title: Engineering design optimization using services and workflows.
abstract: Multi-disciplinary design optimization (MDO) is the process whereby the often conflicting requirements of the different disciplines to the engineering design process attempts to converge upon a description that represents an acceptable compromise in the design space. We present a simple demonstrator of a flexible workflow framework for engineering design optimization using an e-Science tool. This paper provides a concise introduction to MDO, complemented by a summary of the related tools and techniques developed under the umbrella of the UK e-Science programme that we have explored in support of the engineering process. The main contributions of this paper are: (i) a description of the optimization workflow that has been developed in the Taverna workbench, (ii) a demonstrator of a structural optimization process with a range of tool options using common benchmark problems, (iii) some reflections on the experience of software engineering meeting mechanical engineering, and (iv) an indicative discussion on the feasibility of a 'plug-and-play' engineering environment for analysis and design.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crick
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dunning
authors.forename: Hyunsun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padget
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D057188:Workflow