Engineering Design Objectives

Design Objectives

Design objectives can be clarified as a set of basic requirements and hopeful outcomes, subject to realistic constraints.

Design objectives and functional requirements are what the design should strive for. It is best to define the ideal and acceptable values. The danger is that when not clearly defined, the design specifications will be below or above the requirements. Examples of well-defined objectives include the following:

• Cost between $100.00 and $120.00
• Provide a maximum power from 50 to 75 KW
• A maximum speed of 100 to 150 m/s
  

Reference: An Overview of Design Projects, by Hugh Jack, in Engineering Design, Planning, and Management, 2013

• Heating time between 40 and 60 sA common design objective or need is to increase or decrease the thermal conductivity of a material to enhance its ability to conduct heat, or, alternatively, to improve its dialectric (insulating) characteristics.
• The design objectives for compression-release brakes include achieving high retarding power and low-speed torque, variable power levels, low noise, low weight, low cost, and high reliability while satisfying all the design constraints such as peak cylinder pressure, component loading, exhaust manifold gas temperature, and cylinder head component metal temperatures. 

Design Objectives can be: