Robust parameter design and optimization for quality engineering

Abstract

This paper proposes a methodology to determine the optimal settings of key decision variables that affect the resilience of an engineering design against uncertainty. Uncertainty in quality engineering is often caused by environmental factors, and scarcity of data due to limitations in the experimentation phase amplifies the level of ambiguity. The proposed robust parameter design and optimization approach utilizes the Taguchi method to find critical variables to be used in the optimization, and it utilizes robust optimization to immunize the obtained solution against uncertainty. To demonstrate our approach, we focus on design optimization of an injection molding product, a refrigerator door cap, made from thermoplastic raw material and its key quality characteristic, warpage. The near-optimal designs found by the robust parameter design and optimization approach are implemented in a real-life manufacturing environment. The numerical experiments show that the new designs significantly improve the warpage quality characteristic and the total production cycle time compared to the current design used in the manufacturing company.