Creative Engineering Design

1. Entangled!
Individual Design Project for Creative Engineering Design
Minu Pradeep
CPDM IISc
12/12/2014

2. Project Brief
• The task is to arrive at a solution
which prevents multiple wires
from entangling and also makes it
easy to keep track of connections
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3. Design Process
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• UserStudy
• Product Study
• Role Play
• ISQ
Find Goals
• Matrix
method
• QFD
• SNPS
Evaluate
Goals
• Brainstorming
• Morphological
Matrix
• TRIZ
• Concepts
Generate
Proposals
• Datum
• Weighted
Matrix
Evaluate
Proposals
Physical
Simulation
Selected
Concept

4. Find Goals or Needs

5. Probable Habitats
 Each Habitat presents a varied set of challenges and requirements
and a single product cannot cater to all Habitats
 The proposed product will cater to residential and office settings
Residential
Personal
Devices
Offices
Industrial
Settings
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6. Product requirements w.r.t. habitat
Should be appealing to wide age group
Not subjected to heavy wear and tear, design can be more delicate
Aesthetics is very important
Should not occupy too much space
Should be easy to install/uninstall
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7. User Study
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8. User Study
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9. User Study
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10. User Survey
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11. Product/Technology Study
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StopKnot- Silicon Polymer- $9.99 for 4 pack

12. Product/Technology Study
Technology patented by Apple Inc patent : 8625836
• To prevent the cable structure from tangling, the cable
structure can include a core placed between the
conductors and the sheath, where a stiffness of
the core can be varied along different segments of the
cable structure to facilitate or hinder bending of the
cable structure in different areas. The size and
distribution of the stiffer portions can be selected to
prevent the cable from forming loops. The resistance
of the core to bending can be varied using
different approaches including, for example,
by varying the materials used in the core,
varying a cross-section of portions of the core,
or combinations of these.
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13. Product/Technology Study
12 pcs Rs 170 Rs 99 Rs 171 Rs 160 2 mm TO 5.5
mm CABLE (Pack of 2)
Rs 180 Rs 170
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14. Product/Technology Study
Anti-entangling earphone Patent: CN 103501475 A
“a memory metal wire which is parallel with signa
lwires is arranged in the earphone wire, the memory
metal wire is made of nitinol, and the stable state of the
memory metal wire is a straight filament”
“after the transformation temperature of 40 degrees is
reached, under the action of the memory metal wire,
the earphone wire can be automatically stretched into
the shape of a bar, and thereby is automatically
disentangled, so that the anti-entangling earphone can
be conveniently used for the second time”
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15. Product/Technology Study
Lots of patents and products relating to entangling of earphone wires
Technologies range from simple elastic devices to nickel-titanium memory alloys
Technology mostly applied within the cables. Principles could be adapted to the outside of the cables
Most Simple cable organizers priced below Rs 200
Both functions of easy tracking and prevention of tangling not well satisfied together in current products available
Proposed product to cater to the outside of wires ie adaptable to any wire and to be priced low
12/12/2014 14

16. Role Play
Hi, I am Wiggly the cable. I live in the Living room of the Kumar family. Samsung the TV and Spotty the
outlet are my best buddies. We are totally stuck to each other. I am the middle guy. Anything Spotty has
to give and tell Samsung is through me.
There are so many of these other guys around me, they have an attitude. They always bully me and
surround me in such a way that I can no longer move or breathe. There is no way I can clean myself well
too. They also come in between me and my buddies. We look like such a mess that the Kumars make sure
we are well hidden behind the TV trolley.
The Kumars too hardly care, unless they have to change our places sometime. The Kumars gets really
frustrated trying to sort our mess. I really wish there could be some way to keep these bullies away.
12/12/2014 15

17. ISQ
•Prevent cables from entangling with each other
•Should enable easy tracking of cables
how system environment interact with super-system of which it is a part
•Possible magnetic field
•Power outlets
•Walls/Floor of the room
•Furniture
•Electrical/Electronic items
With any other system with which it interacts, or in proximity
•Cables
•Electronics/Electrical items
•Power Outlets
Natural System surrounding it
Information about system to be improved –its environment
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18. ISQ
•Cables
•Power outlets nearby
Substance: materials
•Magnetic field
•Electrical field
•Potential energy of wires
•Gravitational pull of earth
Field: energy/actions
•Mange cables
•Prevent untangling of cables
Functional: what functions are available already
Available resources- free resources available for use
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19. ISQ
•Which point is to be connected to which point
Informational: what information is available
•Till another re- arrangement or uninstallation
Time: What time is available
•Space between peripherals and electrical outlets
•Upto 12” inch width
Space: What space is available
Available resources- free resources available for use
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20. ISQ
•Prevent entangling and make tracking wires easy
•Aesthetically more appealing
•Taking up space
•Looking untidy
Drawback(s) to eliminate or desired improvement(s)
•Multiple devices
•Long cables
•Cables and cords gather at some places
•Tendency of cables to coil
•Frequent re-arrangement of connections
•Cables look alike making it hard to distinguish
•Electrical/Electronic items
Mechanism which causes the drawback to occur, if it is clear
Information about the problem situation
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21. ISQ
•Use of multiple devices or accessories
•Removal, addition or replacement of devices
•Cables often longer than needed
History of development of the problem
•Can devices be connected without cables/wires?
•Can the electric socket be re arranged to minimize entanglement
•Wires that repel each other?
Other problems to be solved: modify direction of development
Information about the problem situation
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22. ISQ
•Total change of system beyond scope
•Improve condition within existing system of connecting devices and
outlets/inlets
Allowable changes- complete/major/small changes and why?
•Existing wires cannot be changed
•Power outlets
Limitations to changing system-What can/not be changed
Changing the system
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23. ISQ
•Simple technology
•Favourable material properties
Desired technological characteistics
•Below Rs 500s
Desired economic characteristics
•Durable for 5 years
•Less frequent cleaning
Desired Timetable
•As novel as possible
Expected degree of novelty
Criteria for selection of solution concepts
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24. Output- Goals/Task Clarification
Habitat Study
•Filtered other habitats out
•Focus on residential and office habitats
User Study
•Ranked User Preference obtained
•Can be inferred that some customers may spend
higher amounts for superior durable product
Product/Technology Study
•Both functions of easy tracking and prevention of
tangling not well satisfied together in current
products available
•Proposed product to cater to the outside of wires
ie adaptable to any wire and to be priced low
Role Play
•Should not cause dust accumulation
•Should be easy to rearrange/modify after
installation
ISQ
•Forces us to think about many aspects
•Triggers new ideas and directions of
thoughts(enerfyf ields)
•Criteria for selecting concepts further clarified
the task
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25. Output- Initial requirements
• catering to residential and office use
• which does both functions of preventing entanglement and making tracking easy, very well
• which can achieve its function without modifying any cables internally: by application o outside
• Suitable to be installed to any existing bunch of cables
Task-to design a product
• Modular
• Compact
• Easy to Track cables
• Ease of installation/uninstallation
• Aesthetics
• Design should not cause dust accumulation
• Conceal cables
Requirements
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26. Demands and Wishes
• Prevent wires from entangling
• Easy to track cables
Demands
• Modular
• Compact
• Ease of installation/uninstallation
• Aesthetics
• Design should not cause dust accumulation
• Conceal cables
Wishes
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27. Evaluate Goals

28. Matrix Method
Modular Compact Ease of
Installatio
n
Aesthetic
s
Prevent
dust
accumula
tion
Conceal
Cables
Total 1-10
scale
100 pts
distributi
on
Modular X 1 1 1 1 1 5 10 32
Compact 0 X 1 1 1 1 4 8 26
Ease of
installation
0 0 X 1 1 1 3 6 19
Aesthetics 0 0 0 X 0.5 1 1.5 3 10
Prevent dust
accumulation
0 0 0 0.5 X 1 1.5 3 10
Conceal
Cables
0 0 0 0 0 X 0 1 3

29. Bench Marking
Competitor’s product
• Simple and effective solution.
• Prevents entangling well
• Requires to be fixed to a surface
• Makes tracking wires slightly easy
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products
current
aspiration
s
Competit
ors
product
Where I
should be
wrt
competiti
on
Modular 8 6 8
Compact 7 5 7
Ease of
installation
6 6 7
Aesthetics 4 4 5
Prevent dust
accumulation
4 4 5
Conceal
Cables
1 NA NA

30. Product Evaluation
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Target
Value
Improve
ment
rate
weight Weight
%
Modular 10 ○ □ 8 1 10 28
Compact 8 ○ □ 7 1 8 22
Ease of
installation 6
□
○
7 1.17 10.2 29
Aesthetics 3 □
○
5 1 3 9
Prevent dust
accumulation 3
□
○
5 1 3 9
Conceal Cables
1
□ 1 1 1 3

31. QFD
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32. SNPS
To design a product catering to residential and office use, which keeps wires from
entangling and also helps to easily identify the wires route and which is compact,
modular, and which can be fitted into any existing set of wires
To design a product for residential and office use, which keeps wires from entangling
and also helps to easily identify the wires identity and route and which is least
obtrusive, adjustable and fits into any given set of wires
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33. Proposals generated to
satisfy Goals

34. Brainstorming
Prevent Entanglement
• Magnetic repulsion
• Electromagnetic induction
• Wires in hollow tube
• Memory metal
• Wireless connections
• Different material for each wire
• Fix wires to wall
• Pass through rings

35. TRIZ – Modular vs Ease of installation
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• Make connecting the modules very easy
• Reduce/limit no of modules
• Make modules independent
Compact
size
Modular
Difficult
installation

36. Morphological Matrix
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Prevent
entanglement
Tubes Rings
Track wires colour label Colour
and
symbol
Modular Clip on
modules
Independ
ent
modules
Sliding
positione
r
Compact Removab
le
modules
Expandab
le units
Adaptabl
e
modules
Ease of
installation
Insert to
install
Push to
install
Aesthetics Neutral
colour
scheme
colourful
Prevent dust
accumulation
Smooth
material
Avoid
crevices

37. 12/12/2014 36
Prevent
entanglement
Tubes Rings
Track wires colour label Colour
and
symbol
Modular Clip on
modules
Independ
ent
modules
Sliding
positione
r
Compact Removab
le
modules
Expandab
le units
Adaptabl
e
modules
Ease of
installation
Insert to
install
Push to
install
Aesthetics Subdued
colour
scheme
colourful
Prevent dust
accumulation
Smooth
material
Avoid
crevices
Concept1

38. 12/12/2014 37
Prevent
entanglement
Tubes Rings
Track wires colour label Colour
and
symbol
Modular Clip on
modules
Independ
ent
modules
Sliding
positione
r
Compact Removab
le
modules
Expandab
le units
Adaptabl
e
modules
Ease of
installation
Insert to
install
Push to
install
Aesthetics Subdued
colour
scheme
colourful
Prevent dust
accumulation
Smooth
material
Avoid
crevices
Concept2

39. 12/12/2014 38
Prevent
entanglement
Tubes Rings
Track wires colour label Colour
and
symbol
Modular Clip on
modules
Stick on
modules
Sliding
positione
r
Compact Removab
le
modules
Expandab
le units
Adaptabl
e
modules
Ease of
installation
Insert to
install
Push to
install
Aesthetics Subdued
colour
scheme
colourful
Prevent dust
accumulation
Smooth
material
Avoid
crevices
Concept3

40. Evaluate Proposals

41. Datum Method
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Concept1 Concept2 Concept3
Modular S + D
Compact - S A
Ease of
installation
+ + T
Aesthetics _ S U
Prevent dust
accumulation
S S M
Sum + 1 2
Sum - 2 0
Sum S 2 3
Concept1 Concept2 Concept3
Modular D S S
Compact A + +
Ease of
installation
T S _
Aesthetics U S S
Prevent dust
accumulation
M _ S
Sum + 1 1
Sum - 1 1
Sum S 3 3

42. Weighted Objectives Method
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Modular Compact Ease of
Installation
Aesthetics Dust
Accumulation
weight 28 22 29 9 9
Concept1 9 5 7 7 6 682
Concept2 9 8 8 7 7 786
Concept3 9 8 6 7 5 710

43. Physical Model Simulation
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44. Fault Tree Analysis
Wires Entangle
Wires come out
Ring loses
elasticity
Ring broken
Unable to track
wires
Colour faded
Arrangement
faulty
Difficulty in
arranging
modules
Faulty sliding
mechanisn
Faulty rings
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45. Reflections
• Challenging to do the whole thing individually
• Selection of methodologies followed a logical process
• Helped in giving an overall view
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46. 12/12/2014 45
Thank You