Visualization of multidimensional design and optimization data using cloud visualization

As our ability to generate more and more data for increasingly large engineering models improves, the need for methods for managing that data becomes greater. Information management from a decision-making perspective involves being able to capture and represent significant information to a designer so that they can make effective and efficient decisions. However, most visualization techniques used in engineering, such as graphs and charts, are limited to two-dimensional representations and at most three-dimensional representations. In this paper, we present a new visualization technique to capture and represent engineering information in a multidimensional context. The new technique, Cloud Visualization, is based upon representing sets of points as clouds in both the design and performance spaces. The technique is applicable to both single and multiobjective optimization problems and the relevant issues with each type of problem are discussed. A multiobjective case study is presented to demonstrate the application and usefulness of the Cloud Visualization techniques.