Modeling and Simulation for Advanced Metal Manufacturing Ernesto Gutierrez-Miravete Rensselaer at Hartford SHPE 2012 Conference Fort Worth, TX November, 2012
CCAT and RPI RPI received a multi-year grant form CCAT to support investigation in modeling and simulation of advanced metal manufacturing. RPI-Hartford ( was created in 1955 to serve the educational needs of the aerospace industry in CT. The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT; ) was created in 2005 to serve as an economic development center of excellence.
Motivation for the Study US Leading Role in Advanced Metal Manufacture. Global Supply Chains. Global Interconnectedness and Development. Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation.
Advanced Metal Manufacturing Processes Models Investigated Casting Forming Machining Welding Heat Treating
Investment Cast Superalloy Turbine Blade
Machined High Strength Steel Helicopter Rotor Hub
Formed NbTi Superconducting Wire
Findings Mature and reliable software for faithful modeling and simulation of advanced metal manufacturing operations is now commercially available. Using existing computational capabilities it is now possible to create virtual representations of processes to perform experiments and trials that are less expensive and faster than tinkering with the real thing. However, the software tools are still generally complex and difficult to use effectively; some in the advanced metal manufacturing industry are still skeptical and reluctant to adopt.
Acknowledgements The Manufacturing Modeling program at RPI has been possible in part thanks to a multi-year grant from the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT). Technical support from the following software developers is gratefully acknowledged: –Third Wave Systems (AdvantEdge, Production Module) –Manufacturing Automation Laboratory (CutPro) –ESI Group (ProCast, SysWeld, PAM-RTM) –Scientific Forming Technologies (DEFORM, HeatTreat)