Development of a Microcomputer-Based Engineering Design Optimization Software Package

摘要

A general purpose software package was developed perform nonlinear constrained optimization of user-defined engineering design problems of significant complexity using desktop computers. The package, designated Microcomputer-based Design Optimization Tool (MDOT), will accept nonlinear functions of up to ten variables, which may be bounded, with as many as fifty constraints. It was implemented on a Hewlett-Packard Model 85 microcomputer with 32 Kbytes of random access memory. MDOT employs the method of feasible directions for constrained functions. It is interactive, provides for monitoring the optimization progress, and can be interrupted to restart from a new point in the design space. Typical applications of MDOT are in the design of machine components composite laminates, and piping systems. (Author)