In the modern design technology, a component should be designed to fit into the overall system performance. A design methodology is developed to expedite the mechan- ical design of complex mechanical systems, The relation between the system design and component design is defined by a top-down approach and the results from the system design are utilized in the component design process. As a design example, an automobile exhaust system is selected for the system design and a bellows is chosen for a component design. Design methodology based on the top-down approach consists of five steps; (1) Analysis of service load, (2) Development of a lumped parameter, (3) Completion of the system design, (4) Selection of the component topology, (5) Completion of the component design, A method using a equivalent matrix is developed in order to determine unknown external forces in linear structural analyses. The bellows is also analyzed by the finite element method using a conical frustum shell element. Various experiments are performed to verify the developed theories. The top-down desi- gn approach is demonstrated by a design case using structural and shape optimization technology. Since the method is relatively simple and easy compared to other methods, it can be applied to the general design where system and component designs are involves simultaneously.