An Industrial Trial of a Set-Based Approach to Collaborative Design

Abstract

A set-based multiscale and multidisciplinary design method has been proposed in which distributed designers manage interdependencies by exchanging targets and Pareto sets of solutions. Prior research has shown that the set-based method (SBM) has the potential to reduce the number of costly iterations between design teams, relative to centralized optimization approaches, while expanding the variety of high-quality, system-wide solutions. These results have been obtained with representative examples in a laboratory setting. The goal of this research is to investigate whether similar results are obtained from an industrial trial, implemented in an industry design environment. The SBM is applied to the design of a downhole module for our industrial partners at Schlumberger, a developer of oilfield tools and services. The design was conducted on location at Schlumberger by an intern who converted the existing Schlumberger design process into a set-based design process. Results indicate that the SBM delivers the benefits predicted in the laboratory, along with a host of advantageous side effects, such as a library of back-up design options for future design projects.