A Sequential Procedure for Manufacturing System Design

Experimental design is a powerful approach to study the impact of potential variables affecting systems and provides spontaneous insight for continuous improvement possibilities. Most research in system design has focused on problems with a single characteristic or response. This paper is concerned with the application of a design method to problems with multiple characteristics. The study sequentially employs two optimum-seeking methods to design and optimize a manufacturing system. The integration between Taguchi method, which uses robust design concept to reduce the output variation, and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM), which is a combination of mathematical and statistical techniques, is introduced to optimize systems with multiple process characteristics.