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Definition of Design Intent
4

Definition of Design Intent

Definition of Design Intent

(OP)
Hello everyone!

Does formal definition of a term 'Design Intent' exist? I'm interested in the version of it that is related to the parametric CAD models. I found it hard to find a strict definition, perhaps because it is considered a universal knowledge.

www.cadroad.com

RE: Definition of Design Intent

In my opinion, the only legitimate source for an accurate expression of "design intent" is from the designer himself, in his own words.

RE: Definition of Design Intent

That basically is the only definition of the term I've ever heard. The definition of design intent is "Whatever the designer meant when he made it up."

It's just that some software lets you type in formula instead of raw numbers. Formulas are more expressive of a designers intentions. "(dist5-dist10) + 0.005" is more descriptive than "2.995" and might give a clue about why the designer made it the way they did.

It's just a description of an idea. It's not a technical term with a verbose and enlightening definition.

RE: Definition of Design Intent

"Design" and "intent" mean the same thing. Just gotta ask yerself: "what am I trying to accomplish here?"

RE: Definition of Design Intent

I am not aware of a "formal" definition of the term. I am curious though, what is the reason for your inquiry? Is it unclear to you? Have you seen it interpreted in different ways? Curious.

RE: Definition of Design Intent

From the Solidworks website:

"Design intent is how your model behaves when dimensions are modified.

An example of design intent is how you create and dimension a hole in a block. The hole can be a certain distance from a corner or edge, or it can be in the middle of the face, for example. If the size of the block or the hole changes, the part rebuilds correctly if the design intent has been considered in the definition."

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Did you Google? parametric CAD models design intent

Walt

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Nescius (Mechanical)

"Design intent is how you want your model to behaves when dimensions are modified.

--
JHG

RE: Definition of Design Intent

I think most of us have used the phrase "the machine operates in accordance with the original design intent", particularly when responding to customer service.

I think most of us know what is meant ... the machine was designed to perform some operation within some parameters.

As for a definition, I'd look to some contract language that uses the term.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

RE: Definition of Design Intent

See, I always went more along the lines of the design intent should follow the functional intent and should then support a robust tolerancing and dimensioning scheme for the real parts etc.

There's lots of fancy stuff that CAD can do to help with the initial design that the trainers from the CAD company will say is capturing design intent etc. but then when you get to the point you need to lock it down for production can come an bite you in the a$$ for future maintenance of the design.

Posting guidelines FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm? (probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?

RE: Definition of Design Intent

have you googled "definition design intent" ?

there were several hits that might be going where you want to ...

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Ask a lawyer

RE: Definition of Design Intent

(OP)
Of course, I tried googling Desing Intent Definition. It is how I realised that no formal definintion actually exists. Moreover, I KNOW what is design intent. I merely was interested to find if there is a universal formal definition that I can use rather than explainig it evety time I need it.

www.cadroad.com

RE: Definition of Design Intent

PrintScaffold,

Think about context. I never heard the term "design intent" before I got trained on 3D CAD. It makes sense. There are many, many way to parametrically model just about anything. In a design process in which the final part configuration is uncertain, you have to make decisions, and you anticipate changes. For example, in a sheet metal part, I am likely to change the material thickness. Any model that cannot cope with this, is bad. Part of my design intent will be to use the same thickness of the same material on each and every part of the assembly.

--
JHG

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Quote:

I KNOW what is design intent.

That's what all the HR witches say about 'dress casual', while they are writing you up for dressing appropriately for whatever you are trying to do.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Definition of Design Intent

"rather than explainig it evety time I need it." ... who doesn't understand the term, so you have to explain it (repeatedly)?

as it happens there are several meanings ... I'd've never considered the 3D drafting meaning, but it's there if it helps !

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Back in the old days, when I was working as a draftsman (pre-CAD), we used to tell the shop to simply "Make it like the Drawing".

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Yeah, back in the old days, the engineer would bring down some drawings to the Model Shop...and then a week later you'd see him again, running around, pulling his hair out, asking, "You didn't make it like the DRAWING, did you? Here's some more changes!"

I propose the term "design intent" is what the "chair farters" refer to when they have a completed GOOD part. dazed

Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..

To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?

RE: Definition of Design Intent

JohnRBaker,

You mean MIL-TFD-41?

--
JHG

RE: Definition of Design Intent

My experience was MIL-TFD-oh crap..!

Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..

To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?

RE: Definition of Design Intent

A handgun that kills a person is functioning within its design intent. A teddy bear that kills a person is not.

RE: Definition of Design Intent

TheTick,

Doesn't that depend on who designed the teddy bear? Why hasn't this come up on a James Bond movie?

--
JHG

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Yea, I like that one KENET (and drawoh)...

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

RE: Definition of Design Intent

Design intent doesn't matter. What matters is a clear specification of desired results.

No one intends parts or mechanisms or systems to fail to meet specifications, so nothing meets design intent.

For the most part, it is a vague term to bolster an argument when drawing interpretation is being made by someone who can't read drawings or (less frequently) when the drawing is not clear. But that is why a clear specification is better; no guessing what the 'intent' might have been.

RE: Definition of Design Intent

And in the wonderful world of in-service-support of small fleets where every one was built differently, we talk about "restoring the design intent" when the post-collision repair, the obsolescence modification or the fix to cope with the fact that the factory put a frame in upside down (or missed it out altogether) results in a system that has the required strength, performance, reliability, level of redundancy or whatever else it was that got mucked up without actually conforming to the detail of the original design.

When we talk about "design intent" that way, we usually manage to narrow the discussion to consideration of just one of those considerations (strength, etc) at a time - guaranteeing us something else to talk about the following week.

A.

RE: Definition of Design Intent

In my experience in the context of 3D modeling the term 'Design intent' applies to how the model is interpreted into the drawn item. This is a particular problem when parts are modeled in one place by one team then turned into manufacturing drawings by another, remotely located, team. The designer may have laid a part out using a particular set of intersects to derive the form he requires but this is not always clear to the translating draughtsman and the final drawing may then not be a true reflection of the 'Design intent'.
I have yet to find a satisfactory solution to this issue although I do try and give an explanation up front and in the case of Catia try to have the originating 3D model sketch reflect the final drawing dimension scheme.

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