Key parameters may be used to turn a bad design into a good design with comparatively little effort. The proposed method identifies key parameters in high-dimensional nonlinear systems that are subject to uncertainty. A numerical optimization algorithm seeks a solution space on which all designs are good, that is, they satisfy a specified design criterion. The solution space is box-shaped and provides target intervals for each parameter. A bad design may be turned into a good design by moving its key parameters into their target intervals. The solution space is computed so as to minimize the effort for design work: its shape is controlled by particular constraints such that it can be reached by changing only a small number of key parameters. Wide target intervals provide tolerance against uncertainty, which is naturally present in a design process, when design parameters are unknown or cannot be controlled exactly. In a simple two-dimensional example problem, the accuracy of the algorithm is demonstrated. In a high-dimensional vehicle crash design problem, an underperforming vehicle front structure is improved by identifying and appropriately changing a relevant key parameter.
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Munich 80937,
e-mail: Johannes.Fender@bmw.de
Munich 80937,
e-mail: Lavinia.Graff@bmw.de
and Computer Science,
University of Basel,
Basel 4051,
e-mail: Helmut.Harbrecht@unibas.ch
Munich 80937,
e-mail: markusz@alum.mit.edu
Article navigation
April 2014
Research-Article
Identifying Key Parameters for Design Improvement in High-Dimensional Systems With Uncertainty
Johannes Fender,
Munich 80937,
e-mail: Johannes.Fender@bmw.de
Johannes Fender
BMW Group Research and Innovation Center
,Knorrstr. 147
,Munich 80937,
Germany
e-mail: Johannes.Fender@bmw.de
Search for other works by this author on:
L. Graff,
Munich 80937,
e-mail: Lavinia.Graff@bmw.de
L. Graff
BMW Group Research and Innovation Center
,Knorrstr. 147
,Munich 80937,
Germany
e-mail: Lavinia.Graff@bmw.de
Search for other works by this author on:
H. Harbrecht,
and Computer Science,
University of Basel,
Basel 4051,
e-mail: Helmut.Harbrecht@unibas.ch
H. Harbrecht
Department of Mathematics
and Computer Science,
University of Basel,
Rheinsprung 21
,Basel 4051,
Switzerland
e-mail: Helmut.Harbrecht@unibas.ch
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Markus Zimmermann
Munich 80937,
e-mail: markusz@alum.mit.edu
Markus Zimmermann
1
BMW Group Research and Innovation Center
,Knorrstr. 147
,Munich 80937,
Germany
e-mail: markusz@alum.mit.edu
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Johannes Fender
BMW Group Research and Innovation Center
,Knorrstr. 147
,Munich 80937,
Germany
e-mail: Johannes.Fender@bmw.de
L. Graff
BMW Group Research and Innovation Center
,Knorrstr. 147
,Munich 80937,
Germany
e-mail: Lavinia.Graff@bmw.de
H. Harbrecht
Department of Mathematics
and Computer Science,
University of Basel,
Rheinsprung 21
,Basel 4051,
Switzerland
e-mail: Helmut.Harbrecht@unibas.ch
Markus Zimmermann
BMW Group Research and Innovation Center
,Knorrstr. 147
,Munich 80937,
Germany
e-mail: markusz@alum.mit.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Design Automation Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received April 19, 2013; final manuscript received January 24, 2014; published online February 28, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Rikard Söderberg.
J. Mech. Des. Apr 2014, 136(4): 041007 (10 pages)
Published Online: February 28, 2014
Article history
Received:
April 19, 2013
Revision Received:
January 24, 2014
Citation
Fender, J., Graff, L., Harbrecht, H., and Zimmermann, M. (February 28, 2014). "Identifying Key Parameters for Design Improvement in High-Dimensional Systems With Uncertainty." ASME. J. Mech. Des. April 2014; 136(4): 041007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4026647
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