PEC12-25 CAPEC-PROCESS Industrial Consortium ... - DTU Orbit

Figure 5.1: Multiscale nature of product-process design problems
To manage the complexity, a systems approach would develop a framework (the
architecture of the software) for handling the diverse set of methods and tools needed to
solve a wide range of problems, for a potential computer-aided system. Such systems need
to have a knowledge base of data (for example, of the active ingredients, solvents,
polymers, etc.); a library of models (for example, models to predict properties – in case data
is not available - of active ingredients, solvents, polymers, etc.; models to predict the
controlled release from the microcapsule; models to predict the behaviour of the mixing
process); a design method (for example, guiding the engineer/scientist through the sequence
of steps needed to identify the best solution); and, other associated methods-tools (such as a
tool to analyze data; a tool to create the missing model; a tool to screen feasible
alternatives). The principal idea here is to decompose a complex problem into a set of subproblems
that are easier to solve and identify those that can be solved through model-based
solution approaches. Solving these sub-problems according to a pre-determined sequence
helps to reduce the search space through each subsequent sub-problem solution, until a subproblem
cannot be solved with models anymore. At this point, the experiment-based trial
and error approach takes over to determine the final solution. The advantage of this
combined hybrid (systems approach) is that during the early stages, where enough data and
models are available (or could be easily generated), the search space is rapidly reduced. In
the later stages, where quantitative values become important and data/models become more
unreliable, the experimental resources are employed, sometimes only to evaluate a few
feasible alternatives to identify the truly innovative and best solution. Several examples of
such computer aided systems can be found at CAPEC and current research is expanding on
this approach through the development of a collection of methods and tools.
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