Simultaneous Optimization for Robust Design using Distance and Desirability Function

Robust design is an approach to reducing performance variation of response values in products and processes. In the Taguchl parameter design, the product-array approach using orthogonal arrays is mainly used. However, it often requires an excessive number of experiments. An alternative approach, which is called the combined-array approach, was suggested by Welch et. al. (1990) and studied by others. In these studies, only single response variable was considered. We propose how to simultaneously optimize multiple responses when there are correlations among responses, and when we use the combined-array approach to assign control and noise factors. An example is illustrated to show the difference between the Taguchi's product-array approach and the combined-array approach.