A decision support tool for intelligent manufacturing systems via an elevator kinematic optimisation based method

This paper presents a novel centralised method to solve the manufacturing parameter design problem based on evolutionary computation elements using a novel elevator kinematic optimisation algorithm. The new method is referred to as compromise multi response surface optimisation method. Its evolutionary computation nature simultaneously produces several flexi-design plans to prevent a high number of experiments and is used within the design phase of Taguchi arrays. The new method also provides various channels via available information for choosing the parameter levels during the analysis phase without new individual fitting sets. The industrial application used for benchmarking the new approach revealed that the proposed design and analysis method could lead to better optimal solutions for complex processes such as resistance welding than those of a conventional Taguchi method.

Automated summary

This paper presents a centralised method based on evolutionary computation elements and a novel elevator kinematic optimisation algorithm to solve the manufacturing parameter design problem. The method, called compromise multi response surface optimisation method, simultaneously produces multiple flexi-design plans to reduce the number of experiments and is used in the design phase of Taguchi arrays. The method also allows for choosing parameter levels during the analysis phase without new individual fitting sets using available information. Benchmarking results from industrial application indicate that the proposed method can lead to better optimal solutions for complex processes such as resistance welding compared to the conventional Taguchi method.