Abstract
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is an optimization technique considering simultaneously multiple disciplines such as dynamics, mechanics, structural analysis, thermal and fluid analysis and electromagnetic analysis. A software system enabling multidisciplinary design optimization is called MDO framework. An MDO framework provides an integrated and automated design environment that increases product quality and reliability, and decreases design cycle time and cost. The MDO framework also works as a common collaborative workspace for design experts on multiple disciplines. In this paper, we present the architecture for an MDO framework along with the requirement analysis for the framework. The requirement analysis has been performed through interviews of design experts in industry and thus we claim that it reflects the real needs in industry. The requirements include integrated design environment, friendly user interface, highly extensible open architecture, distributed design environment, application program interface, and efficient data management to handle massive design data. The resultant MDO framework is datasever-oriented and designed around a centralized data server for extensible and effective data exchange in a distributed design environment among multiple design tools and software.
