Grid services for multi-objective design optimisation

The emerging grid technology is defined as an infrastructure for secure and coordinated large-scale resource sharing. In this paper, we describe the architecture and grid services of DECGrid. DECGrid enables distributed design experts to collaborate and share computational resources during design optimisation. Mathematical models are built using services by experts. These models are then directly linked to NSGA-II optimisation algorithm service and allow design experts to enter design parameters of their choice. Three real-life case studies-designs of welded beam problem, turbine blade cooling system and the design of amanufacturing plant layout were used to validate the prototype. The results obtained showed a wider spread in the solution space compared to the results in the literature. (C) 2011 CIRP.