Support of system analyses and improvement in industrial design trough the C&CM

The Contact and Channel Model (C&CM) through a clear set of model building blocks, i.e. Working
Surface Pairs (WSP) and Channel and Support Structures (CSS), provides a free and dynamic way of
modelling to argue systematically about design problem. Regardless whether designers want to
generate a new solution for a component, make major modifications or change a very small detail,
they can approach the problem in the same way and apply the same thinking steps. This paper
introduces a compendium enforcing an effective procedure of building up C&CM models through its
application in a real, through time and cost pressure characterized design project. The contribution
shows how the C&CM helps designers to escape a typical trap of pre-fixation.