Inducing optimally directed non-routine designs

Abstract

Non-routine designs are characterized by the creation of new variables and thus an expansion of the design space. These differ from routine designs in that the latter are restricted to a fixed set of variables and thus a pre-defined design space. In previous papers, the 1stPRINCE non-routine design methodology that expands the design space in such a way that optimal trends dictate the direction and form of this expansion is described. How inductive techniques can determine these optimal trends are examined. The induction techniques in 1stPRINCE utilize constraint information from monotonicity analysis to determine how to mutate the design space. The process observes the constraint information of mutated designs and induces trends from those constraints. Application of 1stPRINCE to a beam under flexural load leads to an optimally directed tapered beam. An interesting application of 1stPRINCE to determine the optimally directed shape of a spinning square block such that resistance to spinning is minimized leads to the discovery of a circular wheel.