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New Trends in Design Engineering II
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New Trends in Design Engineering II

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Industrial Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 38648

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Peris Fajarnes Guillermo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Graphics Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: graphic engineering
Dr. Maria Paz Morer-Camo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Engineering School, University of Navarra, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 13, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Interests: design tools and methods; product design and sustainability; wearables
Prof. Dr. Ramón Miralbés Buil

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Design and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Zaragoza, 50017 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: Eco-desing; FEM; additive manufacturing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the current and complex mechanical engineering environment, computational modeling and simulation represent vital tools for gaining understanding and optimizing product designs and manufacturing processes at different levels. Today, the huge growth in computational power available for design, modeling, and simulation provides modern computational methods with a significant role in the analysis and optimization of many complex processes and designs, allowing them to be completed in a fast and effective manner, saving costs, time, and reducing waste. Therefore, it becomes essential to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in the field of Mechanics.

We encourage submissions to this Special Issue which aim at sharing knowledge, experience, and up-to-date scientific information in the areas of design engineering, providing an overview on methodologies, tools, and applications for understanding how the application of emerging technologies impact critical engineering activities, such as product design, manufacturing, management and integration of information along the life cycle of the product/system. This Special Issue shall provide a comprehensive coverage of the experimental, computational, and analytical approaches that are usually employed to implement new products and processes in several different fields (automotive, biomedical, civil, aeronautics, etc.). These approaches also frequently aim to improve current products and processes, basing on new approaches to implement technologies. This Special Issue will not only be useful for researchers in these areas, but also for engineers engaged with advanced design and manufacturing problems.

This Special Issue will publish original contributions related but not limited to the topics described in the keywords.

Prof. Dr. Peris Fajarnes Guillermo
Dr. Maria Paz Morer-Camo
Prof. Dr. Ramón Miralbés Buil
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • design, computational modeling, and simulation
  • optimization
  • finite element method
  • manufacturing, integrated product and process design
  • virtual reality, augmented reality and interactive design
  • geometric modelling and analysis
  • CAD, CAE, CAM and BIM
  • additive manufacturing—design and applications
  • engineering methods in human-related applications
  • reverse engineering, digital acquisition and inspection
  • industrial design and ergonomics
  • numerical modeling for simulation in biomechanical engineering
  • digital manufacturing for Industry 4.0 applications
  • manufacturing, integration and characterization of multifunctional structure and devices
  • design for sustainability and human robot collaboration
  • biomimicry for product design
  • in silico design and generation of biological structures
  • virtual prototyping-based design
  • mechanisms and machine design
  • big data and artificial intelligence
  • product/process innovation and systematic design methods
  • materials engineering design

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Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

33 pages, 16364 KiB  
Article
Product Innovation Design Process Model Based on Functional Genes Extraction and Construction
by Hongxiang Wang, Peng Zhang, Zhimin Zhang, Yuchen Zhang and Yaru Wang
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(24), 12990; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122412990 - 18 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2385
Abstract
The product innovation design is an innovation-intensive process that requires abundant knowledge and design experience, even across industries and disciplines, as a resource for problem solving. Therefore, designers need to have a good command of more design knowledge in this process. However, due [...] Read more.
The product innovation design is an innovation-intensive process that requires abundant knowledge and design experience, even across industries and disciplines, as a resource for problem solving. Therefore, designers need to have a good command of more design knowledge in this process. However, due to varied expressions of design knowledge (function, principle, structure) in different fields lead to the difficulty in representation of design knowledge, which makes designers unable to innovate by directly using design knowledge. Therefore, to solve the problem above, this paper, analogous to biological gene, proposes a product innovation process model based on functional gene extraction and construction. The proposed process model normalizes design knowledge through functional genes and help designers acquire design knowledge in different fields, which further promotes the product innovation design. The process model consists of four following steps. First, Obtain the overall function of product based on user needs and decompose it. Second, Build the functional gene model based on digital twin ones to expand the breadth of design knowledge and facilitate the retrieval. Third, Screen similar functional gene by the functional similarity algorithm. Finally, Obtain the design scheme through recombination, transcription, and translation of the functional gene. The feasibility of the research method is verified by using a shared bicycle parking device as an example. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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21 pages, 7047 KiB  
Article
A Numerical Approach for the Efficient Concept Design of Laser-Based Hybrid Joints
by Julius Moritz Berges, Georg Jacobs and Joerg Berroth
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(20), 10649; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122010649 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1908
Abstract
Laser-based plastic–metal joints have high potential to enable cost-efficient lightweight structures in multi-material design. By an appropriate load-optimized positioning of the microstructure on the joining zone, cost- and strength-optimized joints can be realized. However, there are no design methods and models to efficiently [...] Read more.
Laser-based plastic–metal joints have high potential to enable cost-efficient lightweight structures in multi-material design. By an appropriate load-optimized positioning of the microstructure on the joining zone, cost- and strength-optimized joints can be realized. However, there are no design methods and models to efficiently develop these tailored microstructures. Currently, time-consuming experiments are necessary to find the optimum microstructure concepts. These experiments must be repeated when requirements change, e.g., dimensions of the components. To provide a simple and efficient design tool, this paper presents an automated numerical method for the development of cost- and strength-optimized microstructure concepts for laser-based joining zones. The basis for the approach is a new numerical model which generates concepts for microstructures automatically based only on the stress tensor in the joining zone. A new finite element cohesive zone model (CZM) was developed to estimate the joint strength. The CZM parameters were efficiently derived from a finite element model of a single cavity. To determine the costs, a new model is presented that calculates the production time and the cost for any given microstructure. The models were interconnected in a combined optimization procedure and a genetic algorithm was used to determine cost- and strength-optimized microstructure concepts. The approach was applied to a demonstration example where the laser costs were reduced by up to 67% compared with benchmarks with surface-covering parallel linear cavities. The approach shows high potential for the efficient design of cost- and strength-optimal laser-based hybrid joints since it is fully based on simulation models and iterative experiments in the design stage are eliminated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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15 pages, 6574 KiB  
Article
Topology Optimization of Patient-Specific Custom-Fit Distal Tibia Plate: A Spiral Distal Tibia Bone Fracture
by Abdulsalam A. Al-Tamimi
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(20), 10569; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122010569 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2525
Abstract
Currently, bone fractures are commonly treated with bone fixation plates that present rigid designs and stiff biometals (e.g., Ti-6Al-4V) that increase the probability of stress shielding happening during bone remodeling by shielding the required stress stimuli for adequate healing. This can lead to [...] Read more.
Currently, bone fractures are commonly treated with bone fixation plates that present rigid designs and stiff biometals (e.g., Ti-6Al-4V) that increase the probability of stress shielding happening during bone remodeling by shielding the required stress stimuli for adequate healing. This can lead to medical implant loosening, bone resorption and possible bone refracture. In this paper, an initial custom-fit bone plate is designed to be treated based on the computer tomography imaging of a patient suffering from distal tibia spiral fracture. The initial bone plate was redesigned to reduce the risk of bone being stress shielded. Topology optimization were implemented to redesign the bone plates by minimizing the strain energy and reducing the total plate’s volume in three different cases (25%, 50% and 75%). A bone-plate construct was assembled and examined using finite element analysis considering load conditions of the patient’s gait and the tibia bone being loaded with 10% of the bodyweight. The bone stresses were evaluated in order to compare the topology optimized plates with the initial design. The findings show that with higher volume, load transfer reduction increases in the fractured area and reduces the risk of stress shielding. Topology optimization is a viable approach for building custom-fit distal tibia plates for spiral distal tibia fracture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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17 pages, 4793 KiB  
Article
Simulation Study of a New Magnetorheological Polishing Fluid Collector Based on Air Seal
by Mingchun Li, Guanci Chen, Wenbin Zhang, Yunfeng Peng, Shuntao Cao and Jiakuan He
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(15), 7433; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157433 - 24 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1767
Abstract
Inverted magnetorheological (MR) polishing device mainly use a magnetic sealing ring to collect polishing fluid. This collection method wears the wheel surface of the polishing wheel, affects the surface accuracy of the polishing wheel, and introduces machining error. In order to reduce this [...] Read more.
Inverted magnetorheological (MR) polishing device mainly use a magnetic sealing ring to collect polishing fluid. This collection method wears the wheel surface of the polishing wheel, affects the surface accuracy of the polishing wheel, and introduces machining error. In order to reduce this wear and improve recovery efficiency, a new type of collector using an air seal is proposed in this paper. Furthermore, testing method using six factors and a three-level orthogonal test table is used to study the structural parameters of the new collector. The flow fields affected by the different structural parameters were simulated, and the corresponding collection efficiency was analyzed. The results show that the air nozzle diameter has the greatest impact on the fluctuation value of the collector outlet flow, followed by the airflow velocity and nozzle spacing. Moreover, the structural parameters obtained from the orthogonal test were optimized using the control variable method. The minimum flow fluctuation and maximum flow at the collector outlet can be obtained when the nozzle diameter is 2.5 mm and the nozzle airflow velocity is 31 m/s. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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16 pages, 3329 KiB  
Article
Ergonomic Assessment of Physical Load in Slovak Industry Using Wearable Technologies
by Daniela Onofrejova, Michaela Balazikova, Juraj Glatz, Zuzana Kotianova and Katarina Vaskovicova
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 3607; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073607 - 1 Apr 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3497
Abstract
The physical tasks of workers are demanding, particularly when performed long-term in unsuitable working position, with high frequency, heavy load, after injury, with developing damage of health or reduced performance due to advanced age. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) result from overuse or develop [...] Read more.
The physical tasks of workers are demanding, particularly when performed long-term in unsuitable working position, with high frequency, heavy load, after injury, with developing damage of health or reduced performance due to advanced age. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) result from overuse or develop over time. Work activities, which are frequent and repetitive, or activities with awkward postures, cause disorders that may be painful during work or at rest. There is a new technology in the market, occupational exoskeletons, which have the prerequisites for minimizing the negative consequences of workload on WMSDs. We provided pilot quantitative measurements of the ergonomic risk at one selected workplace in a Slovak automotive company with four different workers to prove our methodology using wearable wireless multi-sensor systems Captiv and Actigraph. At first, the test was performed in standard conditions without an exoskeleton. The unacceptable physical load was identified in considerable evaluated body areas—neck, hip, and shoulder. Next, the passive chair exoskeleton Chairless Chair 2.0 was used in trials as an ergonomic measure. Our intention was to determine whether an exoskeleton would be an effective tool for optimizing the workload in selected workplaces and whether the proposed unique quantitative measurement system would give reliable and quick results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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12 pages, 2233 KiB  
Article
Hough Transform Sensitivity Factor Calculation Model Applied to the Analysis of Acne Vulgaris Skin Lesions
by María Moncho Santonja, Bàrbara Micó-Vicent, Beatriz Defez, Jorge Jordán and Guillermo Peris-Fajarnes
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1691; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031691 - 7 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1742
Abstract
The number of infectious spots or pathological structures recorded on dermatological images is a tool to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. Dermatological images for the detection and monitoring of the evolution of acne infections are evaluated globally, comparing whether [...] Read more.
The number of infectious spots or pathological structures recorded on dermatological images is a tool to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. Dermatological images for the detection and monitoring of the evolution of acne infections are evaluated globally, comparing whether the increase or decrease in infectious lesions appearing on an image is significant. This evaluation method is only indicative since its accuracy is low. The accuracy problem could be improved by an exact count of the number of structures and spots appearing on the image. The mathematical function circular Hough transform (CHT) function implemented in MATLAB is here applied to develop a procedure for counting these structures. CHT has been used in the recognition of benign and distorted red blood cells, in the detection of pellet sizes in industrial processes and in the automated detection and morphological characterization of breast tumor masses from infrared images, as well as for the detection of brain aneurysms and use in magnetic resonance imaging. The sensitivity factor is one of the many parameters required to feed the CHT algorithm. Its choice is unclear as there is no proper methodology to select an optimum value suitable for each image. In this work, a procedure for determining the optimal value of the sensitivity factor is proposed The approach is validated by comparison with the results of the manual counting of the points (ground truth). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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14 pages, 5407 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Turbulence Methods Applied to the Design of a 3D-Printed Scaffold and the Selection of the Appropriate Numerical Scheme to Simulate the Scaffold for Tissue Engineering
by Miguel Suffo and Cristobal J. López-Marín
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12010191 - 25 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2939
Abstract
Current commercial software tools implement turbulence models on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques and combine them with fluid-structural interaction (FSI) techniques. There are currently a great variety of turbulence methods that are worth investigating through a comparative study in order to delineate their [...] Read more.
Current commercial software tools implement turbulence models on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques and combine them with fluid-structural interaction (FSI) techniques. There are currently a great variety of turbulence methods that are worth investigating through a comparative study in order to delineate their behavior on scaffolds used in tissue engineering and bone regeneration. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers the opportunity to obtain three-dimensional printed scaffolds (3D scaffolds) that are designed respecting morphologies and that are typically used for the fused deposition model (FDM). These are typically made using biocompatible and biodegradable materials, such as polyetherimide (PEI), ULTEM 1010 biocompatible and polylactic acid (PLA). Starting from our own geometric model, simulations were carried out applying a series of turbulence models which have been proposed due to a variety of properties, such as permeability, speed regime, pressures, depressions and stiffness, that in turn are subject to boundary conditions based on a blood torrent. The obtained results revealed that the detached eddy simulation (DES) model shows better performance for the use of 3D scaffolds in its normal operating regime. Finally, although the results do not present relevant differences between the two materials used in the comparison, the prototypes simulated in PEI ULTEM 1010 do not allow their manufacture in FDM for the required pore size. The printed 3D scaffolds of PLA reveal an elastic behavior and a rigidity that are similar to other prototypes of ceramic composition. Prototypes made of PLA reveal unpredictable variability in pore and layer size which are very similar to cell growth itself and difficult to keep constant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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17 pages, 6060 KiB  
Article
Experimental Determination of Corneal Elastic Constants and Their Use in Biomechanical Modeling
by Claudia Muñoz-Villaescusa, Osiris de la C. Núñez-Chongo, Taimi Cárdenas-Díaz, Alfo J. Batista-Leyva and Francisco Cavas-Martínez
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(23), 11292; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112311292 - 29 Nov 2021
Viewed by 1561
Abstract
Corneal biomechanics aims to establish the physico-mathematical bases that allow for predicting the corneal response to physiological and pathological situations by creating models of tissue behavior. Determining the characteristic parameters of these models is a formidable challenge in the biomechanical modeling process. To [...] Read more.
Corneal biomechanics aims to establish the physico-mathematical bases that allow for predicting the corneal response to physiological and pathological situations by creating models of tissue behavior. Determining the characteristic parameters of these models is a formidable challenge in the biomechanical modeling process. To contribute to corneal tissue characterization, an experimental set-up was designed, built and tested to study corneal behavior by applying changes in pressure. The elastic constants of porcine corneas were determined, and a Young’s modulus of 0.188 MPa and 26.22% hysteresis were obtained. A computational cornea model was developed to analyze the influence of different factors. Minor variations in the applied conditions were found for apical displacement and pachymetry, and the corneal behavior was reproduced. However, the optical power behavior was affected by variations in the applied conditions, and the experimentally obtained data could not be reproduced. Despite its importance, this parameter has not been analyzed in-depth by other studies, which shows that the quality of a biomechanical cornea model should not be evaluated only by apical displacement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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9 pages, 241 KiB  
Article
How the Implementation of BREEAM in Hotels Could Help to Achieve the SDGs
by Maria M. Serrano-Baena, Rafael E. Hidalgo Fernández, Pilar Carranza-Cañadas and Paula Triviño-Tarradas
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(23), 11131; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112311131 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2911
Abstract
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was approved in 2015 by the United Nations. It is a call of action to protect our planet, end poverty and improve the lives and prospects of all. Sustainable development [...] Read more.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was approved in 2015 by the United Nations. It is a call of action to protect our planet, end poverty and improve the lives and prospects of all. Sustainable development has been fundamental in the tourism and construction sectors in the past few decades. Nowadays, developing countries are leaders in green engineering procedures, and progressively, hotels are including sustainable standards in their designs, architecture and management. In places where tourism is the main contributor to the Gross Domestic Product, the incorporation of energy certifications is crucial. In this context, this article explores the positive implications of the application of the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) on hotels in relation to the achievement of SDGs. The study analyses the influence of BREEAM on hotel design using six case studies and examines the sustainable modifications incorporated. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews and by the analysis of the documentation provided. The results revealed that a BREEAM approach in the initial stage of a project will optimize the sustainability of the hotel and can help with the achievement of several of the SDGs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
14 pages, 6393 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Healthy and Cam-Type Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) Human Hip Joints Using the Finite Element Method
by Rubén Lostado Lorza, Fátima Somovilla Gomez, Marina Corral Bobadilla, Saúl Íñiguez Macedo, Asier Rodríguez San Miguel, Enrique Fernández Martínez, Manuel Rubio Sampedro, Álvaro Pérez Sala, Rafael Peláez Cristóbal and Ignacio M. Larráyoz
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(23), 11101; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112311101 - 23 Nov 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2912
Abstract
In this study, a human hip joint with Cam-type Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) is studied by the Finite Element Method (FEM). This pathology consists of a malformation that causes a lack of sphericity of the head of the femur. In turn, this causes wear [...] Read more.
In this study, a human hip joint with Cam-type Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) is studied by the Finite Element Method (FEM). This pathology consists of a malformation that causes a lack of sphericity of the head of the femur. In turn, this causes wear and tear of the cartilage, a cause of early osteoarthritis of the hip. The objective is to use the FEM to analyze and compare the increase in the von Mises stress and displacement of the cartilage in healthy and damaged (with Cam-type) human hip joints that this syndrome affects. The 3D models were reconstructed from two medical CT scans of a healthy and a damaged hip joint that were obtained, five years apart, for a male of 80 kg in weight. The 3D models were reconstructed using 3D Slicer software. The cortical and trabecular bone, as well as the cartilage, were segmented. The defects were corrected by MesMixer software that generated STL files. Both models were imported into the Marc Mentat® software for the Finite Element Analysis (FEA). It was noted that the thickness of the cartilage decreased enormously during the five years, which suggests imminent mechanical contact between the head of the femur and the acetabulum of the pelvis. The FEA results showed an excessive increase in the stress and displacement of the cartilage. This will certainly result in a condition of osteoarthritis for the patient in the future years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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14 pages, 2055 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Modular Design Applicable in Prosumer Scope. Guideline in the Creation of a New Modular Design Model
by Laura Asión-Suñer and Ignacio López-Forniés
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10620; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112210620 - 11 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3362
Abstract
Modular design is the design based on independent and connectable modules to achieve product variety. It is an ideal tool that could facilitate the inclusion of prosumers in the creative process. However, its evolution has focused on product development and not on end [...] Read more.
Modular design is the design based on independent and connectable modules to achieve product variety. It is an ideal tool that could facilitate the inclusion of prosumers in the creative process. However, its evolution has focused on product development and not on end users. The creation of a new modular design model for prosumers could respond to their needs while exploiting the advantages of modularity. The present work analyzes the applicability of modular design in the prosumer scope and defines a guideline for the creation of the new model. To this end, prosumer and modular design methods are collected and analyzed throughout the previously defined design process. The intersection between both terms is analyzed through a series of real cases and design methods that show what the objectives of prosumers are and if the present products and methods meet their needs. These results will establish the current and potential link between modular design and prosumers. Finally, the objectives and stages to develop the design model based on previous results are presented. The paper presents relevant findings such as the lack of methods in the conceptual design phases and a guideline to ensure that the prosumer benefits from modular design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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13 pages, 4122 KiB  
Article
Influence of the Fractal Geometry on the Mechanical Resistance of Cantilever Beams Designed through Topology Optimization
by Pablo Pavón-Domínguez, Guillermo Portillo-García, Alejandro Rincón-Casado and Lucía Rodríguez-Parada
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10554; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112210554 - 9 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1826
Abstract
In this work, the complex geometry of beams obtained from topology optimization is characterized through the fractal dimension (FD). The fractal dimension is employed as an efficiency measure of the mass distribution in the beams, that is, the capacity of [...] Read more.
In this work, the complex geometry of beams obtained from topology optimization is characterized through the fractal dimension (FD). The fractal dimension is employed as an efficiency measure of the mass distribution in the beams, that is, the capacity of the optimized solutions to be efficiently distributed in the design space. Furthermore, the possible relationships between the fractal dimension and beams’ mechanical properties are explored. First, a set of theoretical beams are studied based on their well-known fractal dimension. A 3D fractal called Menger sponge is reproduced on a Michell’s beam (cantilever with a single force applied at the end). The programming codes that generate those beams are created in Matlab software, as are the algorithms for estimating the fractal dimension (box-counting method). Subsequently, identical beams are modelled in the software Inspire in order to apply the topology optimization and determine the mechanical parameters from the static analysis. Results indicate that the fractal dimension is affected by the design geometry and proposed optimized solutions. In addition, several relationships among fractal dimension and some mechanical resistance parameters could be established. The obtained relations depended on the objectives that were initially defined in the topology optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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13 pages, 2128 KiB  
Article
Digital Eco-Design and Life Cycle Assessment—Key Elements in a Circular Economy: A Case Study of a Conventional Desk
by Eduardo Martínez-Cámara, Jacinto Santamaría, Félix Sanz-Adán and David Arancón
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 10439; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112110439 - 6 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2887
Abstract
In recent times, there has been an indisputable need to move towards a more sustainable economy, known as a circular economy, which is basically aimed at reducing the consumption of newly extracted raw materials to manufacture products, and thus, reduces waste generation by [...] Read more.
In recent times, there has been an indisputable need to move towards a more sustainable economy, known as a circular economy, which is basically aimed at reducing the consumption of newly extracted raw materials to manufacture products, and thus, reduces waste generation by recycling products beyond their useful life to ultimately close the economic flow of the product. For the economy generated by products to close the circle, it is essential to tackle the problem at the source, that is, the process to achieve the desired product should be conducted by designing the product with environmental criteria (eco-design) and analysing its life cycle from the extraction process to the point when it ends its useful life (LCA). This article presents an ECO + LCA methodology that provides designers with an easy way of visualising the effect of their design decisions on the final environmental impact of the product. This methodology was tested on a case study of a conventional desk, with four alternative scenarios presented and an assessment of their final impact with a cradle-to-grave perspective. The final design obtained reduces the environmental impact by more than 30% and reduces costs by more than 11%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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12 pages, 1411 KiB  
Article
Building Tree Allometry Relationships Based on TLS Point Clouds and Machine Learning Regression
by Fernando J. Aguilar, Abderrahim Nemmaoui, Manuel A. Aguilar and Alberto Peñalver
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 10139; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112110139 - 29 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2003
Abstract
Most of the allometric models used to estimate tree aboveground biomass rely on tree diameter at breast height (DBH). However, it is difficult to measure DBH from airborne remote sensors, and is common to draw upon traditional least squares linear regression models to [...] Read more.
Most of the allometric models used to estimate tree aboveground biomass rely on tree diameter at breast height (DBH). However, it is difficult to measure DBH from airborne remote sensors, and is common to draw upon traditional least squares linear regression models to relate DBH with dendrometric variables measured from airborne sensors, such as tree height (H) and crown diameter (CD). This study explores the usefulness of ensemble-type supervised machine learning regression algorithms, such as random forest regression (RFR), categorical boosting (CatBoost), gradient boosting (GBoost), or AdaBoost regression (AdaBoost), as an alternative to linear regression (LR) for modelling the allometric relationships DBH = Φ(H) and DBH = Ψ(H, CD). The original dataset was made up of 2272 teak trees (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) belonging to three different plantations located in Ecuador. All teak trees were digitally reconstructed from terrestrial laser scanning point clouds. The results showed that allometric models involving both H and CD to estimate DBH performed better than those based solely on H. Furthermore, boosting machine learning regression algorithms (CatBoost and GBoost) outperformed RFR (bagging) and LR (traditional linear regression) models, both in terms of goodness-of-fit (R2) and stability (variations in training and testing samples). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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15 pages, 2522 KiB  
Article
Sustainability in the Design of an Itinerant Cultural Exhibition. Study of Two Alternatives
by Natalia Muñoz-López, Anna Biedermann, José Luis Santolaya-Sáenz, José Ignacio Valero-Martín and Ana Serrano-Tierz
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 9863; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11219863 - 22 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2476
Abstract
The sustainability improvement of museums and exhibitions is a recent concern for multiple organisations. The application of sustainability criteria is one of the most important strategies of innovation in design activities, products, and service systems. This study analyses the sustainability of two alternatives [...] Read more.
The sustainability improvement of museums and exhibitions is a recent concern for multiple organisations. The application of sustainability criteria is one of the most important strategies of innovation in design activities, products, and service systems. This study analyses the sustainability of two alternatives to an itinerant cultural exhibition service. The exhibition travels to 12 destinations over 3 years and is within a space of 300 m2. In the first alternative, the contents are printed and exposed on a physical medium, and in the second, audiovisual media projects the contents on the walls. Life cycle sustainability assessment is applied to evaluate the impacts in the environmental dimension and the economic and social dimensions. The calculation of indicators, such as the greenhouse gas emissions, total costs, and working time, which are referred to each sustainability dimension, is conducted. A descriptive, comparative study was performed to identify the impact factors with a higher incidence. The results demonstrate that the audiovisual exhibition is more sustainable than the printed exhibition, with a difference of 8.7%, 7%, and 6.6% in GWP100, CE, and TW indicators, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Design Engineering II)
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