Evolutionary Algorithm for the Placement of Fluid Power Valves

Placement and routing of fluid power valves impact operational or manufacturing costs. Choosing the right placement that provides optimum routing configuration, and subsequently determining the optimum routing for a given placement, are both hard problems. Evolutionary algorithms, for two categories, are developed here to determine the placement of the valves, based on the optimal routing configuration that minimizes costs. The two categories we consider are a) the placement of conventional valves on a valve-stand and b) the placement of cartridge valves on a manifold block. Our results meet or exceed experienced designers’ solutions.