HEURISTICS GUIDED OPTIMIZATION OF A BATCH AUTOCLAVE CURING PROCESS

A method for optimization of the autoclave curing process has been dev eloped, which exploits accumulated knowledge regarding the process. Th e selection of the control variables follows the minimization of local (in time) optimization criteria derived from known heuristics and are used to drastically reduce the parameters of the problem. A near-opti mum global solution is obtained by optimizing the values of only a few physically meaningful parameters which enter into the definition of t he local criteria, employing any one of the available traditional meth ods for discrete optimization. The local criteria employed in the auto clave curing process involve an approximate (heuristic) evaluation of the process characteristics for different control scenarios projected forward from that point in time. The proposed methodology is exemplifi ed by applying it to the well-known brachistochrone problem, which ser ves as a test bed, since the solution is known. A reactor optimization problem from the literature is used to confirm the adaptability of th is technique to chemical engineering problems. The method is then used to optimize an autoclave molding process for the manufacture of thick composite laminates.