SYSTEM CONFIGURATION - CONCURRENT SUBSYSTEM EMBODIMENT AND SYSTEM SYNTHESIS

In this paper, we introduce a method for preliminary system configurat ion. Two steps are typically associated with preliminary system config uration, namely, selecting components that embody subsystems and then synthesizing the subsystems to create the system itself. We show how w e can perform these two steps concurrently using a modification of Tag uchi's method of robust design. This method is effective in dealing wi th both discrete and continuous variables simultaneously. We illustrat e the method for the preliminary design of a solar powered in irrigati on system. Our focus in this paper is on explaining our approach rathe r than on the results per se.