| Central composite designs [Box and Wilson (1951)] and Box-Behnken designs [Box and Behnken (1960)] are both widely accepted and used experimental designs for fitting second order polynomial models in response surface methods. However, these designs are based only on the number of explanatory variables (factors) that are being investigated, and do not take into account any prior information about the system being investigated. In a multivariate problem where prior information is available in the form of a screening experiment or previous process knowledge, investigators often know which factors will be used in the estimation of each response. This work presents alternative designs based on central composite designs and Box-Behnken designs that result in fewer required runs, saving investigators both time and money, by taking this prior information into account. |
