Multi objective optimization and knowledge based engineering to improve refrigerated display unit design

This paper presents a methodology to automatically design a family of products by integrating Knowledge Based Engineering and multi objective optimization. Methodologies for automatic design are able to dramatically reduce the development time of new models and also ensure a high quality of products. The approach presented here integrates the object-oriented modeling of product and process design with multi-parametric optimization. With this application is possible to define the initial configuration of new models and the optimization techniques may allow the choice and the optimal sizing of the main parts of the new product. To validate the proposed approach, a prototype has been developed for the optimized design of a family of refrigerated display units for commercial use. This paper describes the main aspects of the application considering the gathering of the knowledge, its implementation of this knowledge on automation codes, the description of the multi objective optimization and results achieved so far.