Thomas V. Huynh

Orthogonal array experiment in systems engineering and architecting

This paper espouses the application of orthogonal array experiment to solve a class of engineering optimization problems encountered in systems engineering and architecting. It also illustrates the applicability of orthogonal array experiment in systems engineering and architecting with two examples: verification and validation of the performance of a bandwidth allocation algorithm and architecting of a system of systems to respond to small boat attacks by terrorists. The orthogonal array experiment approach does not call for linearization of nonlinear engineering optimization problems; using orthogonal arrays, it solves them directly by carrying out the smallest possible number of experiments and determining their solutions from the results of the experiments. The orthogonal array experiment method has been found to be effective and efficient for these problems. The feasibility of applying the orthogonal array experiment approach to these problems suggests its potential application to other optimization problems encountered in systems engineering and architecting.

Contracting processes and structures for systems-of-systems acquisition

Acquisition of a system-of-systems can be an all new acquisition of multiple systems that are intended to operate together as a system-of-systems. Much more common in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is acquisition of one or more new systems that are intended to interoperate with existing systems as a system of systems (SoS) with new capabilities. In either case, successful SoS acquisition necessarily depends on effective contracting structures and processes for SoS acquisition. In this paper, a set of issues that need to be addressed in SoS acquisition are identified, and the current findings discussed. The findings suggest maintaining an extensive systems engineering effort within the SoS acquisition and changes to the existing contracting processes, structures, and organizational structures to maximize the probability of SoS acquisition success. The resulting changes are recommended to current and future DoD SoS acquisitions. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15

Assessing the Performance of ad hoc Sensor Networks

As an exploratory effort to understand effects of network complexity coupled with interoperability on performance of ad hoc sensor networks, we treat ad hoc sensor networks as random networks. In this work complexity is reflected by the average degree of the network and interoperability by the mean number of sensors in the network that are interoperable. The average degree of the network in this case depends on both the probability of sensor discovery and the probability of sensor connection. For illustration purposes, we consider the binary hypothesis distributed fusion problem and a simple fusion rule. The result shows that the criterion for successful fusion may be violated by the network conditions that depend on the network complexity and interoperability.

Tool selection process and its management for small and medium enterprises in defence projects

To be self-reliant and competitive in winning and maintaining defence contracts, the Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to improve their systems capability. By systems capability it is meant effectual use of sound systems engineering (SE) processes and effective use of SE tools. Unlike most large organisations, the Australian SMEs have not widely employed SE processes and tools in their work. It appears that the current SE software tools do not effectively aid SMEs with their work and that tool supplierspsila marketing does not specifically target SMEs. To aid SMEs in boosting their systems capability, thereby enabling them to effectively obtain and maintain defence contracts, this work, as part of an on-going research on a framework for tool selection for SMEs in defence, attempts to define a tool selection process and its management. This paper describes the current situation of the Australian SMEs and the issues they are facing with in regards to SE tools. It also proposes the requirements for a tool selection process for SMEs and the management of this process. Finally it discusses the initial findings of the on-going research.

Optimal allocation of support to small manufacturing enterprises in defense projects

Small and medium enterprises play a vital role in projects to develop Australian military systems. Their recognized lack of systems engineering capability, however, can impart risk to the projects in which they participate, unless funding is allocated appropriately to them to improve their systems engineering capabilities. In this work we determine an optimal funding allocation to these enterprises that will minimize risk to the projects by formulating this funding allocation as an assignment problem and then solving it using the Taguchi method.

Welcome to Systems — A New Interdisciplinary Open Access Journal for Systems Science and Engineering

Natural and human-made systems abound around us. Our solar system, the human body, the food chain, and ecosystems are some examples of natural systems. Some human-made systems are transportation systems, weapon systems, computer systems, software systems, satellite communications systems, ships, missile defense systems, health care systems, the internet, financial systems, and regional economies. Understanding of natural systems is essential to the survival of the human species, which is intertwined with the survival of other species on earth. Having the knowledge and ability to build human-made systems is critical to the employment of systems that effectively serve the needs of their users. To gain such understanding and to acquire such knowledge and ability, it is necessary that cutting-edge research in systems science, systems engineering, and systems-related fields continue. This open access journal aims to achieve quick and global dissemination of results of such research. [...]

Scrambling on electrical power grids

Deregulated, the U.S. electrical power grid system has shown the emergence of behaviors that include scrambling by buyers to purchase electricity and unexpected increasing costs of electricity to consumers. To infer those behaviors, in this paper, we adapt a theoretical framework, developed by Newman in his work on spread of epidemic disease on networks, to the propagation of electricity buying and selling in a power grid system. Specifically, we represent the electrical power grid as a random bipartite graph of electricity sellers and buyers, which is then projected to a one-mode network of interacting buyers. The so-called transaction transferability among buyers is calculated as a function of the offered buying prices. The average number of buyers scrambling to buy electricity is obtained as a function of the transaction transferability. Together, the transaction transferability and the average number of scrambling buyers indicate that scrambles for electricity buying drive up costs to buyers.