With their ability to cross traditional boundaries and achieve a level of functionality greater than their component elements, mega-systems have helped... corporations and government organizations around the world resolve complex challenges that they otherwise couldn’t address with stand-alone systems. Engineering Mega-Systems: The Challenge of Systems Engineering in the Information Age provides a clear understanding of the engineering of this class of systems—a process that demands consideration of increasing program scale and the rapid change of underlying technologies. Written by Renee Stevens, a Senior Principal Engineer at The MITRE Corporation with decades of experience analyzing, engineering, and acquiring large-scale systems for the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies, this book explains how the engineering of mega-systems is inherently different from that of large-scale monolithic systems. It supplies the vocabulary and framework needed to explore the issues relevant to mega-systems. This framework then evolves into the Profiler diagnostic tool that helps you understand the nature and context of the system at hand and, on that basis, select the most appropriate processes, tools, and techniques. Stevens examines commercial and government applications of mega-systems to provide insight into the contemporary challenges of engineering these systems in three critical dimensions: engineering processes, management processes, and the larger context in which these systems are developed and deployed. Complete with two case studies in engineering mega-systems that illustrate valuable lessons learned and highlight emerging practices, this book supplies the understanding and the tools needed to begin engineering, characterizing, and acquiring mega-systems across multiple dimensions.

With practical techniques, real-life examples, and special software, this hands-on book/disk package teaches practicing engineers and students how to... use Taguchi Methods and other robust design techniques that focus on engineering processes in optimizing technology and products for better performance under the imperfect conditions of the real world. The unique WinRobust Lite software included with the book, together with a number of practice problems, enables you to conduct and analyze Taguchi experiments by simplifying the tedious process of performing the many necessary computations. The book contains complete information on the process of engineering robust products that are insensitive to sources of variability in manufacturing and customer use. You will find detailed instructions for planning, designing, conducting, and analyzing the experiments that are used to optimize a product's performance under a variety of "stressed" conditions. An entire section focuses on designing products that achieve additivity, the property that reduces negative interactions. In addition, the book offers a systematic method for optimizing cost, quality, and cycle time. It even discusses the relationship of robust design to such other quality processes as Quality Function Deployment and Six Sigma. Numerous case studies, taken from the authors' extensive practical experience, illustrate how robust design theories and techniques actually work in the real world of product engineering. With the techniques described in this book as well as the WinRobust Lite software, you will be better able to design robust products that are high-quality, durable, and able to perform well in the marketplace.

There are many text books about engineering design and some include project evaluation techniques. There are text books on accounting methods and yet... others on business management. This book does not aim to replace these specialized texts but brings together the elements of these subjects that young engineers working in industry – particularly the construction industry and its customers – need to understand.Most engineers learn about money the hard way: by experience in the workplace. The authors having done this themselves recognized the gap in engineers’ education and set out to bridge it. This book is based on a 1996 course George Solt pioneered for final-year engineering undergraduates. The book is written in an approachable style and gives young engineers as well as mature engineers an insight into the way engineering businesses run, the importance of capital and the problems of cash flow.

The practice of engineering noise control demands a solid understanding of the fundamentals of acoustics, the practical application of current noise... control technology and the underlying theoretical concepts. This fully revised and updated fourth edition provides a comprehensive explanation of these key areas clearly, yet without oversimplification. Written by experts in their field, the practical focus echoes advances in the discipline, reflected in the fourth edition’s new material, including: completely updated coverage of sound transmission loss, mufflers and exhaust stack directivity a new chapter on practical numerical acoustics thorough explanation of the latest instruments for measurements and analysis. Essential reading for advanced students or those already well versed in the art and science of noise control, this distinctive text can be used to solve real world problems encountered by noise and vibration consultants as well as engineers and occupational hygienists.

An accessible introduction to metaheuristics and optimization, featuring powerful and modern algorithms for application across engineering and the... sciencesFrom engineering and computer science to economics and management science, optimization is a core component for problem solving. Highlighting the latest developments that have evolved in recent years, Engineering Optimization: An Introduction with Metaheuristic Applications outlines popular metaheuristic algorithms and equips readers with the skills needed to apply these techniques to their own optimization problems. With insightful examples from various fields of study, the author highlights key concepts and techniques for the successful application of commonly-used metaheuristc algorithms, including simulated annealing, particle swarm optimization, harmony search, and genetic algorithms.The author introduces all major metaheuristic algorithms and their applications in optimization through a presentation that is organized into three succinct parts:Foundations of Optimization and Algorithms provides a brief introduction to the underlying nature of optimization and the common approaches to optimization problems, random number generation, the Monte Carlo method, and the Markov chain Monte Carlo methodMetaheuristic Algorithms presents common metaheuristic algorithms in detail, including genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, ant algorithms, bee algorithms, particle swarm optimization, firefly algorithms, and harmony searchApplications outlines a wide range of applications that use metaheuristic algorithms to solve challenging optimization problems with detailed implementation while also introducing various modifications used for multi-objective optimizationThroughout the book, the author presents worked-out examples and real-world applications that illustrate the modern relevance of the topic. A detailed appendix features important and popular algorithms using MATLAB® and Octave software packages, and a related FTP site houses MATLAB code and programs for easy implementation of the discussed techniques. In addition, references to the current literature enable readers to investigate individual algorithms and methods in greater detail.Engineering Optimization: An Introduction with Metaheuristic Applications is an excellent book for courses on optimization and computer simulation at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners working in the fields of mathematics, engineering, computer science, operations research, and management science who use metaheuristic algorithms to solve problems in their everyday work.

The classic introduction to engineering optimization theory and practice--now expanded and updatedEngineering optimization helps engineers zero in on... the most effective, efficient solutions to problems. This text provides a practical, real-world understanding of engineering optimization. Rather than belaboring underlying proofs and mathematical derivations, it emphasizes optimization methodology, focusing on techniques and stratagems relevant to engineering applications in design, operations, and analysis. It surveys diverse optimization methods, ranging from those applicable to the minimization of a single-variable function to those most suitable for large-scale, nonlinear constrained problems. New material covered includes the duality theory, interior point methods for solving LP problems, the generalized Lagrange multiplier method and generalization of convex functions, and goal programming for solving multi-objective optimization problems. A practical, hands-on reference and text, Engineering Optimization, Second Edition covers:* Practical issues, such as model formulation, implementation, starting point generation, and more* Current, state-of-the-art optimization software* Three engineering case studies plus numerous examples from chemical, industrial, and mechanical engineering* Both classical methods and new techniques, such as successive quadratic programming, interior point methods, and goal programmingExcellent for self-study and as a reference for engineering professionals, this Second Edition is also ideal for senior and graduate courses on engineering optimization, including television and online instruction, as well as for in-plant training.

Technology/Engineering/MechanicalHelps you move from theory to optimizing engineering systems in almost any industryNow in its Fourth Edition, Professor... Singiresu Rao's acclaimed text Engineering Optimization enables readers to quickly master and apply all the important optimization methods in use today across a broad range of industries. Covering both the latest and classical optimization methods, the text starts off with the basics and then progressively builds to advanced principles and applications.This comprehensive text covers nonlinear, linear, geometric, dynamic, and stochastic programming techniques as well as more specialized methods such as multiobjective, genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, neural networks, particle swarm optimization, ant colony optimization, and fuzzy optimization. Each method is presented in clear, straightforward language, making even the more sophisticated techniques easy to grasp. Moreover, the author provides: Case examples that show how each method is applied to solve real-world problems across a variety of industries Review questions and problems at the end of each chapter to engage readers in applying their newfound skills and knowledge Examples that demonstrate the use of MATLAB® for the solution of different types of practical optimization problems References and bibliography at the end of each chapter for exploring topics in greater depth Answers to Review Questions available on the author's Web site to help readers to test their understanding of the basic conceptsWith its emphasis on problem-solving and applications, Engineering Optimization is ideal for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, and aerospace engineering. In addition, the text helps practicing engineers in almost any industry design improved, more efficient systems at less cost.