Deterministic tolerance synthesis: a comparative study

Abstract

The problem of the synthesis of discrete tolerances is modelled as a combinatorial optimization problem, which is then solved by an integer programming approach, a design of experiments method, and the Taguchi method. The paper is perhaps the first attempt to apply the DOE and TM approaches to deterministic tolerance synthesis. Although the design of experiments approach and the Taguchi method are statistical tools for the design and analysis of experiments, they are useful in deterministic tolerance synthesis. A comparative study has been conducted to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of the three approaches for solving the problem of the synthesis of discrete tolerances, with the objective of minimizing the manufacturing cost. The research shows that, while the integer programming approach is suitable for solving linear deterministic problem, the design of experiments approach is more appropriate for nonlinear problems, and it can be used to solve probabilistic problem.