  This paper describes two optimisation methods which can be applied to the
parameter selection stage of Fluid Power System design. These two methods used
are a Genetic Algorithm (GA) and a Tabu Search method, both of which have been
claimed to be truely global methods. GAs are a method inspired by natural
selection and Darwinian evolution whilst Tabu Search is an aggressive search
metaheuristic which guides local search methods towards the globally optimum
solution. Results are presented for two different circuit optimisation tasks.
These results show that each of the two methods have both advantages and
disadvantages.
