Evaluating a Set-Based Design Tradespace Exploration Process

In early system design, Model-Based Engineering techniques with an integrated framework provide the means to better identify and explore the tradespace. Several researchers have proposed frameworks to explore the tradespace for single and multiple attribute exploration. This paper 1) describes one approach used in the literature, the Integrated Trade-off Analysis Framework, 2) proposes a validation technique to assess the adequacy of a tradespace exploration technique, and 3) applies the validation technique on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) case study. The research hypothesis was that optimization could be used to validate the tradespace exploration technique by determining if the exploration method found the efficient frontier. However, the integrated framework with set-based design found better solutions than the optimization technique. The UAV case study contained 189 design points that dominated the points found in the validation process. Additionally, a better tradespace was produced when more design points were explored by using the Integrated Trade-off Analysis Framework. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B. V.