Engineering is an art form, and like art, engineers often face a blank canvas, idea, or undefined goal. At times, ideas can be difficult to come by unless proper variables are met to fill the equation (canvas). In my first 3D CAD course, I attempted to make a puzzle cube from scratch, the only constraints being the cube’s size and number of parts to make the cube into a puzzle. For a high school freshman who had just been introduced to the concept of extrusion, this was a challenging task because I had no prior experience or reference in mind, just a blank workspace. Eventually, with a bit of artistic liberty, I developed an exploded section of the puzzle cube in a single schematic..
When starting a schematic or rendering, it is important to evaluate the client’s requirements, goals, needs, and/or wants. Client requirements can range from a professor asking for a solution to a problem to a company requisitioning the production of a special part. Constant and qualitative communication with the client is key to fully understanding your client’s needs and desired outcomes. I remember working in my engineering internship at DECA Manufacturing to prototype wire harnesses for a certain company. The engineers at this company needed a certain part to be thermally protected but did not provide any specific details on how it was to be achieved. Without having all the data, our team had to ask specific questions to clarify the client’s requirements.
This is the point where the fundamentals of engineering force you to ask, “Is the part scientifically viable? How does it behave under stress and constant use? Does it follow federal and state regulations?” A team of engineers who focus on different aspects of the project can more effectively answer these questions versus one engineer attempting to hammer out a solution on their own, with a limited range of experience or understanding. Producing a schematic and/or plan is an essential tool for engineers to better visualize and synchronize their efforts toward achieving intended goals. With a little patience and understanding, proper communication between all parties led the DECA Manufacturing team toward the successful production and delivery of three unique sample harnesses to the client engineers for testing.
In my senior design project at MNVU, I had to figure out how the wireless communication systems of a UAV should act and work. After delving into the theory of polarization and directionality, I had to explain this theory to both the lead engineer and the project manager to justify why ordering those new parts is essential to the project’s overall success.
As you can see, from start to finish, communication is key in every project. You must first qualitatively communicate with the client in order to understand the client’s goals, wants, and needs. Next, you need to communicate within a team environment the feasibility and efficiencies required for the project. Finally, you need to communicate the project back to the client to see if your deliverables meet their approval (met expectations and goals) or were denied (failed to meet the basic requirements of their outlined goals).
A great schematic will lead to better communication and synchronization between all parties who, despite having differing perspectives, can use the schematic to effectively work together to develop solutions that solve problems and satisfy client goals. As such, a schematic should not leave more questions than answers, and a great schematic would not leave any questions at all. This is true for any discipline of engineering because schematics are just how we communicate. Doing so with a bit of artistic flair couldn’t hurt.