A Problem Solving Environment Portal for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is a design methodology that derives optimal design solutions by concurrently considering various mutually dependent design elements from an assortment of disciplines. As such, it is applicable to the designing of ships and automobiles, as well as to aero vehicles. However, applying MDOmethodologies in the real world would require a designer to spend an enormous amount of time arranging and integrating resources used in the process. This paper proposes a Problem Solving Environment (PSE) Portal for MDO methodologies, providing an environment that enables designers to utilize design resources conveniently even without working knowledge of the systems. Furthermore, the PSE portal yields an optimal MDO environment by allowing for global collaborative sites, which securely share design resources, and by offering users an efficient interface. 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.