On D-optimal robust designs for lifetime improvement experiments

Locating the optimal operating conditions of the process parameters is critical in a lifetime improvement experiment. For log-normal lifetime distribution with compound error structure (i.e., symmetry, inter-class and intra-class correlation error structures), we have developed methods for construction of D-optimal robust first order designs. It is shown that D-optimal robust first order designs are always robust first order rotatable but the converse is not always true.     

Standardization of Process Norms in Baker's Yeast Fermentation through Statistical Models in Comparison with Neural Networks

Achieving consistency of growth pattern for commercial yeast fermentation over batches through addition of water, molasses and other chemicals is often very complex in nature due to its bio-chemical reactions in operation. Regression models in statistical methods play a very important role in modeling the underlying mechanism, provided it is known. On the contrary, artificial neural networks provide a wide class of general-purpose, flexible non-linear architectures to explain any complex industrial processes. In this paper, an attempt has been made to find a robust control system for a time varying yeast fermentation process through statistical means, and in comparison to non-parametric neural network techniques. The data used in this context are obtained from an industry producing baker's yeast through a fed-batch fermentation process. The model accuracy for predicting the growth pattern of commercial yeast, when compared among the various techniques used, reveals the best performance capability with the backpropagation neural network. The statistical model used through projection pursuit regression also shows higher prediction accuracy. The models, thus developed, would also help to find an optimum combination of parameters for minimizing the variability of yeast production.     

Optimal fractional factorial designs and their construction

Optimal symmetrical fractional factorial designs with n$n$ runs and m$m$ factors of s$s$ levels each are constructed. We consider only designs such that no two factors are aliases. The minimum moment aberration criterion proposed by Xu (2003) is used to judge the optimality of the designs. The minimum moment aberration criterion is equivalent to the popular generalized minimum aberration criterion proposed by Xu and Wu (2001), but the minimum moment criterion is simpler to formulate and employ computationally. Some optimal designs are constructed by using generalized Hadamard matrices.     

Robust designs for multinomial models

Abstract

Model misspecification in generalized linear models (GLMs) occurs usually when the linear predictor and/or the link function assumed are incorrect. This article discusses the effect of such misspecification on design selection for multinomial GLMs and proposes the use of quantile dispersion graphs to select robust designs. Due to misspecification in the model, parameter estimates are usually biased and the designs are compared on the basis of their mean squared error of prediction. Several numerical examples including a real data set are presented to illustrate the proposed methodology.     

Estimation in Second-Order Models with Errors in the Factor Levels

The impact of errors in the factor levels is examined on the estimation of parameters in second-order response models. Errors can occur in setting the factor levels for response surface and robust parameter design models. These errors can lead to heterogeneity of variances in model errors that make ordinary least squares estimation inappropriate. Weighted least squares and maximum likelihood estimation approaches are developed as viable alternatives where it is assumed the variances and covariances of the errors are known. Performance of these estimation techniques are examined in simulation studies for two examples. Another example is given that applies these results.     

Designs Robust Against the Presence of an Aberration in a Diallel Cross Design Setup

In this article, we find designs insensitive to the presence of an outlier in a diallel cross design setup for estimating a complete set of orthonormal contrasts among the effects of the general combining abilities of a set of parental lines. The criterion of robustness, suggested by Mandal (1989 Mandal , N. K. ( 1989 ). On robust designs . Cal. Stat. Assoc. Bull. 38 : 115 – 119 . [Google Scholar]) in block design setup and used by Biswas (2012 Biswas , A. ( 2012 ). Block designs robust against the presence of an aberration in a treatment-control setup . Commun. Statist. Theor. Meth. 41 : 920 – 933 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) in treatment-control setup, is adapted here. Complete diallel cross designs, suggested by Gupta and Kageyama (1994 Gupta , S. , Kageyama , S. ( 1994 ). Optimal complete diallel crosses . Biometrika 81 : 420 – 424 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), and partial diallel cross designs, suggested by Gupta et al. (1995 Gupta , S. , Das , A. , Kageyama , S. ( 1995 ). Single replicate orthogonal block designs for circulant partial diallel crosses . Commun. Statist. A 24 : 2601 – 2607 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) and Mukerjee (1997 Mukerjee , R. ( 1997 ). Optimal partial diallel crosses . Biometrika 84 : 939 – 948 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), are found to be robust under certain conditions.     

Modified Robust Second-Order Slope-Rotatable Designs

Generally it is very difficult to construct robust slope-rotatable designs along axial directions. Present paper focuses on modified second-order slope-rotatable designs (SOSRDs) with correlated errors. Modified robust second-order slope-rotatability conditions are derived for a general variance–covariance structure of errors. These conditions get simplified for intraclass correlation structure. A few robust second-order slope-rotatable designs (over all directions, or with equal maximum directional variance slope, or D-optimal slope) are examined with respect to modified robust slope-rotatability. It is observed that robust second-order slope-rotatable designs over all directions, or with equal maximum directional variance slope, or D-optimal slope are not generally modified robust second-order slope-rotatable designs.     

Optimal strategies for the one-round discrete Voronoi game on a line

The one-round discrete Voronoi game, with respect to a n-point user set  $\mathcal {U}$ , consists of two players Player 1 (P1) and Player 2 (P2). At first, P1 chooses a set $\mathcal{F}_{1}$ of m facilities following which P2 chooses another set $\mathcal{F}_{2}$ of m facilities, disjoint from  $\mathcal{F}_{1}$ , where m(=O(1)) is a positive constant. The payoff of P2 is defined as the cardinality of the set of points in $\mathcal{U}$ which are closer to a facility in $\mathcal{F}_{2}$ than to every facility in $\mathcal{F}_{1}$ , and the payoff of P1 is the difference between the number of users in $\mathcal{U}$ and the payoff of P2. The objective of both the players in the game is to maximize their respective payoffs. In this paper, we address the case where the points in $\mathcal{U}$ are located along a line. We show that if the sorted order of the points in $\mathcal{U}$ along the line is known, then the optimal strategy of P2, given any placement of facilities by P1, can be computed in O(n) time. We then prove that for m≥2 the optimal strategy of P1 in the one-round discrete Voronoi game, with the users on a line, can be computed in $O(n^{m-\lambda_{m}})$ time, where 0<λ _m <1, is a constant depending only on m.