Chris McMahon (academic)

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Christopher Alan McMahon
Born (1955-06-30) 30 June 1955 (age 68)
Clevedon, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Mechanical engineer, academic and design researcher

Christopher Alan McMahon is a British mechanical engineer, academic and a researcher. He is a retired professor of engineering design and serves as senior research fellow and senior associate teacher at the University of Bristol. [1]

Contents

McMahon has published two editions of a textbook on computer-aided design and manufacture, and authored a number of research papers focusing on engineering design and computer-aided design, especially concerning the application of computers to the management of information and uncertainty in design and design automation. [2]

Education and early career

McMahon graduated in mechanical engineering from the University of Bristol in 1978; prior to working in the railway and then automotive industries. [1]

Academic career

McMahon joined the University of Bristol as a lecturer in 1984, and worked there until 2002, when he joined the University of Bath. He was promoted to professor of engineering design in 2005, becoming director of Bath's Integrated Design and Manufacturing Research Centre. In 2012 he returned to the University of Bristol as professor of engineering design. In 2017 and 2018 he worked in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Denmark. [1]

Research

McMahon's research interests include engineering design and computer-aided design, focusing on the application of computers to the management of information and uncertainty in design and design automation. He has carried out research in knowledge and information management for complex long-lived engineering products and systems, in information requirements of engineering designers and in systems to support their information organization and access. He has also researched in annotation in design, risk and uncertainty management in design, in component durability and reliability, and in eco-design and design for remanufacturing. The majority of his work has been carried out in conjunction with industry. [2]

His research on computer aided design and manufacture (CADCAM) includes the introduction of a general purpose ontology-driven annotation approach for recording view-point dependent information in CAD, [3] and work on the use of parametric and associative CAD systems to support the complex and lengthy design activities in the automotive industry. [4]

He and his colleagues conducted in order to examine the barriers to improving information management in engineering companies, and to develop a set of core issues to inform their long term planning of information systems strategy. [5] In a 2006 paper, hen proposed an information accessing framework using computational classification technologies. He also presented the use of multiple document structure views using decomposition schemes. His proposed framework combines automatic fragment extraction, markup technologies, document structure study and faceted classification for retrieving specific document fragment. [6]

McMahon has made a number of observations on the diversity of design research, applying his experience in information management to the categorization of design research activities. He has also published influential review papers on knowledge management in engineering design, noting the broad division between personalisation and codification approaches, [7] and on informatics in engineering design. [8]

Professional activities

McMahon is associated as an editorial board member with various journals including Research in Engineering Design, [9] Journal of Engineering Design, Advanced Engineering Informatics, International Journal of PLM, AIEDAM and She Ji: Journal of Design, [10] Economics and Innovation. In 2005, he joined the Board of Management of the Design Society and served as its president from 2011 to 2013. [11] He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Together with Jimmie Browne of the National University of Ireland, Galway, in 1992 McMahon published a textbook on computer-aided design and manufacture CADCAM From Principles to Practice (second edition, 1998). [12]

In 2020, McMahon published a translation of Philippe Bihouix's book, The Age of Low Tech: Towards a Technologically Sustainable Civilization. [13]

Bibliography

Books

Selected articles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineering</span> Applied science and research

Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to solve technical problems, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve systems. Modern engineering comprises many subfields which include designing and improving infrastructure, machinery, vehicles, electronics, materials, and energy systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mechanical engineering</span> Engineering discipline

Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering branches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided design</span> Constructing a product by means of computer

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation, and to create a database for manufacturing. Designs made through CAD software help protect products and inventions when used in patent applications. CAD output is often in the form of electronic files for print, machining, or other manufacturing operations. The terms computer-aided drafting (CAD) and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) are also used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided manufacturing</span> Use of software to control industrial processes

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) also known as computer-aided modeling or computer-aided machining is the use of software to control machine tools in the manufacturing of work pieces. This is not the only definition for CAM, but it is the most common. It may also refer to the use of a computer to assist in all operations of a manufacturing plant, including planning, management, transportation and storage. Its primary purpose is to create a faster production process and components and tooling with more precise dimensions and material consistency, which in some cases, uses only the required amount of raw material, while simultaneously reducing energy consumption. CAM is now a system used in schools and lower educational purposes. CAM is a subsequent computer-aided process after computer-aided design (CAD) and sometimes computer-aided engineering (CAE), as the model generated in CAD and verified in CAE can be input into CAM software, which then controls the machine tool. CAM is used in many schools alongside CAD to create objects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mechatronics</span> Combination of electronics and mechanics

Mechatronics engineering, also called mechatronics, is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering that focuses on the integration of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering, and also includes a combination of robotics, computer science, telecommunications, systems, control, and product engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Product lifecycle</span> Duration of processing of products from inception, to engineering, design & manufacture

In industry, product lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its inception through the engineering, design and manufacture, as well as the service and disposal of manufactured products. PLM integrates people, data, processes, and business systems and provides a product information backbone for companies and their extended enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided technologies</span> Index of articles associated with the same name

Computer-aided technologies (CAx) is the use of computer technology to aid in the design, analysis, and manufacture of products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-integrated manufacturing</span> Manufacturing controlled by computers

Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) is the manufacturing approach of using computers to control the entire production process. This integration allows individual processes to exchange information with each part. Manufacturing can be faster and less error-prone by the integration of computers. Typically CIM relies on closed-loop control processes based on real-time input from sensors. It is also known as flexible design and manufacturing.

Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain of manufacturing design and production. The design process is inherently a knowledge-intensive activity, so a great deal of the emphasis for KBE is on the use of knowledge-based technology to support computer-aided design (CAD) however knowledge-based techniques can be applied to the entire product lifecycle.

Model-based definition (MBD), sometimes called digital product definition (DPD), is the practice of using 3D models within 3D CAD software to define individual components and product assemblies. The types of information included are geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), component level materials, assembly level bills of materials, engineering configurations, design intent, etc. By contrast, other methodologies have historically required accompanying use of 2D engineering drawings to provide such details.

Douglas Taylor "Doug" Ross was an American computer scientist pioneer, and chairman of SofTech, Inc. He is most famous for originating the term CAD for computer-aided design, and is considered to be the father of Automatically Programmed Tools (APT), a programming language to drive numerical control in manufacturing. His later work focused on a pseudophilosophy he developed and named Plex.

Delcam is a supplier of advanced CAD/CAM software for the manufacturing industry. The company has grown steadily since being founded formally in 1977, after initial development work at Cambridge University, UK. It is now a global developer of product design and manufacturing software, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in North America, South America, Europe and Asia with a total staff of over 800 people and local support provided from over 300 re-seller offices worldwide. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 6 February 2014, when it was acquired by Autodesk. It now operates as a wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary of Autodesk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manufacturing engineering</span> Branch of engineering

Manufacturing engineering or production engineering is a branch of professional engineering that shares many common concepts and ideas with other fields of engineering such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, and industrial engineering. Manufacturing engineering requires the ability to plan the practices of manufacturing; to research and to develop tools, processes, machines and equipment; and to integrate the facilities and systems for producing quality products with the optimum expenditure of capital. Transitioning the product to manufacture it in volumes is considered part of product engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drafter</span> Person who makes technical drawings

A drafter is an engineering technician who makes detailed technical drawings or plans for machinery, buildings, electronics, infrastructure, sections, etc. Drafters use computer software and manual sketches to convert the designs, plans, and layouts of engineers and architects into a set of technical drawings. Drafters operate as the supporting developers and sketch engineering designs and drawings from preliminary design concepts.

The term Engineering Informatics may be related to information engineering, computer engineering, or computational engineering, among others meanings. This word is used with different context in different countries. In general, some people assume that the central area of interest in informatics is information processing within man-made artificial (engineering) systems, called also computational or computer systems. The focus on artificial systems separates informatics from psychology and cognitive science, which focus on information processing within natural systems. However, nowadays these fields have areas where they overlap, e.g. in field of affective computing.

There is a large body of knowledge that designers call upon and use during the design process to match the ever-increasing complexity of design problems. Design knowledge can be classified into two categories: product knowledge and design process knowledge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siemens NX</span> Computer-aided design software

NX, formerly known as "unigraphics", is an advanced high-end CAD/CAM/CAE, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software. In 2000, Unigraphics purchased SDRC I-DEAS and began an effort to integrate aspects of both software packages into a single product which became Unigraphics NX or NX.

Industrial and production engineering (IPE) is an interdisciplinary engineering discipline that includes manufacturing technology, engineering sciences, management science, and optimization of complex processes, systems, or organizations. It is concerned with the understanding and application of engineering procedures in manufacturing processes and production methods. Industrial engineering dates back all the way to the industrial revolution, initiated in 1700s by Sir Adam Smith, Henry Ford, Eli Whitney, Frank Gilbreth and Lilian Gilbreth, Henry Gantt, F.W. Taylor, etc. After the 1970s, industrial and production engineering developed worldwide and started to widely use automation and robotics. Industrial and production engineering includes three areas: Mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, and management science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C3D Toolkit</span> Geometric modelling kernel

C3D Toolkit is a proprietary cross-platform geometric modeling kit software developed by Russian by C3D Labs. It's written in C++. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products. The most widely known software in which C3D Toolkit is typically used are computer aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided engineering (CAE) systems.

Karthik Ramani is an Indian born American researcher, mechanical engineer, and entrepreneur. He is the Donald W. Feddersen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, with courtesy appointments in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Educational Studies in the College of Education. Previously, from 2001-2008, he was the Director of the Center for Information Sciences in Engineering at Purdue University.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bristol, University of. "People". www.bristol.ac.uk.
  2. 1 2 "Chris McMahon - Google Scholar". scholar.google.com.
  3. ↑ Li, Chun Lei; McMahon, Chris; Newnes, Linda (2013). "Supporting multiple engineering viewpoints in computer-aided design using ontology-based annotations". Ds 75-6: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Engineering Design (Iced13), Design for Harmonies, Vol.6: Design Information and Knowledge, Seoul, Korea, 19-22.08.2013: 249–258.
  4. ↑ Salehi, Vahid; McMahon, Chris (January 2011). "Development and Application of an Integrated Approach for Parametric Associative CAD Design in an Industrial Context". Computer-Aided Design and Applications. 8 (2): 225–236. doi: 10.3722/cadaps.2011.225-236 .
  5. ↑ Hicks, B.J.; Culley, S.J.; McMahon, C.A. (August 2006). "A study of issues relating to information management across engineering SMEs". International Journal of Information Management. 26 (4): 267–289. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2006.03.006.
  6. ↑ Liu, S.; McMahon, C.A.; Darlington, M.J.; Culley, S.J.; Wild, P.J. (October 2006). "A computational framework for retrieval of document fragments based on decomposition schemes in engineering information management". Advanced Engineering Informatics. 20 (4): 401–413. doi:10.1016/j.aei.2006.05.008.
  7. ↑ "Knowledge management in engineering design: Personalization and codification".
  8. ↑ "Design informatics: Supporting engineering design processes with information technology".
  9. ↑ "Research in Engineering Design". Springer.
  10. ↑ "She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation Editorial Board" – via www.journals.elsevier.com.
  11. ↑ "A Bit of History".
  12. ↑ McMahon, Chris; Browne, Jimmie (1998). CADCAM: Principles, Practice and Manufacturing Management (2nd ed.). ISBN   0201178192.
  13. ↑ Philippe, Bihouix (2020). The Age of Low Tech: Towards a Technologically Sustainable Civilization. Policy Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv177tgng. ISBN   978-1-5292-1329-4. JSTOR   j.ctv177tgng. S2CID   226352059.
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