Model-based system design of annealing simulators

We discuss several aspects of mechatronic product development processes, such as finding and evaluating design concepts and dependencies between design parameters. One of the key issues in the development of modern mechatronic systems is the benefit of consistent integration of mechanical, electrical, and electronic control and software aspects from the very beginning of the earliest design phases. Even for a single design problem defined by a given specification, different designers will probably respond with a variety of different design concepts, each of which may be acceptable in terms of meeting the specification. In the conceptual design phase, we propose that some aspects of design, such as hierarchy of parameters and modularity of the design, are analysed with conceptual models. The application presented in this paper shows the conceptual design of an experimental laboratory annealing simulator (anneal.sim-lab). Physical simulation of the annealing process requires consideration of different heating methods for various types of specimen. One critical step is the modularisation of sections (annealing, cooling, and quenching), and their geometric arrangement. We use a design structure matrix to analyse the requirements and their structure and demonstrate a realisation in a parametric 3D-CAD model.