VisualDOC Model

VisualDOC uses visual programming approach for model creation. The new design introduces the concept of canvas on which the user graphically creates a connected workflow of components resembling a typical flowchart. The user can add any number of components and connect them to describe virtually any design process. A large number of Flow-Control, Design, and Analysis components are supported. The list of inbuilt components is as follows.

Flow-control components

• Start Component : Initiate the root of the execution path
• Stop Component : Terminate an execution path
• For Loop : Run a sub-flow a fixed number of times
• While Loop : Run a sub-flow till a user-specified condition is true (valid)
• If Condition : Conditional flow of execution (control the execution path)
• Generic Block : Isolate/encapsulate a sub-flow (define a group: a group can be cut/copy/pasted/deleted at once)

Design components

• Optimization : Perform optimization
• Design of Experiments : Generate DOE points and fit an approximation
• Response Surface Approximate Optimization : Perform approximate optimization
• Probabilistic Analysis : Compute non-deterministic responses such as mean, standard deviation, probability of failure, etc.

Analysis components

• Matlab : Direct interface with Matlab (run Matlab M file)
• Excel : Direct interface with MS-Excel (read/write/execute a Microsoft Excel file)
• Equation : Evaluate the value of analytical expressions (more powerful than a scientific calculator)
• Executable : Run analysis programs such as Genesis, LS-Dyna, Scripts, etc.
• Shared Library : Load user libraries specifically written to interface with VisualDOC
• Executable Wrapper : Run and communicate data with simple analysis programs
• File I/O : Read/Write any free/fixed formatted ASCII text file

Each component in the workflow (flowchart) performs a specific task. VisualDOC provides generic data editors to define simulation data (inputs, outputs, etc.) for each component. Component specific property editors are also provided to configure their properties. VisualDOC provides a powerful and flexible data linker to define flow of information (transfer of data) between different components.