Analytical modelling of residual stress in additive manufacturing

A physics‐based analytical model to assess residual stresses in additive manufacturing made of metallic materials is presented and validated experimentally. The model takes into consideration the typical multi‐pass aspect of additive manufacturing. First, the thermal signature of the process is assessed by predicting the temperature for the problem of a moving heat source, then, the thermally induced stresses in a homogenous semi‐infinite medium are determined. Taking the thermal stresses as input, the residual stresses are calculated analytically to obtain the distribution across the depth. Good agreement is obtained between the analytical prediction and X‐ray measurements made on Selective Laser Melted 316L Stainless Steel. In addition, the analytical approach enables in‐depth interpretations of results with basis in the true mechanisms of the process. Thus, the present model appears as a promising tool for optimization of process parameters in additive manufacturing, which in turn will improve the understanding of process parameters and their effect on properties of the final product.     

Challenging Controversies: A Prospective Analysis of the Influence of New Technologies on the Safety of Offshore Drilling Operations

Integrated operations (IO) is an operating mode in the offshore oil and gas industry that is expected to lead to safer, faster and better operations. This article presents an analysis of the anticipated impacts of increased instrumentation on the safety of drilling operations. The instrumentation is related to the change process of IO, and is exemplified by a group of IO tools for interpretation, diagnosis and automation. An important finding in the study is the identification of a set of controversies that reflect characteristic challenges of drilling operations. These controversies involve the quantity and accessibility of information, the issue of centralized and decentralized control, the relation between standardized and unique interpretation of data, and the heterogeneous nature of engineering work. It is argued that the impact of the IO tools on safety will depend on how these controversies are taken into account when the tools are adopted. It is also argued that the cognitive control of the operations is distributed across a range of human and nonhuman actors and that the impact of the IO tools thus depends on how they are adapted to the system of distributed cognition rather than on the properties of the tools themselves.     

Effect of surfactant concentration, pH, and shear rate on the rheological properties of aqueous systems of a hydrophobically modifed chitosan and its unmodified analogue

Oscillatory shear, shear relaxation and viscosity experiments have been carried out on semidilute solutions of chitosan and on a hydrophobically modified analogue (HM-chitosan) in 1% acetic acid. This was done in the presence of various amounts of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and at different pH values. All the rheological measurements on the HM-chitosan solutions revealed significant polymer-surfactant interaction and pH effects. The observed rheological effects were least pronounced at pH ≈ 4, while a strong viscoelastic response was found at pH values of 1 and 5 in HM-chitosan solutions of low surfactant concentration. At these conditions, significant shear-thinning effects were observed. In semidilute solutions of unmodified chitosan, the influence of pH, surfactant concentration and shear rate on the rheological properties was moderate or insignificant. Received: 25 September 1996/Revised version: 30 October 1996/Accepted: 4 November 1996     

Numerical modeling of the hydraulic blade pitch actuator in a spar‐type floating wind turbine considering fault conditions and their effects on global dynamic responses

This paper deals with numerical modeling of the hydraulic blade pitch actuator and its effect on the dynamic responses of a floating spar‐type wind turbine under valve fault conditions. A spar‐type floating wind turbine concept is modeled and simulated using an aero‐hydro‐servo‐elastic simulation tool (Simo‐Riflex [SR]). Because the blade pitch system has the highest failure rate, a numerical model of the hydraulic blade pitch actuator with/without valve faults is developed and linked to SR to study the effects of faults on global responses of the spar‐type floating wind turbine for different faults, fault magnitudes, and environmental conditions. The consequence of valve faults in the pitch actuator is that the blade cannot be pitched to the desired angle, so there may be a delay in the response due to excessive friction and the wrong voltage, or slit lock may cause runaway blade pitch. A short circuit may cause the blade to get stuck at a particular pitch angle. These faults contribute to rotor imbalance, which result in different effects on the turbine structure and the platform motions. The proposed method for combining global and hydraulic actuator models is demonstrated in case studies with stochastic wind and wave conditions and different types of valve faults.     

Product portfolio map:a visual tool for supporting product variant discovery and structuring

A fundamental criterion for reusing and continuously improving knowledge in product development is ensuring that the knowledge is explicit and visual.This paper is based on the situation of an engineer-to-order(ETO) manufacturing company,where historically grown product variety and related knowledge are diffuse(tacit).Consequently,several resources are used in(re)developing derivatives of previous products rather than innovating new ones.To establish a more competitive configure-to-order(CTO) product strategy,product knowledge needs to be revealed,systemized,and structured,and thus made explicit.Hence,product-specific knowledge and product variants have been analyzed and subsequently mapped at architectural,functional,and physical levels in one unified map and tested in the form of a proof-of-concept(POC)demonstrator with the introduced SME company.The result is a product portfolio map that forms a base for defining a systemized,transparent,unified product variant overview,which can be used as a basis for implementing a cross-variant product architecture and supporting knowledge-based approaches.     

A new testing machine to determine the behaviour of aluminium granulate under combined pressure and shear

To reduce the environmental impact and increase the yield from conventional aluminium recycling processes, a direct continuous extrusion method of shredded scrap is being developed. The innovative method is a process where a rotating screw generates the extrusion pressure, introducing rotation to the scrap compacting and extruding in one single operation. The objective of this paper is to present a testing machine, representing the basic mechanisms of the above process in a simplified manner. A rotary anvil-type machine, which is capable of imposing rotational and linear translations, has been built for the purpose of compacting granulate under different pressures, torques and strain rates at different temperatures. This paper describes the developed machine, its features and capabilities in detail. The machine has shown that it is capable of delivering a compressive force of 500 kN while simultaneously delivering a torque of 1.580 Nm on disks made from aluminium granulate. Several tests, with and without rotation, have been carried out where aluminium granulate has been consolidated. The material used was an aluminium alloy AA6060 wire cut in appropriate sizes. The results show how simultaneous rotation and compression reduce the necessary pressure needed for achieving full compactation of the granulate. It is also shown how an increased number of rotations influence the mixing of the granulate to a greater depth. The severe plastic deformation of the granulate is thought to influence the mechanical properties of the resulting compound beneficially.     

Exploring the hybrid metal extrusion and bonding process for butt welding of Al–Mg–Si alloys

The hybrid metal extrusion and bonding (HYB) process is a new solid-state joining technique developed for aluminum alloys. By the use of filler material addition and plastic deformation sound joints can be produced at operating temperatures below 400 °C. The HYB process has the potential to compete with commonplace welding technologies, but its comparative advantages have not yet been fully explored. Here, we present for the first time the results from an exploratory investigation of the mechanical integrity of a 4-mm AA6082-T6 HYB joint, covering both hardness, tensile and Charpy V-notch testing. The joint is found to be free from defects like pores, internal cavities and kissing bonds, yet a soft heat-affected zone (HAZ) is still present. The joint yield strength is 54% of that of the base material, while the corresponding joint efficiency is 66%. The indications are that the HYB process may compete or even outperform conventional welding techniques for aluminum in the future after it has been fully developed and optimized.     

Using contrast material techniques to determine metal flow in screw extrusion of aluminium

Screw extrusion is a new continuous solid state processing method for aluminium. In this process, small pieces of aluminium are continuously inserted into a container wherein a rotating screw pushes the material forward. The material is heated, consolidated and extruded through a die in front of the end of the screw in one single continuous process. Understanding the material flow and the pressure generating mechanism is vital for optimizing screw, container and die designs, thereby increasing capacity, material quality and process stability. Full scale experiments using a prototype extruder were chosen as the means of investigation. In this paper, it is reported on the development of a novel contrast material technique to visualize material flow in the screw channels and the extrusion chamber. Extrusion of Ø 10 mm aluminium profiles was performed using both single and double flight screws. The experimental technique provided a means for evaluating the frictional conditions between the aluminium and the surface of the extruder. Different feeding schemes were used to identify regions of high material flow rate together with dead metal zones in the screw channels and in the extrusion chamber. It is demonstrated how newly fed material interacts with and displaces material already present and how the screw pushes material into the extrusion chamber. The instantaneous extrusion velocity was measured and significant variations were detected for all feed rates. An explanatory model of the extrusion pressure generating mechanism in the extrusion chamber and the screw channel is presented linking the material flow and the consolidation process to the extrusion velocity variations.