[moved] Tips for effective collaboration between mechanical & electrical designers

[FlexNugget]

[moved] Tips for effective collaboration between mechanical & electrical designers

I'm considering hiring a freelance electrical engineer to produce circuit schematics for a remote control vehicle concept. My intent is to bring these schematics to a PCB designer to create Gerber files for manufacturing. How can I help my electrical engineer design a circuit schematic that best reflects the design intent of the vehicle?

So far I've compiled written and illustrated descriptions of the vehicle's function along with several rudimentary (and definitely flawed) attempts at circuit schematics. I also have conceptual mechanical drawings of the vehicle with approximated sizes and locations for electrical components. I have already selected motors, batteries, and external sensors, but would be open to suggestions from the person I hire.

What else can I bring to the table that will help facilitate effective collaboration between the mechanical and electrical halves of the project?

 

[srizbf]

Re: [moved] Tips for effective collaboration between mechanical & electrical designer

first , and foremost ,the would be engineer should understand (or to be given) the overall intention of what the electrical parts should do and what are the mechanical components it has to control.

This is trivial but it reduces the chance of assumptions on the design engineer.

Develop a blackbox diagram of each module or section that you intend to put in and clearly mark the inputs and outputs from the section.

for each and every part of the blockdiagram(box) give as much technical details as possible to the would be hired engineer.

 

[Warpspeed]

Re: [moved] Tips for effective collaboration between mechanical & electrical designer

An in depth and realistic specification of the overall requirements might be very helpful. That can be a lot more difficult than it at first appears.

No good telling the engineer we need to monitor the position of a moving part.
With what resolution, what error, what speed of response and how frequently must it be measured ?

Unfortunately planning meetings involving many completely unrelated disciplines can often come up with some very unrealistic and impractical expectations.

You need an electronics guru that is also an unashamed car nut, not just an electronics specialist.
Somebody with a long track record of successful commercial electronic R&D that races motorbikes at the weekend, or has built his own hot rod for example.

 

[marce]

Re: [moved] Tips for effective collaboration between mechanical & electrical designer

3D cad system and IDF interface between electrical and mechanical CAD....