Overview
VERDI focuses on numerical framework for manufacturing process simulation enabling fabrication of structural components, such as fan/compressor structures and turbine structures, which are typically large castings in today's engines. A long term vision for the use of numerical process simulation tools in aero engine development and support is that the information technology and engineering models will be used in product development and production planning, from the early design phase to the final design. This enables the combined design of the component itself and the way it is manufactured in order to achieve the desired properties of the component.
The project includes manufacturing process modelling development and validation, for eight processes. The process modelling development is made in conjunction with material modelling to handle the temperature ranges, temperature rates, strain and strain rates that the processes put onto the material models. Moreover, the project also includes activities for the capability to run process models in virtual manufacturing chains, where different software and space discretisations are not an obstacle.
Project objectives:
- development of multi-scale process simulation tools for metal deposition, welding, heat treatment, surface strain hardening and machining;
- integration of process simulation tools;
- integration of process simulation and design;
- integration of process simulation and manufacturing;and
- implementation of manufacturing simulation in Europe's aero engine industry.
VERDI is a research project with a strong focus on development and validation of the numerical framework which is the foundation of virtual fabrication. The project structure comprises six Work Packages, including one devoted to project management. VERDI is planned to follow both the logical order for the development of manufacturing process simulation tools and the structure for applying virtual manufacturing within an engine development project. The process modelling tools are built up from fundamental material modelling, manufacturing process modelling and integration of the individual models to enable complete virtual fabrication of a component.
Support from design and manufacturing is continually available during the entire project to ensure the desired integration. All models and tools will be validated at each appropriate level in order to ensure a robust development process with high quality input results to the next level.
Funding
Results
The major achievements within the project are:
- Demonstrated the capability to carry out virtual manufacturing chains with eight manufacturing processes on two aerospace materials and overcoming problems such as different space discretizations, different locations of the engineers, and different software.
- Validated simulations tools for eight manufacturing processes.
- The capability to carry out virtual evaluations on stability and robustness for all of the manufacturing processes within the project.
- The capability to carry out component life predictions which includes residual states from virtual manufacturing.