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Graphical and text-based design interfaces for parameter design of an I-beam, desk lamp, aircraft wing, and job shop manufacturing system

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Abstract

In this paper we describe four design optimization problems and corresponding design interfaces that have been developed to help assess the impact of fast, graphical interfaces for design space visualization and optimization. The design problems involve the design of an I-beam, desk lamp, aircraft wing, and job shop manufacturing system. The problems vary in size from 2 to 6 inputs and 2 to 7 outputs, where the outputs are formulated as either a multiobjective optimization problem or a constrained, single objective optimization problem. Graphical and text-based design interfaces have been developed for the I-beam and desk lamp problems, and two sets of graphical design interfaces have been developed for the aircraft wing and job shop design problems that vary in the number of input variables and analytical complexity, respectively. Response delays ranging from 0.0 to 1.5 s have been imposed in the interfaces to mimic computationally expensive analyses typical of complex engineering design problems, allowing us to study the impact of delay on user performance. In addition to describing each problem, we discuss the experimental methods that we use, including the experimental factors, performance measures, and protocol. The focus in this paper is to publicize and share our design interfaces as well as our insights with other researchers who are developing tools to support design space visualization and exploration.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMI-0084918. We are indebted to the graduate students who worked on this project—Gary Stump, Martin Meckesheimer, Chris Ligetti, Britt Holewinski, and Param Iyer—as well as the undergraduate students, Kim Barron and Chris Ligetti, who were supported on REU supplements to our grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Engineering Design, The Pennsylvania State University, 329 Leonhard Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Timothy W. Simpson

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Mary Frecker

  3. Supply Chain and Information Systems, Smeal College of Business, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Russell R. Barton

  4. Harold & Inge Marcus Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Ling Rothrock

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  1. Timothy W. Simpson
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Correspondence to Timothy W. Simpson.

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Simpson, T.W., Frecker, M., Barton, R.R. et al. Graphical and text-based design interfaces for parameter design of an I-beam, desk lamp, aircraft wing, and job shop manufacturing system. Engineering with Computers 23, 93–107 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-006-0045-7

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