Patent ID: 7219068

Claim:
A method for product optimization, the method comprising: identifying at least one aspect of a product that is critical to customer satisfaction and a target value for at least one aspect; characterizing the at least one aspect in terms of at least one contributing factor y, and characterizing the at least one contributing factor y in terms of at least one control factor x wherein the at least one contributing factor y is additionally characterized in terms of at least one contributing noise factor n and a transfer function y=f(x,n); receiving input defining a nominal value and a variability value for the at least one noise factor n; outputting a nominal and a variability value the at least one contributing factor y based on the transfer function, a nominal design value and variability value for the at least one control factor x, and the nominal value and the variability value for the at least one noise factor n; and adjusting nominal design values for the at least one control factor x such that variability in the at least one contributing factor y is minimized and the target value for the at least one aspect is attained thereby optimizing the product.