Simplex-Guided Experiments

A problem with the simplex-guided experiment (right panel) is that it does not take advantage of the natural factor levels, e.g., molar ratios of 1 0.5, 1 1, 1 2, but would prescribe seemingly arbitrary factor combinations, even such ones that would chemically make no sense, but the optimum is rapidly approached. If the system can be modeled, simulation might help. The dashed lines indicate ridges on the complex response surface. The two figures are schematic. 

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