The program SOVA was developed for optimizing the numerical parameters of different material experiments. These parameters can be amount of individual components, pressing pressure, temperature of firing, time of hardening and numerous others. The goal of optimization is to achieve the best result of an important variable (objective function) e.g. strength, thermal conductivity or bulk density. The numerical values of the initial parameters are input into the program along with the results. The SOVA will then calculate another set of parameters that will yield a better result.
The software implements the Nelder-Mead method of flexible simplex (amoeba algorithm). The SOVA can be used successfully for optimizing any multidimensional tasks, not only for material experiments.
The operation of the algorithm is a two step process and is performed as follows:
The user performs N+1 experiments (where N is equal to the number of variables entered into the optimization). These experiments are performed according to initial experimental plan suggested by program (initial simplex). Maximum number of optimized variables (factors or components) is 12.
The user then makes an additional experiment for every optimization cycle with parameter values defined by the algorithm (sequential optimization).
Button CALCULATOR starts a procedure CalcPB designed for comfortable auxiliary calculations. The source code of the procedure see:
http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtop ... 43#p351643
Apart from existing commercial implementations of flexible simplex (MultiSimplex® ,Simplex Pro™), the SOVA is a freeware. The fully functional program SOVA is accessible from web pages of the author. Installation packet contains Czech and English version of the program, Czech and English manual and English tutorial. Translation of English language file into other languages is wellcome.
http://people.fsv.cvut.cz/~svobodal/sova/