*3.2.1 Identification of needs and formulation of engineering problem(s)*

A machine needed to be designed for use in extraction of essential oils from African herbs. A full design with drawings (mechanical, electrical and hydraulic) was to be completed so that students could manufacture and test the machine.

## *3.2.1.1 Requirements and constraints*


**81**

**Figure 11.**

**Figure 10.**

*Herbal oil extraction: different heating concepts [33].*

*System layout for a small scale herbal oil extractor.*

*Mechanical Engineering Design: Going over the Analysis-Synthesis Mountain to Seed Creativity*

The student considered five concepts as shown in **Figure 10**. He settled for concept number 3 on account of ease of manufacture, minimal heating element corrosion risks, and maximum heat transfer area, thereby reducing heating time.

Having selected the mode of heating for the herbs, the student laid out the design as in **Figure 11**. Then he did a detailed analysis of the chosen concept in virtual form to give specifications in **Table 3**, followed by detailed engineering

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85174*

*3.2.2 Concepts development and selection*

*3.2.3 Detailed design and specifications*

drawings of each machine element in the system.

*Mechanical Engineering Design: Going over the Analysis-Synthesis Mountain to Seed Creativity DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85174*
