Int. J. Productivity and Quality Management, Vol. 10, No.

1, 2012 1

Parameters design and performance analysis of a

software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi
robust design – a case study

R. Amuthakkannan
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Caledonian College of Engineering,
Al Seeb, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
E-mail: r_amuthakannan@yahoo.com

Abstract: In this modern digital age, software-based systems are becoming

essential in everyone’s life. During the industrial evolution, human society has
experienced many industrial revolutions. Presently, the world is undergoing
hi-tech industrial revolution with information technology, computer network
and artificial intelligence as its main features. Mechatronics is also an emerging
technology in the evolutionary process of modern engineering design. The role
of mechatronics with effective real-time software called as software-based
mechatronics system which is having high potential in a system development.
In this, the ineffective parameter design may produce the severe consequences
in the application field, even there is a chance of accidents. So, it is important
to do a perfect process parameter design in software-based mechatronics
systems. Taguchi method of experimental design has widely used in industry
for parameters design in achieving useful goals. This research outlines the
Taguchi optimisation methodology using four factor L9 orthogonal array for
the parameters design in a software-based electro-pneumatic system.

Keywords: software-based system; mechatronics; parameters optimisation;

Taguchi method.

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Amuthakkannan, R. (2012)

‘Parameters design and performance analysis of a software-based mechatronics
system using Taguchi robust design – a case study’, Int. J. Productivity and
Quality Management, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp.1–24.

Biographical notes: R. Amuthakkannan received his BE degree in Mechanical

Engineering from Bharathidhasan University, Trichy, India in 1996 and an ME
degree in Mechatronics from Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University,
Chennai, India in 2001. He completed his MBA degree from Madurai Kamaraj
University, Madurai, India in 2003. Then he completed his PhD degree from
Anna University, Chennai, India in 2008. Currently, he is working as a Senior
Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at
Caledonian College of Engineering, Muscat. He has published 10 research
papers in international journals and more than 50 research papers in
international and national conferences. His research focuses on software
quality, real-time systems, software reliability, mechatronics system design and
its reliability assessment and virtual instrumentation.

Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

2 R. Amuthakkannan

1 Introduction

In high precision manufacturing, software-based systems are widely used to automate

various processes. The advances in microchip and computer technology have bridged the
gap between traditional e-control and process control engineering. The increasing
demand on quality and productivity of products and services has changed the industrial
dynamics in many of its core technology areas. To match these demands of increased
quality at lower cost, more and more industries are moving towards software-based
system. In the present scenario, more number of software-based mechanical systems are
coming with advanced technologies such as embedded system control or computer
system control for various industrial applications. A modern electro mechanical system
consists of sophisticated software and hardware components to achieve high precision in
manufacturing processes. These types of systems are called software-based mechatronics
systems. Due to various applications of mechatronics concepts in modern engineering
fields, high reliability, high quality software, defect-free network system and accurate
design of process parameters are some of the conditions to construct a best software-
based system. Amuthakkannan et al. (2009) suggested that reliability of the
programmable mechatronics system must be needed to satisfy the today’s industries’
expectation. To achieve good performance in any industrial system, optimal parameter
design is required which is strongly suggested by Meng et al. (2010) who have dealt
about the parameter design of injection system in a diesel engine in their research paper.
In Meng et al. (2010), it is demonstrated that injector performance improvement with
proposed optimal parameter design. Brezovnik et al. (2010) proposed the building of the
intelligent robot system by the reverse engineering and swarm intelligence. In this paper,
super structuring of the robot system with the optimisation module based on the swarm
intelligence is proposed. In Mujahid and Duffuaa (2011) research work, it is stated that
multiple process parameters can be optimised by the fuzzy logic and Taguchi loss
function. This research work shows the strong evidence for the application of Taguchi
method in optimal parameter design. Overall, it is clear that an optimisation technique is
needed to get enhanced performance from mechatronics system. This research work aim
is to identify the optimal parameter design for a software-based mechatronics system
using Taguchi technique.

2 Software-based mechatronics system

Software-based automation systems are generally defined as the process of having

systems to follow predetermined sequences of operations with no human labour, using
specialised equipment and devices that perform control of the involved processes in the
system with the help of software. Nowadays, the mechatronics field is getting popular in
all industrial applications. All industries are aiming to concentrate on digital factories. So,
the implementation of electronics and software is a must for all industries to modernise
the products, processes and technologies. Bolton (2007) described the mechatronics in his
book in this way:
“Mechatronics involves the bringing of a number of technologies: mechanical
engineering, e-engineering, electrical engineering, computer technology and
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 3

control engineering. This can be considered as the application of computer-

based digital control techniques, through electronic and electrical interfaces, to
mechanical engineering problems.”
In general, mechatronics is the integration of mechanical, electronic, control engineering
and information technology (IT) to obtain the best solution to a given technological
problem. Mechatronics covers a wide range of application areas including consumer
product design, instrumentation, manufacturing methods, motion control systems,
computer integration, process and device control, computer-based intelligence, e-traction
control, automated diagnostic systems, micro- and nano-electro-mechanical systems, etc.
Figure 1 shows the elements and information flows of an automation system.
The introduction of software and digital technology in mechatronics systems which
are applied in safety critical systems has many advantages both concerning flexibility and
reliability. In such type of systems, software and hardware system design has a
continuously increasing impact on system reliability (Kant, 1990). So, high quality
design, quality conformance and quality improvement are essential issues in the
construction of new generation mechatronics system.

Figure 1 Elements and information flows of an automation system

3 Background of the research

Mandal and Houbi (2009) stated that ‘it is evident that ITs/information systems have
become a high value-adding enabler for organisational performance in today’s aggressive
competitive business’. This is true because software-based systems are playing major role
in many industrial systems. The software-based system contains different hardware and
software modules for accessing the real-time data and producing the required outputs.
Integrating the hardware modules with software in the real-time environment is not a
simple one; it may be affected by various factors such as voltage, software logics and
design factors, environmental factors, etc. If the numbers of modules are increased in the
real-time system, the system complexity will also increase. Due to the system
complexity, the real-time system provides the invalid outputs in the application
4 R. Amuthakkannan

environment. So, the system’s quality and reliability should be estimated and improved in
the development stages of software-based systems (Amuthakkannan et al., 2008). When
implementing software-based components in a system, it is also very much important to
focus the cost and performance of the automation system which is highlighted by Samuel
and Darwin (2009) in their research paper. The relationship between product quality and
process characteristics is studied by Kuruuzum and Akyuz (2009) with a case study and
suggested that improving the process characteristics will improve the product quality.
Also, they suggested that it is important for optimal design of process parameters to
improve the quality of the system. Amuthakkannan et al. (2007) suggested that optimal
design of system is highly essential that software-based systems provide an accurate and
robust performance over a wide range of input conditions. The identification of optimal
parameter for a product or process can be done by design of experiments (DoEs).
Moyniham and Garret (2010) applied DoE in their studies to improve process parameters.
This evidences the DoE is an important tool to optimise the process and product
parameters.
Taguchi method of experimental design has been widely used in industry for the
purpose of finding factors that are most important in achieving useful goals in a
manufacturing process. Xydas et al. (2005) used the Taguchi method for the optimal
design of barcode scanner and conduct the experimental design using the L18 orthogonal
array (OA). Though the barcode scanner consists of software and hardware components,
they considered the control factors related to hardware only. Besseris (2009) dealt in his
research about the Taguchi’s quality philosophy in software quality assurance. In this
paper, software’s code quality parameters are selected as inputs and improved the
software quality using Taguchi technique for IT products. But, this research work focuses
the application of Taguchi method by considering the parameters from both hardware and
software.

4 Design of experiments

In general, the experiments are used to study the performance of processes and systems.
The process or system can be represented by the model shown in Figure 2. In a system,
consider the process variables x1, x2, x3, …, xp are controllable and z1, z2, z3, …, zq are
uncontrollable. Consider the response of the system is y. The objective of the DoE may
include the following:
1 Determining which variables are most influential on the response of y.
2 Determining where to set the influential x’s so that y is almost always near the
desired nominal value.
3 Determining where to set the influential x’s so that variability in y is small.
4 Determining where to set the influential x’s so that the effects of the uncontrollable
variables z1, z2, z3, …, zq are minimised.
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 5

Figure 2 General model of a process or system

Statistical DoEs refer to the process of planning the experiments by statistical data. Using
the collected information, appropriate data can be analysed to achieve a valid result and
objective conclusions. According to Montgomery (2010), the following steps are needed
in designing the experiments.
1 Recognition of statement of the problem.
2 Choice of factors levels and ranges.
3 Selection of response variables.
4 Choice of experimental design.
5 Performing the experiment.
6 Statistical analysis of the data.
7 Conclusion and recommendations.
So, a well-planned set of experiments, in which all parameters of interest are varied over
a specified range, is a much better approach to obtain systematic data. Mathematically
speaking, such a complete set of experiments ought to give desired results. Experimental
design is the design of any information-gathering exercises where variation is present,
whether under the full control of the experimenter or not. Usually, the number of
experiments and resources requirements is prohibitively large in designing the
experiments. The Taguchi method is one of the DoE techniques which involve reducing
the variation in a process through robust DoEs. The overall objective of the method is to
produce high quality product at low cost to the manufacturer.

5 Taguchi method

Dr Taguchi built a technique by combining statistics and engineering to achieve rapid

improvements in product designs and manufacturing processes. Nowadays, Taguchi’s
parameter design is an important tool for robust design and it is used by many
6 R. Amuthakkannan

researchers. It offers a simple and systematic approach to optimise design for

performance, quality and cost. Two major tools used in robust design are:
1 Signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, which measures quality with emphasis on variation.
2 OAs, which accommodate many design factors simultaneously.
Taguchi’s approach is totally based on statistical DoEs, and this can economically satisfy
the needs of problem solving and product/process design optimisation. Taguchi method is
based on ‘OA’ experiments which give much reduced ‘variance’ for the experiment with
‘optimum settings’ of control parameters. Thus, the marriage of DoEs with optimisation
of control parameters to obtain best results is achieved in the Taguchi Method. ‘OAs’
provide a set of well-balanced (minimum) experiments and Taguchi’s S/N ratios, which
are log functions of desired output, serve as objective functions for optimisation, help in
data analysis and prediction of optimum results.
In the initial process of this model, it is important to select the problem carefully.
Then, the important controllable factors and noise factors should be identified. Then, by
selecting the OA, experiment should be conducted. Then the optimal response is
identified to design the parameters. Figure 3 shows the important steps involved in the
Taguchi’s design.

Figure 3 Steps in Taguchi method

 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 7

In Figure 3, it is very clear that the analysis of the result is so important after the
Taguchi’s experiment. In the final step, it is important to find the optimal input parameter
for confirmation of experiment. It is possible to apply the Taguchi technique again and
again in an experimental design to refine the parameter design.

6 Software-based automation system: a case study

In this work, Taguchi method is applied in the case study of software-based electro-
pneumatic system to identify the optimal design of process parameters. A cascading
electro-pneumatic system is considered for analysis in which the response is taken as
time taken to complete the total sequence of X+Y+YX (X+ is the extension of piston
in the first cylinder; Y+ is the extension of piston in the second cylinder; Y is the return
stroke of piston in the second cylinder; X is the return stroke of piston in the first
cylinder). For optimisation case study, the software used for electro-pneumatic system is
Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineers’ Workbench (LabVIEW). LabVIEW is
graphical software which is provided by M/s National Instruments, USA. LabVIEW
software for automation system is easily compared with other software in the point of
data acquisition, signal conditioning, interfacing and analysis. An electrically controlled
fluid power system can be either of the open-loop or closed-loop type, depending on the
application required. The electro-pneumatic system contains the devices of solenoid-
operated direction control valve (DCV), flow control valve (FCV), magnetic cylinder,
reed switch, pressure sensor and solenoid-operated air control valve. Figure 4 shows the
closed-loop electro-pneumatic circuit, which consists of LabVIEW software to control
the actuation of the cylinder.
Actuation of the DCV is controlled by the signal which is given by the software
command. In the given system, solenoid-operated air control valve is mounted in the
outlet of the compressor. Air control valve is controlled by the software command. After
the signal is delivered from the software system to open the air control valve, the air is
filtered, controlled and lubricated in the filter regulator lubricator unit. Then, the air flows
through DCV and FCV. The flow direction and adjustment is performed by the FCV and
controls the flow of air. Pressure sensor is mounted in between the FCV and cylinder to
monitor the air pressure. Initially the magnetic cylinder-X is extended in forward
direction (X+). The reed switches are mounted on the magnetic cylinder, which are used
to identify the piston’s extreme positions. There are four reed switches mounted on the
two cylinders of X and Y.
In the initial forward movement of cylinder X (X+), reed switch-2 will give signal to
software control unit. After receiving the signal from reed switch-2, the control unit gives
the signal to get forward direction in magnetic cylinder – Y (Y+). In the extreme forward
position of magnetic cylinder-Y, reed switch-4 will be energised and the signal is
transmitted from reed switch-4 to control system module. Now the control signal
is delivered to get the retraction in magnetic cylinder Y (Y). Now reed switch-3 is
energised when the extreme retraction position is reached and the signal is provided to
the software control system. Now the control signal is transmitted from the software
8 R. Amuthakkannan

system to the solenoid X2 of DCV-I to achieve the retraction in the magnetic cylinder X
(X). After the cylinder has fully retracted, the reed switch-1 will be energised and it
gives the signal to software system. Then, the next cycle will start and this process will be
performed cyclically (Esposito, 1997). Figures 5 and 6 show the photograph of
LabVIEW-based electro-pneumatic system.

Figure 4 Cascading circuit (X+Y+YX) of electro-pneumatic system

Note: Left-side magnetic cylinder is considered as X.

Right-side magnetic cylinder is considered as Y.
X1 and X2 = DCV-I’s solenoids, Y1 and Y2 = DCV-II’s solenoids.
4/2 DCV mentioned in the bottom side of Figure 2 is cascading valve.
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 9

Figure 5 Electro-pneumatic kit with computer interfacing card (see online version for colours)

Figure 6 Electro-pneumatic kit running with system software of LabVIEW (interfacing card
inserted inside the CPU in the peripheral component interconnect slot) (see online
version for colours)
10 R. Amuthakkannan

7 Application of Taguchi method for optimal design

The concept of OA is used as the prime offline quality control tool in Taguchi’s design.
Offline control techniques are the activities performed during the product design and
development stage itself. The main theme of Taguchi parameter design is to obtain robust
condition (Roy, 2001).
Typically, in software-based electro-pneumatic system, there are many design
parameters – some can be controlled by selecting design values within a certain range,
while others cannot be controlled. The major controllable parameters are identified in this
research work in the electro-pneumatic system is listed as follows:
1 Voltage.
2 Operating pressure of magnetic cylinder.
3 Number of requirements in software module.
4 Cyclomatic complexity (CC) software design.
(Here voltage, pressure, number of requirements and CC are considered in the notations
of A, B, C and D, respectively.)

7.1 Voltage (A)

Voltage fluctuation or variation is a severe quality problem in digital-based systems
because it may lead to the system failure (Chen et al., 2001).
In software-based systems, power variation affects the relays, sensors, switches and
transmission of data. In dynamic load models, the voltage fluctuation problem will affect
much of system performance due to fluctuation of control bus voltage.

7.2 Operating pressure of magnetic cylinder (B)

Pneumatic supply leakage through pathways, valves, accumulators, joints, etc. will lead
to operating pressure variation. Sometimes, automatic depressurisation system will fail in
accumulators. So, there is a chance of sudden pressure raise. The low pressure or sudden
increase of pressure will affect the performance of the actuation.

7.3 Number of requirements in software module (C)

The requirement in software design is a vast area and generally it is called as requirement
engineering. This is defined as ‘programmer–client interaction in writing program
specification’. The lack of assumptions by the programmer forced for ignorance of
requirement, improper specifications, large number of unnecessary requirements and
inconsistencies.

7.4 Cyclomatic complexity (D)

CC measures the number of linearly independent paths through a program module. This
measure provides a single ordinal number that can be compared to the complexity of
other programs (Pressman, 2001; Vandoren, 2007).
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 11

The quantitative measure of CC is calculated from connected graphs of the modules.

See Figure 7 for graph and other details.
Cyclomatic complexity (CC) EN p (1)

where
E = No. of edges of the graph.
N = No. of nodes of the graph.
p = No. of connected components.
According to quantitative measure of CC, the program will be concluded as follows:
Low CC A simple program without much risk
Medium CC More complex, moderate risk
High CC Complex, high risk program
Very high CC Un-testable program, very high risk

The noise factors are categorised as follows:

1 Fluctuations in electricity.
2 Dimensional variation or defects in valves body.
3 Material variation.
4 Temperature.
5 Defects in the air flow accessories.
6 Actuator faults.
7 Poor performance of filter, regulator and lubrication unit.
8 Inadequate knowledge in software domain.
9 Poor assembly of software components.
10 Improper logics.
11 Unwanted loops.
12 Software error due to hardware faults, etc.
After the selection of four control factors, three levels are considered in the parameters
such as minimum, normal and maximum. Then, a matrix called OA is selected according
to Taguchi rule (L9 OA). Table 1 shows the control factors and its levels. The levels for
each factor were selected systematically by the engineers based on their knowledge and
experience of the process.
12 R. Amuthakkannan

Figure 7 Connected graph of a simple program

Table 1 Control factors and its levels

Controllable factors Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

A Voltage (v) 215 230 245
B Operating pressure of magnetic cylinder (psi) 205 220 235
C Number of requirements per module 2 4 6
D CC 1–6 7–13 14–20

7.5 Selected OA
According to Taguchi’s rule, the experimental layout is designed by selecting the
appropriate OA. For four parameters and three levels, the standard L9 OA (shown in
Table 2) is chosen for further study. This has nine experiments which are needed to
carryout to identify the response for different levels.
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 13

Table 2 Standard OA for L9 (3)4

Column no.
Experiment no. A B C D
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 2 2 2
3 1 3 3 3
4 2 1 2 3
5 2 2 3 1
6 2 3 1 2
7 3 1 3 2
8 3 2 1 3
9 3 3 2 1

7.6 Setting of experiments

In electro-pneumatic kit, the response of the experiment is taken as time taken to
+ +
complete a single cycle Ta (sequence of X Y YX) which is collected using a high
accurate digital stop watch. This time taken is also possible by the software by a special
software and hardware. Software-based time collection is better than conventional digital
stop watch method because the sequence will end quickly.
Comparing the factors and its levels in Table 1 and L9 OA in Table 2, the levels have
been set in different way and the experiments are conducted for nine trials. The result of
the experiment is tabulated in Table 3.

Table 3 Results of the L9 OA for the electro-pneumatic circuit

Time taken to complete the

Control factor assignment and column number sequence
Operating
pressure of Number of
magnetic requirements per
Experiment Voltage cylinder module CC
no. (A) (B) (C) (D) 1 2 3 Average
1 215 205 2 1–6 3.99 4.13 4.02 4.05
2 215 220 4 7–13 5.52 5.71 5.56 5.59
3 215 235 6 14–20 5.91 5.73 5.82 5.82
4 230 205 4 14–20 5.01 5.03 4.93 4.99
5 230 220 6 1–6 4.92 4.81 5.16 4.96
6 230 235 2 7–13 4.11 4.03 4.16 4.10
7 245 205 6 7–13 4.75 5.16 4.78 4.89
8 245 220 2 14–20 4.02 4.06 4.18 4.08
9 245 235 4 1–6 4.09 4.04 4.38 4.17
14 R. Amuthakkannan

7.7 S/N ratio

The control factors that may contribute the minimum variation (improved quality) can be
quickly identified by looking at the amount of variation present as a response. Taguchi
has created a transformation of the repetition data to another value, which is a measure of
the variation present. In data analysis, S/N ratio is used to allow the control of the
response as well as to reduce the variability about the response (Takeshita and Hosokawa,
2007). The S/N ratio consolidates several repetitions (at least two data points are
required) in to one value that reflects the amount of variation present. S/N ratios can be
calculated based on the following objectives: smaller the better, nominal the better (NB)
and larger the better.
The S/N ratios for the characteristics can be expressed as:
§1 ·
S/N ratio for smaller the better characteristics =  10 log ¨ 6yi 2 ¸ (2)
© r ¹

§ 1 § 1 ··
S/N ratio for larger the better characteristics=  10 log ¨ 6 ¨¨ 2 ¸¸ ¸ (3)
¨r ¸
© © yi ¹ ¹

§ P2 ·
S/N ratio for nominal the better characteristics=10 log ¨ 2 ¸¸ (4)
¨V
© ¹
where
ȝ is the average of observed data.
ı is the standard deviation of observed data.
r is the number of observations.
yi is the observed data for the ith quality characteristics.
In this work, NB quality characteristic has been chosen because the error should be at
minimum in every failure modes which should give the best quality output. All the results
are tabulated in Table 4.

Table 4 Experimental result of average response value and S/N ratios

Column no.
Experiment no. A B C D Average response value S/N ratio (dBi)
1 1 1 1 1 4.05 37.01
2 1 2 2 2 5.59 36.68
3 1 3 3 3 5.82 30.32
4 2 1 2 3 4.99 41.26
5 2 2 3 1 4.96 30.62
6 2 3 1 2 4.10 37.69
7 3 1 3 2 4.89 28.37
8 3 2 1 3 4.08 35.58
9 3 3 2 1 4.17 28.90
y 4.74 K 34.04
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 15

7.8 Response table and response graph

The average effects for each level of process parameters are summarised separately and
referred to in the average effects response table. For example, the factor A having level 1
in the experiments 1, 2 and 3. The respective S/N ratios are 37.01, 36.68 and 30.32. The
average is 34.67. Likewise, the S/N ratio for different factors for different levels is
consolidated in Table 5.
Taguchi methods often use a graphic technique to convey rapidly the relative
magnitudes of the different factor effects. This technique results in a visual display
of the relative effects of each of the individual design factors. Generally speaking,
optimisation in Taguchi experiments aims at maximising the S/N ratio. Besides
robustness, Taguchi’s optimisation also seeks to adjust the final performance to the
desired target. One may sometimes reach both these goals quickly with the aid of
graphic displays. Figure 8 shows the response graphs for factors A, B, C and D for S/N
ratios to find the optimum level of factors. The levels finalised for maximum S/N ratio is
given in Table 6.

Table 5 Response table for S/N ratios

Controllable factors
Levels A B C D
1 34.67 35.54 36.76 32.17
2 36.52 34.29 35.61 34.24
3 30.95 32.30 29.77 35.72

Figure 8 Response graphs for factors A, B, C and D (see online version for colours)

Voltage(A)

40
37
S/N ratio

34 Level 2
31 optimum
28
25
0 1 2 3
Levels

(a)
16 R. Amuthakkannan

Figure 8 Response graphs for factors A, B, C and D (see online version for colours) (continued)

Operating pressure of m agnetic

cylinder(B)
40
37

S/N ratio
34 Level 1
31 optimum
28
25
0 1 2 3
Levels

(b)

Num ber of requirem ents per

m dule(C)
40
37
S/N ratio

34 Level 1
31 optimum
28
25
0 1 2 3
Levels

(c)

Cyclom atic com plexity(D)

37
34
S/N ratio

Level 3
31
optimum
28
25
0 1 2 3
Levels

(d)
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 17

Table 6 Finalised levels for maximum S/N ratio

Factor Optimum level Value

A Level 2 230 volts
B Level 1 205 psi
C Level 1 Two requirements
D Level 3 14–20 CC

7.9 Analysis of variance (ANOVA)

ANOVA table is prepared for the given case study and tabulated the values in Table 7.
To determine which parameter is significantly affecting the quality characteristic (Ta),
Table 7 shows the result of ANOVA analysis of data for time taken to complete the
sequence. From Table 4, the F value is taken as 99% confidence level. It is apparent that
the F values of factor A (voltage), factor B (operating pressure of magnetic cylinder) and
factor C (number of requirements per module) and factor D (CC) should be greater than
table value of F (0.01, 2, 18) = 6.01.

Table 7 Analysis of variance

Sum of Degrees of Mean of

Source of variation square freedom square Fcal Ftab % Contribution
Voltage (A) 2.71 2 1.35 86.81 6.01 24.81
Operating pressure 0.27 2 0.135 8.68 6.01 2.44
of magnetic
cylinder (B)
Number of 6.36 2 3.18 204.501 6.01 57.68
requirements per
module (C)
CC (D) 1.68 2 0.84 54.193 6.01 15.07
Error 0.28 18 0.01555 – – –
Total 11.30 26 – – – 100

7.10 Predicting optimum performance

The optimal time sequence to complete the process and S/N ratio is predicted
at the selected optimal setting of parameter. The significant parameters with
optimal levels are already selected as voltage = 230 volts, operating pressure of magnetic
cylinder = 205 psi, number of requirements per module = 2 and CC = 14–20.
Predicted optimal time sequence to complete the process
A2  B1  C1  D3  3( y )
4.683  4.643  4.076  4.963  3(4.74)
4.147 sec
18 R. Amuthakkannan

A confidence interval for raw data and the predicted mean on a confirmation run can be
calculated using Equation (5).

§ 1 1·
CI FD (2, f e ) ¨  ¸ (5)
© neff R ¹

where
FĮ = (2, fe) = F ratio required for Į.
Į = risk.
fe = error degrees of freedom.
Ve = error variance.
neff = effective number of replications.
R = number of repetitions for confirmation experiment.
N
neff (6)
1  [total DOF associated in the estimate of mean]
where N = total number of experiments.

§1 1·
CI 6.01u 0.01555 u ¨  ¸ 0.27
©3 2¹
The predicted mean of time taken to complete the sequence = ±0.27.
The 99% confidence interval of the predicted optimal time sequence to complete the
process is: 4.147  0.27 ” Ta ” 4.147 + 0.27 = 3.877 ” Ta ” 4.417.

7.11 Confirmation experiment

The confirmation experiment is highly recommended to verify the experimental
conclusions from the previous round of experimentation. The optimum condition is set
for the significant factors and levels and several tests are made under constant conditions.
If the average of the results of the confirmation experiment is within the limits of
confidence interval, then the experimenter believes the significant factors as well as the
appropriate levels for obtaining the desired result were properly chosen.
If it is outside the limit of confidence interval, then it is needed for further rounds of
experimentation. The confirmation experiment is the last step in an investigation to verify
the understanding of what makes the product or process function properly (Ross, 1988).
In the first round of this experiment, the major contributing factors are the number of
requirements in the software and the voltage variation in the hardware. The number of
requirements (C) is in the lowest level (i.e. 2). It is observed that the response is directly
proportional to the number of requirements and it can be the lowest. So, in this case, it
can be decided by the experts based on their experience which will be logically correct.
In confirmation experiment, the factor B (operating pressure of magnetic cylinder)
can be left as its contribution is negligible (Table 7). The factor C (number of
requirements) can also be left as it is decided by the experts. However, while considering
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 19

the experiments for confirmation, the factor B is kept at 205 psi and factor C is at 2. The
confirmation experiment is conducted for the factors A and D only with the following
levels as per Table 8.
In the L9 OA, only the first two columns are taken for experimental design because it
is considered only two factors in the second round of this confirmation test. The level
setting is shown in Table 9 according to L9 OA. The results obtained in the confirmation
test are tabulated in Table 10.

Table 8 Confirmation experiment – factors and levels

Controllable factors Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

A Voltage (v) 215 230 245
D CC 7–13 14–20 21–25

Table 9 Standard OA L9 for two factor three levels

Column no.
Experiment no. A D
1 1 1
2 1 2
3 1 3
4 2 1
5 2 2
6 2 3
7 3 1
8 3 2
9 3 3

Table 10 Results of the L9 OA in confirmation test

Column number Time taken to complete the sequence

Voltage CC
Experiment no. (A) (D) 1 2 3 Average
1 215 7–13 4.00 4.10 4.15 4.08
2 215 14–20 3.80 4.10 4.25 4.05
3 215 21–25 3.90 4.10 4.23 4.08
4 230 7–13 4.10 4.05 4.10 4.08
5 230 14–20 3.90 4.05 4.20 4.05
6 230 21–25 3.80 4.20 4.25 4.08
7 245 7–13 4.05 4.08 4.05 4.06
8 245 14–20 3.90 4.10 4.15 2.75
9 245 21–25 3.88 4.15 4.20 4.08
20 R. Amuthakkannan

The average response value is calculated by taking mean (ȝ) of three trails. Then using
the formulae given in Equation (4), the S/N ratios are calculated. The average response
values and S/N ratios are tabulated in Table 11. The average of average response values
( y ) and S/N ratios (K) are also given in Table 11 The consolidated S/N ratio for different
level for the confirmation test factors of A and D is tabulated in Table 12. Then the
response graphs are drawn for the S/N ratios for different level of factors A and D
according to Table 12 is shown in Figure 9.
According to the confirmation experiment result, the maximum S/N ratio has come in
the level 3 of factor A (voltage) and level 1 of factor D (CC). So, it is concluded that
245 volts and the CC of 7–13 can be allowed to obtain the nominal response of time
taken to complete the sequence. But according to Mc Cabe (who coined the word CC),
the associated real-time software is having moderate risk program because the
complexity is coming moderately. But, most of the large real-time software programs are
high complex and risky one. But this case study is a simple real-time system, so the
complexity result is obtained in the moderate level.

Table 11 Average response value and S/N ratios for confirmation test

Column no.
Experiment no. A B Average response value S/N ratio (dBi)
1 1 1 4.08 36.3220
2 1 2 4.05 26.7084
3 1 3 4.08 29.5527
4 2 1 4.08 44.7730
5 2 2 4.05 30.3882
6 2 3 4.08 26.1398
7 3 1 4.06 49.1602
8 3 2 2.75 31.4796
9 3 3 4.08 29.2492
y 4.07 K = 33.753

Table 12 Response table for confirmation test result

Controllable factors
Levels A D
1 30.86105 43.41843
2 33.67804 29.52541
3 36.62969 28.31390
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 21

Figure 9 Response graphs of factors A and D in confirmation test (see online version for colours)

Voltage(A)

40

30

S /N ratio
20 Level 3
optimum
10

0
0 1 2 3

Levels

(a)

Cyclomatic complexity(D)

50
40
S /N ra t io

30 Level 1
20 optimum
10
0
0 1 2 3
Levels

(d)

7.12 Results and discussion

The optimal setting of process parameter for optimal time sequence to complete the
process in a software-based electro-pneumatic kit for the sequence of X+Y+YX is
given in Table 13.

Table 13 Final levels for control parameters

Controllable factors Optimum level Value

A Voltage (v) Level 3 240 volts
B Operating pressure of magnetic cylinder (psi) Level 1 205 psi
C Number of requirements per module Level 1 Two requirements
(i.e. minimum)
D CC Level 1 7–13 CC (moderate)
22 R. Amuthakkannan

Here, the major contributing factor is number of requirements per module. So, it is
needed to give more care on selecting the requirements on its front panel.
The following recommendations are suggested to improve the number of requirement
in software design:
1 Each requirement team needs at least one domain expert, usually supplied by the
customers.
2 Experts should have a much stronger understanding capability of specifications of
hardware and software.
3 Key responsibilities of requirement managers are to capture, document, categorise,
organise, evaluate, disseminate, facilitate, review and manage change for the
information.
So, it is needed to have that requirement and all of its attributes documented, not deleted.

8 Conclusions

This paper optimises the different parameters in a software-based mechatronics system

using Taguchi optimisation technique for software-based electro-pneumatic system.
Practically, the research work in software-based system performance improvement is not
limited to the four parameters such as voltage, operating pressure, number of
requirements and CC. There are many other parameters that are also need to be optimised
to get an improved performance from the system. So, this research work is only the base
in the area of parameter design of a system which contains both hardware and software.
Taguchi model application can also be further extended by considering more parameters
in software-based systems. However, there is no doubt that this research is a navigator for
further research in many fields for academician and practicing engineers in
interdisciplinary areas in a different perspective. The proposed approach is totally based
on statistical DoEs, and this can economically satisfy the needs of problem solving and
product/process design optimisation. By applying Taguchi technique in software-based
systems, one can significantly reduce the time required for experimental investigation, as
it is effective in investigating the effects of multiple factors on performance as well as to
study the influence of individual factors in optimal parameter design. It is hoped that this
work will stimulate more companies to take up the challenge and implement a program of
Taguchi experiment as part of the continuous improvement of software-based real-time
systems having software and hardware as their sub-components.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the reviewers and Editor-in-Chief of this journal,
Professor Angappa Gunasekaran, for their valuable suggestions in improving the quality
of this paper.
 Analysis of software-based mechatronics system using Taguchi robust design 23

References
Amuthakkannan, R., Kannan, S.M. and Satheeshpandian (2007) ‘Reliability analysis of software
based electro pneumatic system using Bayesian network’, Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Mechatronics, Malaysia, pp.805–811.
Amuthakkannan, R., Kannan, S.M., Selladurai, V. and Vijayalakshmi, K. (2008) ‘Software quality
measurement and improvement for real time systems using quality tools and techniques – a
case study’, Int. J. Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp.229–255.
Amuthakkannan, R., Kannan, S.M., Vijayalakshmi, K. and Ramaraj, N. (2009) ‘Reliability analysis
of programmable mechatronics system using Bayesian approach’, Int. J. Industrial and
Systems Engineering, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.303–325.
Besseris, G.J. (2009) ‘Multi-response un replicated-saturated Taguchi designs and super-ranking in
food formulation improvement’, Int. J. Quality and Reliability Management, Vol. 26, No. 4,
pp.341–368.
Bolton, W. (2007) Mechatronics-Electronics Control Systems in Mechanical and Electrical
Engineering (3rd ed.). New Delhi, India: Pearson Education Ltd. and Dorling Kindersley
Publishing Inc.
Brezovnik, S., Brezocnik, M., Klancnik, S., Balic, J., Sovilj, B. and Škorc, G. (2010) ‘Modelling of
intelligent robot system by reverse engineering and swarm intelligence’, Int. J. Mechatronics
and Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 3, Nos. 1/2, pp.79–96.
Chen, C.S., Chuang, H.J., Hsu, C.T. and Tseng, S.M. (2001) ‘Mitigation of voltage fluctuation for
an industrial customer with arc furnace’, IEEE Power Engineering Society Summer Meeting,
Vancouver, BC, Canada, Vol. 3, pp.1610–1615.
Esposito, A. (1997) Fluid Power with Applications (4th ed.). India: Prentice Hall.
Kant, K. (1990) ‘Performance analysis of real time software supporting fault-tolerant operation’,
IEEE Transactions on Computers, Vol. 39, No. 7, pp.906–918.
Kuruuzum, O. and Akyuz, G. (2009) ‘Modelling the relationship between product quality and
process characteristics in process industry: an application’, Int. J. Productivity and Quality
Management, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp.461–475.
Mandal, P. and Houbi, A.E. (2009) ‘Business practices and information strategy in performance
improvement’, Int. J. Productivity and Quality Management, Vol. 4, Nos. 5/6, pp.715–729.
Meng, J., Zhang, C., Wang, B. and Eckerle, W.A. (2010) ‘Integrated robust parameter design and
tolerance design’, Int. J. Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp.159–189.
Montgomery, D.C. (2010) Design and Analysis of Experiments (7th ed.). NY, USA: John Wiley
Publishers.
Moyniham, G.P. and Garret, S. (2010) ‘Development of an integrated quality methodology for the
food packaging Industry’, Int. J. Productivity and Quality Management, Vol. 6, No. 1,
pp.1–22.
Mujahid, S.N. and Duffuaa, S.O. (2011) ‘Determining optimal target for multi-characteristic
product using fuzzy logic and Taguchi type loss function’, Int. J. Operational Research,
Vol. 10, No. 1, pp.41–59.
Pressman, R.S. (2001) Software Engineering – A Practitioner’s Approach (5th ed.). New York,
NY: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Inc.
Ross, P.J. (1988) Taguchi Techniques for Quality Engineering. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Professional Publishing, ISBN-0-07-053958-8.
Roy, R.K. (2001) Design of Experiments Using the Taguchi Approach. New York: John Wiley &
Sons.
Samuel, G.L. and Darwin, M. (2009) ‘Design and implementation of low cost automation system in
heavy vehicle brakes assembly line’, Int. J. Productivity and Quality Management, Vol. 4,
No. 2, pp.199–211.
24 R. Amuthakkannan

Takeshita, S. and Hosokawa, T. (2007) ‘Achieving robust designs through quality engineering:
Taguchi method’, FUJITSU Science Technology Journal, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp.105–112.
Vandoren, E. (2007) ‘Software technology roadmap – cyclomatic complexity’, Carnegie Mellon
Software Engineering Institute Notes, Available at: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/str/descriptions/
cyclomatic_ body.html.
Xydas, N., Tsi, D., Gurevich, V., Krichever, M. and Kao, I. (2005) ‘Dynamic Taguchi methods and
parameter design as applied in barcode scanning and scanners’, The Journal of Concurrent
Engineering: Research and Applications, Sage Publications, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp.69–80.