The Complementary Roles of Knowledge-Based Systems and Numerical Optimization in Engineering Design Software

1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ellsworth ◽  
A. Parkinson ◽  
F. Cain

In many engineering design problems, the designer converges upon a good design by iteratively evaluating a mathematical model of the design problem. The trial-and-error method used by the designer to converge upon a solution may be complex and difficult to capture in an expert system. It is suggested that in many cases, the design rule base could be made significantly smaller and more maintainable by using numerical optimization methods to identify the best design. The expert system is then used to define the optimization problem and interpret the solution, as well as to apply the true heuristics to the problem. An example of such an expert system is presented for the design of a valve anticavitation device. Because of the capabilities provided by the optimization software, the expert system has been able to outperform the expert in the test cases evaluated so far.

Author(s):  
R. Ellsworth ◽  
A. Parkinson ◽  
F. Cain

Abstract In many engineering design problems, the designer converges upon a good design by iteratively evaluating a mathematical model of the design problem. The trial-and-error method used by the designer to converge upon a solution may be complex and difficult to capture in an expert system. It is suggested that in many cases, the design rule base could be made significantly smaller and more maintainable by using numerical optimization methods to identify the best design. The expert system is then used to define the optimization problem and interpret the solution, as well as to apply the true heuristics to the problem. An example of such an expert system is presented for the design of a valve anti-cavitation device. Because of the capabilities provided by the optimization software, the expert system has been able to outperform the expert in the test cases evaluated so far.


1988 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
E G McCluskey ◽  
S Thompson ◽  
D M G McSherry

Many engineering design problems require reference to standards or codes of practice to ensure that acceptable safety and performance criteria are met. Extracting relevant data from such documents can, however, be a problem for the unfamiliar user. The use of expert systems to guide the retrieval of information from standards and codes of practice is proposed as a means of alleviating this problem. Following a brief introduction to expert system techniques, a tool developed by the authors for building expert system guides to standards and codes of practice is described. The steps involved in encoding the knowledge contained in an arbitrarily chosen standard are illustrated. Finally, a typical consultation illustrates the use of the expert system guide to the standard.


1974 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 196-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. D. Eason ◽  
R. G. Fenton

Seventeen numerical optimization methods are compared by plotting their convergence characteristics when applied to design problems and test functions. Several ranking schemes are used to determine the most general, efficient, inexpensive, and convenient methods. Conclusions are presented in the form of a selection guide intended for general use.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 279-293
Author(s):  
Hanan Akkar ◽  
◽  
Sameem Salman ◽  

This paper proposes a new meta-heuristic swarm optimization algorithm called Cicada Swarm Optimization (CISO) algorithm, which mimics the behavior of bio-inspired swarm optimization methods. The CISO algorithm is tested with 23 benchmark functions and taken two problems engineering design, pressure vessel problem and himmelblau’s problem. The performance of CISO algorithm is compared with meta-heuristic well-known and recently proposed algorithms (Cockroach Swarm Optimization (CSO), Grasshopper Optimization algorithm (GOA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)). The obtained results showed that the proposed algorithm succeeded in improving the test functions and solved engineering design problems that could not be improved by other algorithms according to the chosen parameters and the limits of the research space, also showed that CISO has a faster convergence with the minimum number of iterations and also have an accurate calculation efficiency Satisfactory compared to other optimization algorithms.


1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Wood ◽  
R. A. Skop

Methods for the design and analysis of oceanographic moorings are well established (Berteaux, 1976). However, as with most engineering design problems, there are certain “rules-of-thumb” or “tricks-of-the-trade” that streamline the design process and enhance the performance of the final product. These rules-of-thumb are normally known to only a small cadre of people—experts—who have deep involvement and experience in the particular engineering design problem. These rules-of-thumb and other knowledge of several experts are incorporated to develop the fundamental architecture of an expert system for the design of single-point, subsurface, oceanographic moorings. Such moorings are used worldwide to collect oceanographic and acoustic data. The projected end user of this expert system is the oceanographer or acoustician who wishes to design and/or cost out a mooring but has not the access to or support for a mooring design group.


Author(s):  
Swaroop S. Vattam ◽  
Michael Helms ◽  
Ashok K. Goel

Biologically inspired engineering design is an approach to design that espouses the adaptation of functions and mechanisms in biological sciences to solve engineering design problems. We have conducted an in situ study of designers engaged in biologically inspired design. Based on this study we develop here a macrocognitive information-processing model of biologically inspired design. We also compare and contrast the model with other information-processing models of analogical design such as TRIZ, case-based design, and design patterns.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiming Li ◽  
Yongquan Zhou ◽  
Sen Zhang ◽  
Junmin Song

The moth-flame optimization (MFO) algorithm is a novel nature-inspired heuristic paradigm. The main inspiration of this algorithm is the navigation method of moths in nature called transverse orientation. Moths fly in night by maintaining a fixed angle with respect to the moon, a very effective mechanism for travelling in a straight line for long distances. However, these fancy insects are trapped in a spiral path around artificial lights. Aiming at the phenomenon that MFO algorithm has slow convergence and low precision, an improved version of MFO algorithm based on Lévy-flight strategy, which is named as LMFO, is proposed. Lévy-flight can increase the diversity of the population against premature convergence and make the algorithm jump out of local optimum more effectively. This approach is helpful to obtain a better trade-off between exploration and exploitation ability of MFO, thus, which can make LMFO faster and more robust than MFO. And a comparison with ABC, BA, GGSA, DA, PSOGSA, and MFO on 19 unconstrained benchmark functions and 2 constrained engineering design problems is tested. These results demonstrate the superior performance of LMFO.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document