Research tools for design margins

MARVIN

Research tools for analysing design margins in complex engineered systems

Three integrated modules — parametric margin valuation, top-down margin allocation, and probabilistic margin risk — built around the Margin Value Method.

Open tool References
Module 3 · MARVIN

Probabilistic Margin Analysis

Publications underpinning change propagation analysis and its application to margins.

If you use the PMA module in research or industry, please cite Clarkson's primary CPM paper. Background and related publications are listed below for context.

Primary method — Change Prediction Method

  1. Clarkson, P. J., Simons, C., & Eckert, C. (2004). Predicting change propagation in complex design. Journal of Mechanical Design, 126(5), 788–797.

Margin and change propagation

  1. Brahma, A. (2020). Engineering Design Change Propagation and its Mitigation Using Margins. Doctoral dissertation, University of Auckland.
  2. Brahma, A. & Wynn, D. C. (2021). Margin value method for engineering design improvement. Research in Engineering Design, 32(4), 461–480.

Design Structure Matrix

  1. Steward, D. V. (1981). The design structure system: a method for managing the design of complex systems. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 28(3), 71–74.
  2. Eppinger, S. D., & Browning, T. R. (2012). Design Structure Matrix Methods and Applications. MIT Press.

Background — further reading

  1. Eckert, C., Clarkson, P. J., & Zanker, W. (2004). Change and customisation in complex engineering domains. Research in Engineering Design, 15(1), 1–21.
  2. See the full Scholarship page for the latest publications by A. Brahma on margins and change propagation.

How to cite this module

To cite the PMA module within MARVIN, please cite Clarkson's CPM paper above and link to this site:

Recommended citation Clarkson, P. J., Simons, C., & Eckert, C. (2004). Predicting change propagation in complex design. Journal of Mechanical Design, 126(5), 788–797. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1765117. Software: MARVIN research tools, Probabilistic Margin Analysis module, available at marvin (this site).