27. Exploring Pareto Frontiers in the Response Surface Methodology

Multiple response optimization problems have many optimal solutions that impact differently on process or product. Some of these solutions lead to operation conditions more hazardous, more costly or more difficult to implement and control. Therefore, it is useful for the decision-maker to use methods capable of capturing solutions evenly distributed along the Pareto frontier. Three examples were used to evaluate the ability of three methods built on different approaches for depicting the Pareto frontier. Limitations of a desirability-based method are illustrated whereas the consistent performance of an easy-to-use global criterion gives confidence to use it in real-life problems developed under the Response Surface Methodology framework, as alternative to the sophisticated physical programming method.