Every optimization based engineering design produces a performance metric which as a function of the tolerance parameters, is structurally stable but not generic. This can lead to a severe loss of performance (catastrophes) under a smooth change in the tolerance parameters. This paper gives an exposition of how norm based optimal control methods naturally lead to performance catastrophes, as well as an alternative systematic loop shaping design methodology which corrects the problem.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Topics:
Control systems, Design, Design methodology, Engineering design, Optimal control, Optimization
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