Axiomatic Design Short Course - Archive

 

 

A Short Course in Axiomatic Design for Engineers and Managers


Prof. Christopher A. Brown, Mechanical Engineering, WPI

Download a sample Course Brochure

The objective of this two day course at WPI is to provide participants with a solid understanding of axiomatic design. Participants will use axiomatic design on design problems of their choosing in a series of exercises.  Individual and group coaching in the axiomatic design process will be given by Professor Brown and others.

"Chris Brown is one of the leading experts in the world on axiomatic design. He is a pioneer in developing effective teaching methods for applying axiomatic design and has developed a keen insight to the design theory and practice. Professor Brown's former students have had great success in industry in improving the productivity and quality of their products."
Prof. Nam P. Suh, MIT, Currently President of the Korean Advanced Institute for Science and Technology

Learn to use the axioms to design anything better and faster. This course uses a combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on experience to get participants using axiomatic design. During breakout sessions participants will use axiomatic design on problems of their choosing, with coaching, while working individually or in small groups.

...after the first week when he began applying the axiomatic design method he learned in class. "We were doing a redesign of our production facility," he says. " The axiomatic approach to engineering design I learned from Professor Brown shaped all aspects of the redesign. Before the end of the term, my company had already realized $2.4 million in savings."
The Wire, V12/1 June 1998
http://www.wpi.edu/News/Wire/June98/attention.html

"Axiomatic design takes you from argument to analysis when evaluating designs"
"...improved dimensional stability...fundamentally changed the performance...we have the data to prove it"

VP of Engineering

"This changes the way I think about everything."
Owner, president, manager of a fabrication shop

"The axioms have had a profound affect on my ability to design effective code and in problem solving."
Sr. Software Engineer

Axiomatic design, originally developed by Nam Suh at MIT about thirty years ago, has been shown to markedly improve designs while shortening the design cycle. The axioms are clear, simple rules that guide the design process to best possible solution for the desired functions. Axiomatic design can be applied to the design of products, processes, projects, and systems. It has been called one of the most important engineering developments of the last century.

"The new design has resulted in my first patent." Biomedical Engineer

"decoupling ...allowed us to speed up our overall time from 8 weeks to 4.5 weeks" Design Engineer

"... saved 1 full week of our schedule in itself....the cost of the part stayed low, the maintenance is easy and inexpensive, and it performed flawlessly." Design Engineer

"use axiomatic design... to ensure the incorporation of all necessary elements of a design...help narrow down [choices] from many possibilities... and to show robustness of a particular solution." Project Engineer