Plenary Lecture
From the Physical to the Decision Robustness. Application to the Design of Products
Professor Yann Ledoux
University of Bordeaux
France
E-mail: yann.ledoux@u-bordeaux.fr
Abstract: Following on from the progress made in multi-criteria analysis for mechanical system design in the last decade, main efforts are now to better understand and model the criteria used by designers at the high levels of reasoning. The notion of risk associated with uncertainty in design reasoning and its consequences for system performance should be taken into account at the earlier phase in the design process (i.e. at a stage where the dimensional characteristics and choices of materials, regulation and components are not already fixed. The subjective aspects (psychological) and the understanding of the technico-economical environment of the system to design are the key issues when considering this level of reasoning.
The early stages of the design process involve choices that always constitute a compromise driven by the priority levels of each design objectives and requirements. The approach presented aims to satisfy the criteria relating to both performance and sensitivity to uncertainty (robustness and reliability). However, choices made at this stage have major implications for the product, its behavior and its technical-economical viability. The subjective aspects (related to the designer and decision makers) of the design problem are as crucial as the objective aspects (concerning the product) in determining the final results. Optimization to produce design solutions is of no use if these solutions are in conflict with the designer’s preferences.
The present work give an examples of the optimized design of systems constructed by seeking compromises between subjective aspects (preferences expressed in terms of trust levels) and objective aspects (performance). An ontological framework has been developed to guide the decision support approach combining the performance, the robustness and reliability with more subjective criteria and correspond to one major perspectives offered by the multi-criteria decision analysis.
Brief Biography of the Speaker: Dr. Yann Ledoux is an associated professor in the University of Bordeaux since 2007 and he is a membership of the Institute of Mechanics and Engineering (I2M) in the department of Mechanical Engineering and Design (IMC). He has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (2002).
The scientific fields of investigation is dedicated to design problems and the integration of various constraints into the formulation of the problem. Its teachings are mainly related to mechanical engineering particularly in finite element computations, design theory and selection of material and process to design.
He was deputy manager of the Mechanical Engineering Educational Department between 2012 and 2015. He is a member of the scientific committee of International Conference "Scientific Research and Education in the Air Force" AFASES and the Executive Director of the International workshops “Virtual Concept”.