design decision-making processes. This paper focuses on designing the charrette tools. We propose a mixed method of virtual and actual to orient people in the design discussion. We investigate our tools for Karori, a neighbourhood in New Zealand. We critically conclude the paper with an overview of our virtual design communication tools which is destined to engage people in a later stage.
    [Show full text]
  • The Use of Metaphors As a Parametric Design Teaching Model: a Case Study
    The Use of Metaphors as a Parametric Design Teaching Model: A Case Study Asli Agirbas, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey Abstract Teaching methodologies for parametric design are being researched all over the world, since there is a growing demand for computer programming logic and its fabrication process in architectural education. The computer programming courses in architectural education are usually done in a very short period of time, and so students have no chance to create their own designs. This paper describes a course in which metaphors are used as a teaching methodology in parametric design, in order to let students create their own designs and learn the basic elements of parametric programming language in a short period of time with deductive reasoning. In this course, it was intended to teach visual programming language to undergraduates. Advancing under the metaphor theoretical framework, the students obtained experience in achieving form-finding process for their projects in accord with the certain constraints. Using this methodology, the students, who experienced all design stages from 3D modeling to the digital fabrication, additionally were able to develop their ability for versatile thinking and the use of more than one tool in combination, in the early years of their architectural education. Key words metaphors; Parametric Design; Form-finding; Teaching Model; Architectural Education. Introduction When parametric design is referred to, two perspectives come to mind in architecture, as was noted by Stavric and Marina (2011). One of these is the architectural constructive parametric design, and the other is the architectural conceptual parametric design. In architectural constructive parametric design, focus is made upon the forms, which are easier to produce in real life, and the work is carried out using pre-drawn 3D objects: BIM programs (such as Revit and ArchiCAD) are used for this purpose.
    [Show full text]
  • CAD/CAM, Parametric Design and Interactivity
    Teaching Technology: CAD/CAM, Parametric Design and Interactivity Martin Bechthold Harvard University, Graduate School of Design http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/people/faculty/bechthold/index.html [email protected] The paper discusses a project-based approach to technology teaching, and examines the case of the mobile information unit (MIU) for Harvard University and its art museums. A student competition was held to explore design alternatives for this unit. The winning entry proposed an interactive, pixilated fiber-optics display as well as touch screens. Parametric digital modeling was used in the design and design development of the scheme. Research included the study of structural alternatives, fabrication methods and the modes of interaction between users and the MIU. Keywords: Computer-aided design and manufacturing; fabrication; simulation; prototype; fiber optics. Integrating new technologies – an has taught the subject over the past two years. The introduction teaching objective is to provide an in-depth under- standing of the technology itself, and how it is ap- Computer-aided design and manufacturing (cad/ plied in practice. The teaching methods include lec- cam) techniques have been used by fabricators since tures, workshops, design exercises, case studies and the 1980s, but only fairly recently have architects field trips. In the second part of the course a more become aware of these technologies, and, more im- comprehensive design and prototyping projects portantly, have adjusted their design paradigms and has successfully allowed students to synergize the methods accordingly. Teaching efforts in this area various aspects of cad/cam technology with archi- differ significantly from teaching traditional CAAD tectural design.
    [Show full text]
  • Structure, Architecture, and Computation: Past and Future
    Structure, Architecture, and Computation: Past and Future [One must not] fear that the adoption of forms and volumes closely following natural laws must lead to a monotonous and unsupportable uniformity of products. —Pier Luigi Nervi RENAUD DANHAIVE INTRODUCTION Massachusetts Institute of Technology In architectural design, the past decades have been marked by the evolution of the computer from a drawing instrument to a design tool. It is clear that computation has had, and will CAITLIN MUELLER continue to have, a significant impact on the design process. Bill Addis (2007) identifies the Massachusetts Institute of Technology post-1960’s period as the Computer Age in structural design, and this classification is, if not absolute, relevant for architecture as well. Computers have not only enabled the construc- tion of some of the world’s most daring structures, but also have also given birth to new styles and visions. Styles were constructed based on the new modeling possibilities offered by software and the computer played a crucial role in the development of new architectural visions in the second part of the twentieth century (Picon, 2010). However, computation and, specifically, the development of numerical solvers for structural analysis, did not mean that engineers designed more efficient structures. On te contrary, the rise of finite element analysis enabled a ‘make-it-work’ approach, exemplified first by the Sydney Opera House of the Utzon-Arup duo and many projects after. In terms of design thinking, this represented a huge shift compared to the philosophy of engineers and architects of the 1950’s, or even of the Architectural Engineering Age in general as described by Addis (2007).
    [Show full text]