Meta-Modelling Techniques Towards Virtual Production Intelligence

Decision making for competitive production in high-wage countries is a daily challenge where rational and irrational methods are used. The design of decision making processes is an intriguing, discipline spanning science. However, there are gaps in understanding the impact of the known mathematical and procedural methods on the usage of rational choice theory. Following Benjamin Franklin’s rule for decision making formulated in London 1772, he called “Prudential Algebra” with the meaning of prudential reasons, one of the major ingredients of Meta-Modelling can be identified finally leading to one algebraic value labelling the results (criteria settings) of alternative decisions (parameter settings). This work describes the advances in Meta-Modelling techniques applied to multidimensional and multi-criterial optimization in laser processing, e.g. sheet metal cutting, including the generation of fast and frugal Meta-Models with controlled error based on model reduction in mathematical physical or numerical model reduction. Reduced Models are derived to avoid any unnecessary complexity. The advances of the Meta-Modelling technique are based on three main concepts: (i) classification methods that decomposes the space of process parameters into feasible and non-feasible regions facilitating optimization, or monotone regions (ii) smart sampling methods for faster generation of a Meta-Model, and (iii) a method for multi-dimensional interpolation using a radial basis function network continuously mapping the discrete, multi-dimensional sampling set that contains the process parameters as well as the quality criteria. Both, model reduction and optimization on a multi-dimensional parameter space are improved by exploring the data mapping within an advancing “Cockpit” for Virtual Production Intelligence. W. Schulz (&) Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, Steinbachstr. 15, 52074 Aachen, Germany e-mail: [email protected] T.A. Khawli Nonlinear Dynamics of Laser Processing of RWTH Aachen, Steinbachstr. 15, 52074 Aachen, Germany e-mail: [email protected] © The Author(s) 2015 C. Brecher (ed.), Advances in Production Technology, Lecture Notes in Production Engineering, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-12304-2_6 69