A nonlinear programming solution to robust multi-response quality problem

Quite often, engineers obtain measurements associated with several response variables. Both the design and analysis of multi-response experiments with a focus on quality control and improvement have received little attention although they are sorely needed. In a multi-response case the optimization problem is more complex than in the single-response situation. In this paper we present a method to optimize multiple quality characteristics based on the mean square error (MSE) criterion when the data are collected from a combined array. The proposed method will generate more alternative solutions. The string of solutions and the trade-offs aid in determining the underlying mechanism of a system or process. The procedure is illustrated with an example, using the generalized reduced gradient (GRG) algorithm for nonlinear programming.