Trouble shooting, Research and Development, and Experimentation

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Unit 6 Trouble shooting, Research and
Development, and Experimentation
ETP 2006 Jeff Pegg This material is based upon
work supported the National Science foundation
under Grant No. 0402616. Any opinions,
findings, and conclusions or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view
of the National Science Foundation (NFS).
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6 Types of Problem Solving.

• Invention
• Innovation
• Engineering Design
• Troubleshooting
• Research and Development
• Experimentation.
• In this unit we will be talking about the last
  three.

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What is Trouble Shooting?

• A process utilizing several points during the
  engineering design process.
• An act of pinpointing and correcting problems in
  any kind of system (Kuphaldt, 2003)
• A reactive type of problem solving process.

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10 Step Universal Troubleshooting Process (Litt,
1996)

• Prepare.
• Get a complete and accurate symptom description.
• Make damage control.
• Reproduce the symptom.
• Do the appropriate general maintenance.
• Narrow it down to the root cause.
• Repair or Replace the defective component.
• Test.
• Take Pride in your solution.
• Prevent future occurrence of this problem.

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Here is an example in troubleshooting.
Video link (4min, 49 sec) Citigroup Skyscraper
Design Problem
http//www.teachersdomain.org/6-8/sci/engin/design
/bbskyscraper/index.html
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If something doesnt work..

1. Read the manual.
2. Contact someone who may know.
3. Step back- Review what you know.
4. Think and analyze the problem.
5. Ask yourself questions.
6. Try to bring the product to a new state and try
   to make the problem recur.
7. Develop a strategy and change one item at a time.
   Record your results.
8. Think about you thinking process
9. Sleep on it.

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Are we a throw away society?

• What does throw away society mean?
• What are the good and bad about a throw away
  society?

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Research and Development.

• There are Three areas that we will study for
  Research and Development.
• Basic Research.
• Applied Research.
• Experimental Development.

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Basic Research.

• Known as science.
• Is experimental or theoretical work undertaken
  primarily to acquire new knowledge of the
  underlying foundation of phenomena and observable
  facts without any particular application or use
  in view.
• The results are not generally sold but are
  usually published in scientific journals or the
  colleges.

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Applied Research.

• Also known as original investigation undertaking
  in order to acquire new knowledge.
• It is directed towards a specific practical aim
  or objective.
• The knowledge or information derived form is
  often patented but it amy also be a secret.

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Experimentation.

• A systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge
  gained from research and practical experience
  that is directed to producing new materials,
  products or devices.
• To install new processes, systems and services.
• To improve substantially those already produced
  or installed.

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Experimentation Steps.

1. Make observations.
2. Form a hypothesis.
3. Make a prediction.
4. Perform an experiment.
5. Analyze the results of the experiment.
6. Draw a conclusion.
7. Report your results.

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Step 1Prepare

• Every human activity requires preparation. In
  troubleshooting, one must prepare his/hers tools,
  work area, documentation and most of all his/hers
  attitude.
• You must have the right attitude to succeed. You
  CAN solve it.
• Dont try to fix, it just try to narrow it down.
• Dont panic or get mad
• Be patient or skip steps.
• Back

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Step 2 Get a Symptom Description

• Description must be complete and accurate.
• The more detailed the description the less work
  you will need to do.
• Good description minimizes the risk of fixing
  the wrong problem.
• Back

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Step 3 Make a Damage Control Plan

• Safety precautions to prevent injury to people.
• Machine precautions prevents damage to the
  machine or system.
• Data Precautions prevent loss of valuable data.
• Product precautions prevent loss of production in
  the production line.
• back

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Step 4 Reproduce the Symptom.

• You Cant fix what you cant see!
• If you cant reproduce the symptom, you may
  assume the wrong problems.
• Back

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Step 5 Do the Appropriate Corrective Maintenance

• Corrective maintenance can be generalized as
  preventive maintenance.
• If you car doesnt start what should you check
  first?
• The battery.
• Back

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Step 6 Narrow it down.

• Try to find the single problem from a larger
  problem.
• Complete system tests that will eliminate the
  working portions of the system.
• Back

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Step 7 Repair or Replace Defective Component

• Disassemble the product carefully.
• Use the proper tool for the job.
• Remember the proper way to reassemble the
  product.
• Back

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Step 8 Test

• Did the symptom go away?
• Did the right symptom go away?
• Did I fix the right cause?
• Did I create any other problems?
• Back

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Step 9 Take Pride in Your Solution.

• This step keep you in shape.
• Troubleshooting is an intense mental effort.
• After each solutions take pride in your work.
• Back

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Step 10 Prevent Future Occurrence of this
Problem.

• Inform people how this problem happened.
• Share you findings with a co-worker, they may
  have to fix same problem. So they dont have to
  reinvent the wheel.
• Back

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Standards
Standard 2 Students will develop an
understanding of the core concepts of
technology.
M. Technological systems include input,
processes, output, and, at times, feedback.
P. Technological systems can be connected to one
another.
Q. Malfunctions of any part of a system may
affect the function and quality of the system.
S. Trade-off is a decision process recognizing
the need for careful compromises among competing
factors.
U. Maintenance is the process of inspecting and
servicing a product or system on a regular basis
in order for it to continue functioning properly,
to extend its life, or to upgrade its capability.
Standard 10 Students will develop an
understanding of the role of troubleshooting,
research and development, invention and
innovation, and experimentation in problem
solving.
F. Troubleshooting is a problem-solving method
used to identify the cause of a malfunction in a
technological system.
H. Some technological problems are best solved
through experimentation.
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Standards cont.
Standard 19 Students will develop an
understanding of and be able to select and use
manufacturing technologies.
H. The manufacturing process includes the
designing, development, making, and servicing the
products and systems