Thomas Phillips
Essay 4 – Engineering Design,
Manufacturing Process, &
Material Selection
25 March 2008
Engineering design, manufacturing processes, and material selection are three important things to take into consideration in the engineering process. The layman may not directly appreciate the effort that goes into ensuring that these factors are not overlooked, but the repercussions are definitely felt when they are ignored.
Let's start with engineering design. When a product is properly designed, it functions as expected. Therefore, the user may not recognize the thought that went into making sure the design was sufficient to carry out its intended purpose. For example, compare the MPC laptop issued by LTU with a MacBook pro. There are many differences between the two, but the one of interest for this conversation is the cooling system. On the MPC, the fan vent is directly on the bottom of the computer. If a person sets this laptop on their lap, or any soft surface, it will undoubtedly block the flow of air, and the computer becomes very hot. This could cause damage to the internal components or possibly (albeit, unlikely) injuries to the user. This machine was engineered with the function of cooling the computer in mind, but at the inconvenience of the human using the machine.
The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is engineered with the user in mind. There are internal fans, but they do not ventilate onto the user's lap. The system is designed such that a user can use this laptop in the lap. Mac users may not have noticed this, because they have never had to deal with the inconsiderations of another notebook manufacturer. However, most MPC users have at some point had their laptop overheat because they left it on their lap, couch, floor, or other soft surface for an extended period of time.
Manufacturing process is very important in terms of the environment. Investigation must be done before production commences to find out the latent effects of mass-producing. Also, the disposal of any by-products or waste created in the process must be taken into account. For example, Pfeiffer Incorporated (a totally imaginary company) has just gotten FDA approval on a formula to cure HIV and all types of cancer. They call it the “WE'RE ALL RICH BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS!!©” pill. In an effort to make as money as quickly as poss—I mean, in order to cure as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, Pfeiffer Inc, decides to rush into mass-producing the WARBOWD© pill. The pill goes into circulation, and in 6 months, 93% of all reported HIV and cancer is eradicated.
Eight months after the release, people in Dirtpile, Oklahoma start reporting cancer in alarming rates. The by-product of the fumes generated by making the anti-cancer medicine created a mutation of cancer. It is now airborne as well as sexually transmitted. However, instead of killing its host, this new supercancer causes those infected to grow giant turtle shells on their backs and dance hysterically in the streets. In an effort to stop the spread of the Super Turtle Dancing-Cancer, President Ron Paul declares a state of emergency, builds a giant glass box around Dirtpile, Oklahoma, and fills it partially with water. The powers that be decide to make this into an attraction, and millions of people from around the world come to visit every year. Vice President Perot just happens to own a giant aquarium manufacturing company, so this just happens works out well in the end...but we see how it COULD have ended up badly.
