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A detailed case study of the design process behind the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. It covers the stages of specify, plan, design, build, test, and analyze, as well as the importance of teamwork and collaboration between different engineering teams. The document also includes learning objectives, activities, and resources for educators to use in teaching the design process to students.
What you will learn
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Introduction 02 What is the design process? 04 Case study: The Supersonic Hairdryer
Lesson plans 08 Lesson 1: Taking on the brief 10 Lesson 2: Product development â research and planning 12 Lesson 3: Product development â building and testing 14 Lesson 4: Go to market 16 Lesson 5: The big pitch
Resources 17 Specification worksheet
James Dyson Foundation 2
Every Dyson project starts with a problem: unhygienic hand-dryers, vacuum cleaners that lose suction or robotic cleaners that fail to navigate intelligently.
The brief that design engineers start with is very broad. A list of requirements is then compiled, forming the product specification. This is the measuring stick for assessing a productâs success.
The following key criteria and constraints can be remembered with the acronym âACCESS FM.â
Aesthetics What will the product look, feel or sound like?
Cost What is the estimated manufacturing cost of the product, and what will its retail price be?
Customer Who is the product designed for?
Environment What is the productâs impact on the environment?
Safety How will the user be kept safe from harm?
Size Are the proportions of the product appropriate?
Function How well does the product work - and is it easy to use?
Materials What is the product made from, and what does this mean for manufacturing?
WHAT IS THE
DESIGN PROCESS?
Teamwork between different types and teams of engineers is essential to overcoming the challenges that can be encountered when developing a new product. For example, the Dyson Supersonic⢠hair dryer has a unique shape: it has a hole in the middle. This shape is essential to the function of the machine â but it created challenges for its development. Conventional hair dryers often use flat sheets of Mica slotted together in a Christmas tree shape for the heating element. Wire is then wrapped around this structure. Dyson engineers needed to develop a heating element which worked within the unique shape of the Dyson Supersonic⢠hair dryer. They designed a heating element which uses specially produced Mica tubes, positioned in a donut shape with two, resistive wires wrapped around them. These wires are structured in a wave-form pattern and interwoven around the tubes. Initially the engineers developed a one-layer heating element, using wire which was more loosely woven, creating larger wave shapes. However, they found that this had limitations. The large wave shapes of the wire would wobble and touch each other, causing the machine to cut out. This is why the heating element has two layers and two wires â allowing for smaller wave patterns, tightly woven. Design, electrical and test engineers had to work together to make sure that the heating element worked properly, fitted into the unique format of the machine â and was reliable. The process took a total of three years, making iterative developments and doing extensive testing on the element to ensure it worked and did so safely.
THE DYSON
SUPERSONICâ˘
HAIR DRYER
Wave-form Mica tubed heating element
Induced air
Induced air
Entrained air
Entrained air
HOW DOES
IT WORK?
Air is drawn in by the motor and accelerated over an annular aperture. This creates a jet of air which passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp that channels its direction. Surrounding air is drawn into the airflow (this is called inducement and entrainment). The result is that the volume of air coming out of the hair dryer is three times that going into the motor. This system is called Air Multiplier⢠technology â itâs patented by Dyson.
TAKING ON THE BRIEF
Learning objectives:
Activity outcomes:
Things you will need:
Starter: 15 minutes
What are briefs and specifications?
Learning objective Activity
1 Explain to students that engineers are given a brief, which explains the challenges that must be answered by a product and the parameters in which a design engineer must work. For example, a product might need to be a certain size or perform a particular function.
1 As a class, discuss the criteria that were considered when developing the design specification for a product in the classroom or that students own, such as their chairs, desks, cell phones, or backpacks.
1 Prompt the students to consider the brief in terms of ACCESS FM.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT â
RESEARCH AND PLANNING
Learning objectives:
Activity outcomes:
Things you will need:
Starter: 10 minutes
Take on problems as a team
Learning objective Activity
1 Explain to the students that today they will be continuing to work in their groups to develop the designs they chose in the last lesson. They will need to conduct research, and make a plan to keep development on track.
2, 3 Explain that in order to develop the best solution possible, the students will need to take individual responsibility for different aspects of the specification â reporting their findings to the group, so that collective decisions can be made. You may want to photocopy the Dyson Supersonic⢠hair dryer case study (pages 4 â 7), and distribute to the students. This will help to explain that while engineers have different specialties, they work together to solve problems.
Main: 60 minutes
Research the specifications
Wrap up: 20 minutes
Research the specifications
Learning objective Activity
1, 2 Ask each group to work together to consider the âfunctionâ aspect of the Specification worksheet, which they completed in the last lesson. What does the product do, and how does it work? The students should write a list of the different aspects that will be required to make the product work â such as electronics and sensors, power sources, LEDs, etc. The students should work together to research these elements, and uncover any potential issues.
1, 3 Ask each group to review their completed Specification worksheets and divide responsibility for the other criteria among themselves.
3 Explain that the students now need to individually research their criteria, and that they will give a two minute presentation of their findings to their group. While they are researching as individuals, they will come back together as a group to think about how the findings will impact on the development of their product. The students may want to research online or, if appropriate, they may want to survey their classmates or potential users. This is a good opportunity to build in a homework or extension exercise.
This part of the lesson can be extended or repeated if more time is required.
Learning objective Activity
1, 2 Ask the students to present their findings to their group. Encourage the group to ask questions.
Learning objective Activity
1, 2 Explain to students that they should select a lead engineer. This person should delegate who is building which parts, ensure consistency in dimensions and quality, and note any additions or adjustments made to the productâs design and parts list. This lead engineer should also ensure that the build process is finished within a reasonable time frame.
1, 2 Ask the students to construct their prototype. Encourage the groups to test their product as they go along, to understand how a user would interact with it, and ascertain where there may be design flaws. Remind them that the design process is iterative, and encourage them to work together to modify and improve their design as they encounter difficulties. Make sure that any changes to the design or function are recorded by the lead engineer.
This part of the lesson can be extended or repeated if more time is required.
Wrap it up: 30 minutes
Reflect
Learning objective Activity
1, 2 Once the prototypeâs construction is complete, ask each student to write their reflections on the building and testing experience. They may want to consider:
GO TO MARKET
Learning objectives:
Activity outcomes:
Things you will need:
Starter: 45 minutes
Go to market
Learning objective Activity
1 Explain that in todayâs lesson, the student groups will be preparing to pitch their products. But before they can start planning their presentations, they need to work out what cost they will sell their product for. Explain that cost engineers use engineering principles to control costs and make sure projects are completed within budget. Cost engineers consider the labor and manufacturing costs, the purchase price of every part, and finishing elements such as coats of paint. They make suggestions as to design changes that will improve a productâs profit margin.
1 Ask the student groups to estimate what they want to sell their product for, and how much profit they would like to make. The students should then work in their groups to estimate the manufacturing costs of their finished product. They should think about:
THE BIG PITCH
Learning objectives:
Activity outcomes:
Things you will need:
Starter: 45 minutes
Preparation
Learning objective Activity
1 Explain that todayâs lesson will be focused on group presentations. Give the students 10 minutes to prepare their presentation.
Wrap up: 15 minutes
Best product design
Learning objective Activity
2 Ask students to refer back to their notes on the other groupsâ presentations.
2 Explain they should vote for a team (that is not their own) that had the most persuasive presentation. Count the votes and award a small prize to the winning team.
Top tip
An alternative to this lesson is to hold a design exhibition, which other students and teachers can visit. Student groups can display their prototypes, and pitch their product to the attendees. To make the event even more exciting, you could ask a local engineer to come in and meet the students â and even judge the best product.
Main: 1 hour
The big pitch
Learning objective Activity
1, 2 Ask each group to present. Explain that the other students should take notes during each presentation, summarizing: the name, novelty, function, price, and persuasive arguments.
1 Make sure each group answers the following questions:
2 At the end of every presentation, encourage the class to ask questions.
