OPTIMAL DESIGN PROBLEM SOLUTION

OPTIMAL PROBLEM FORMULATION

So continuing with the last discussion of optimization, we discussed about “WHAT IS OPTIMIZATION”. Now we will discuss about the use of algorithm and OPTIMAL PROBLEM FORMULATION.

As, I have already told that in many industrial design activities, a naïve optimal design is achieved by comparing a few (limited upto ten or more) alternative design solution are created by using a priori problem knowledge.

In this activity, we first investigate the feasibility of each design solution and thereafter an estimate of the underlying objective (cost, profit etc.) of each design is calculated and we ended with adopting the best design solution.

We follow this method because of the limitation of resources and time and also because of the lack of knowledge of existing optimization procedure.

So, we need the design procedure or algorithm in order to solve it systematically and come up with better solutions in terms of the chosen objective- cost, efficiency, safety, or others aspects.

Now, we will begin our discussion with the formulation procedure by bringing into your notice that it is almost impossible to apply a single formulation procedure for all engineering design problems.

Since objective of designing the variable vary from product to product, different techniques need to be used in different problems. Purpose of this formulation procedure is to create a mathematical model of the optimal design problem, which then can be solved using an optimization algorithm. Since an optimization algorithm accepts an optimization problem in a particular format, every optimal design problem must be formulated in that format.