Abstract
A new system is presented that enables the visualization of large multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) problems and their solution strategy. It was developed within the scope of the European project AGILE. In AGILE, collaborative MDO is performed in large, heterogeneous teams of experts by solving MDO problems using a collection of design and analysis tools. This paper focuses on the visualizations required to support the formulation phase of an MDO project. The Knowledge and graph-based AGILE Design for Multidisciplinary Optimization System (KADMOS), an open-source MDO support system developed by Delft University of Technology, uses graph-based analysis to formulate an MDO problem and its solution strategy, based on the disciplinary analyses available in a repository. The results of KADMOS are stored in the standardized format CMDOWS (Common MDO Workflow Schema), which comprises the entire information on an MDO system. Although, based on Extensible Markup Language, the readability of the CMDOWS file is quite poor also for MDO experts, especially for large MDO systems involving thousands of variables. Providing visualization capabilities to thoroughly inspect the outcome of the different MDO formulation steps becomes a key factor to enable the specification of large MDO systems in a heterogeneous team. Therefore, VISTOMS (VISualization TOol for MDO Systems), a dynamic visualization package, was developed by RWTH Aachen University to enable the visualization and inspection of the different MDO system specification steps, thereby removing one of the main hurdles for using MDO as a development process. The developed visualization capabilities are demonstrated by means of an aerostructural wing design optimization project.
Highlights
Past research indicates that multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) can offer huge benefits in complex product design
The set-up has been done, such that the graph information for any of the first three blocks in Fig 1 is translated by KADMOS into the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) representation required by VISTOMS
Within the scope of the AGILE project, the visualization package presented in Sect. 2.3 has already been intensively used and tested by multiple AGILE project partners for various MDO problems
Summary
Past research indicates that MDO can offer huge benefits in complex product design. Boeing Phantom Works’ scientists [6, 30] estimate that MDO can offer 8–10% gains for innovative aircraft design and even 40–50% gains for designing radically new and undeveloped concepts [17]. In a realistic design situation, the optimization is not performed just once; rather, the analysis of the design that is found after a certain run will provide new insights These insights will be translated to an adjustment of the MDO problem formulation (e.g., change of objective, addition of constraints, etc.) and a reconfiguration of the associated MDO solution strategy (e.g., addition, removal, and replacement of analysis tools). This process of problem adjustment and process reconfiguration is iterated until a satisfactory design is found, or the project deadline has been reached. The focus of the system development described in this paper is on the visualization of the blocks in the formulation phase: tool repository, MDO problem, and MDO solution strategy
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