Projects / Programmes
Modelling and Simulation of Materials and Processes
January 1, 2013
- December 31, 2016
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.13.01 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Process engineering |
Multi-phase systems |
| 1.07.03 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Computer intensive methods and applications |
Simulations |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T000 |
Technological sciences |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.03 |
Engineering and Technology |
Mechanical engineering |
| 1.01 |
Natural Sciences |
Mathematics |
Researchers (9)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
37412 |
PhD Vanja Hatić |
Process engineering |
Junior researcher |
2014 - 2016 |
43 |
| 2. |
21381 |
PhD Miha Kovačič |
Manufacturing technologies and systems |
Researcher |
2013 - 2014 |
245 |
| 3. |
33584 |
PhD Qingguo Liu |
Process engineering |
Researcher |
2014 - 2016 |
33 |
| 4. |
36364 |
PhD Boštjan Mavrič |
Process engineering |
Junior researcher |
2014 - 2016 |
104 |
| 5. |
35031 |
PhD Katarina Mramor |
Process engineering |
Researcher |
2014 - 2016 |
60 |
| 6. |
35885 |
PhD Eva Sincich |
Process engineering |
Researcher |
2013 - 2014 |
13 |
| 7. |
04101 |
PhD Božidar Šarler |
Process engineering |
Head |
2013 - 2016 |
1,101 |
| 8. |
18084 |
PhD Gregor Veble |
Physics |
Researcher |
2013 - 2016 |
55 |
| 9. |
23018 |
PhD Robert Vertnik |
Manufacturing technologies and systems |
Researcher |
2013 |
221 |
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
1540 |
University of Nova Gorica |
Nova Gorica |
5920884000 |
14,060 |
Abstract
The program group is focused on modelling, simulation, and optimisation of the product design, production process yield, and environmental impact. This is established by leading multiphysics and multiscale models, solved by an entirely new generation of meshless methods, originally developed in the program group. The final goal of this modelling is in the prediction of the optimum product properties as a function of the desing requrements and parameters of each of the production steps. This is achieved by the coupled physical models of relations between the process parameters and the macrostructure, macrostructure and microstructure, and microstructure, and product properties. The macrostructure models are based on the solid and fluid mecanics continuum mechanics concepts. The microstructure models are based on the movement of the representative part of matter through the temperature, concentration, velocity and deformation fields of the entire process any rely on the phase filed or cellular automata concepts. The models are validated by industrial measurements. The physical modelling of the microstructure evolution through the process is complemented, raplaced and/or tuned on the basis of computational intelligence in cases where the physical models do not exist yet, are computationally too intensive or give poor performance. Automatic process optimisation is beeing established based on the evolutionary computing. The microstructure as a function of the combination of process steps is searched in the direct direction. In the inverse direction, the process steps are searched which give the predetermined desired microstructure. The process optimisation is establihed based on the minimisation of rappropriate weighted object functions. The described modelling and optimisation has influence on: improved quality, enhanced process capabilities and productivity in production of a broader spectra of products, better knowledge for faster response with respect to the marked demands on enhanced quality and productivity, superseeding of the classical route of new product development (experience, trial and error) by simulation, more simple definition of future research and development strategies, faster development and application of know-how, improved education, enhanced production flexibility, better flexibility in equipment modifications, enhanced flexibility in process control and quality assessment. The program group will continue to demonstrate leading scientific results (publications in topmost journals, monographs at leading publishers), application of knowledge in Slovenian and global aluminium, steel and aeronautic industries (in design of world level awarded products), in education (international awards of postgraduate students), and in organisation of most visible international conferences in the field of solidification and numerical methods.
Significance for science
Research program belongs to the modern research area of modelling, simulation and optimisation of processes, materials and products, which plays an ever increasing role in international research - because of the impulses for inexpensive products with a large know-how input, for new materials, products and environmentally friendly technologies. Our research program is actively integrated in this research area by its basic and applied components. In the framework of our fundamental research, we are seeking new approaches in modelling of gas-liquid, solid-liquid and solid-solid systems at coupled microscopic and macroscopic scales by using advanced meshfree methods and combinations with computational intelligence. We have among others demonstrated first development and application of meshless methods to industrially relevant turbulent fluid flow problems, first aplication of meshless methods in microstructure modelling (our original point automata method), and first through process model of aluminum and steel production based on artificial neural networks. We are also involved in the development of international test cases for Stefan problems and comparisons between numerical models and experiments. We have among others for the first time demonstrated discretisation independent results of macrosegregation as well as suggested first international test case for continuous casting of steel. The proposed research has a direct link to international research area (Europe, USA, Asia) through several international projects. International education, originating from the present program, results in the cooperation with universities abroad, and in the module Modelling of Materials and Processes in the framework of post graduated study of Physics at the University of Nova Gorica. The programe group leader has recently edited special issues of three top ranked journals with the research field of the programme group. A book for Taylor & Francis/CRC Press publisher on the topics Numerical modelling of multiphase systems, as tackled in the program group is underway. The scientific topics of the program group coincide with the EU 2020 research priorities: Nanotechnologies, Advanced materials, Advanced manufacturing systems.
Significance for the country
The research program includes balanced basic and applied research spectra as well as concrete modernisations of production and products. The research is characterised by logical progression: almost all knowledge, developed in the framework of the previous oriented basic and precompetitive research, on which the proposed program is based, proved to found industrial application soon after development. (1) The program group is actively collaborating with largest, most profitable and export oriented metallurgical companies in Slovenia (on which depend at least 50.000 jobs), such as IMPOL Slovenska Bistrica (continuous-, thin strip-, horisontal- and EM casting of aluminium alloys), METAL Ravne (casting of large steel ingots, electroslag remelting), Štore Steel (through process modelling), TALUM Kidričevo (implementation of nanoparticles in aluminium), HIDRIA Idrija (pressure die casting). The listed examples demonstrate spin-offs of our basic project results which influence several million euro savings each year and are undoubtedly important for Slovenian industry. The program group contributes to transformation of this traditionally resource and energy intensive industry to a knowledge based industry. (2) The top end knowledge, gained within the proposed program, will foster the collaboration and export of Slovenian knowledge to global multinational steel equipment process industry (DANIELI, Italy) and to the largest world steel producers (Xiwang Special Steel Company, China). (3) Our knowledge is involved in most advanced research programs like German Helmholtz Association in the field of modelling of microjects for femtosecond crystallography. (4) Last, but not least - the proposed research strenghtens Slovenian scientific and cultural heritage and national identity and has to be at home in Slovenia prior to anywhere else! Jožef Stefan (1835-1893) was among the first who made the analytical foundations for liquid-solid processes. In honour of our great scientist, such processes got the name Stefan problems. This program copes with the field of Stefan problems. (5) The vision of the programme group is to maintain the achieved leading role in development of meshless methods and physical modelling of gas-liquid-solid multiphase systems, and to help the Slovenian and global industry in establishment of competitive technological procedures and products in an economic and environmentally friendly way. In addition, the vision of the programme group presents also involvement of topmost education in the field of modelling of materials and processes. The vision of the program group is also to enhance its the Slovenian state funding, due to the achieved versatile beneficial effects in last years, and to strengthen the group to ten senior and five junior researchers, actively connected to at least ten researchers in industry and other academic institutions, on this, economically very important research field for Slovenia.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
