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EMS-Grivory expands its Computer Assisted Technical Service

08 Dec '16

3 min read

EMS-Grivory, Switzerland-based business unit of the EMS Group and a leading manufacturer of high-performance polymers have announced the recent expansion of the service portfolio of its computer assisted technical service with new promising features. The company is supporting the trend towards virtual development, testing and analysis of parts.

The company is very active in the development of calculation methods to determine the life expectancy of components made of fibre-reinforced polymer materials. Together with well-known partners such as VW, BMW, Bosch, Sulzer, Magna, and Loeben University in Austria, a corresponding research project was launched. The project work involved simulating the life expectancy of a transmission cross member using the newly developed calculation methods – a highly complex issue as this time span is affected by a variety of different factors. Apart from temperature, moisture and mechanical loading these also include the orientation of the fibres. Depending on whether the fibres are transversally or longitudinally oriented, strength values can deviate by up to 50 per cent which has a decisive influence on the life expectancy of a component.

Parallel to the calculations, conventional component tests were also carried out to determine the fatigue behaviour, that is the working life, under specific loading scenarios. A comparison of the calculation results with the component tests shows that the results of current computer-calculated forecasts are already very reliable.

Previously, insights into a component were only possible using time-consuming microscope technology and involving individual section planes. The EMS-Grivory application development department now uses computer tomography for this kind of examination. This technology has been used medicine for many years and has recently been introduced for industrial applications. Using computer tomography, a complete, three-dimensional image of the component can be created in a non-destructive way. This greatly shortens customer service response time and improves the quality of information provided.

Computer tomography is especially suited for precise measuring of component dimensions and for the analysis of fibre orientation and inclusions. All necessary information for this kind of examination can be gained from one single scan. It is even possible to compare the results of a scan directly with the original 3D model images created during component development. This provides information about the accuracy of the simulation models and where they can be improved.

Using the new calculation methods for forecasting life-expectancy and the new computer tomography technology, EMS-Grivory has two powerful tools which provide significantly more know-how about component behaviour, considerably improve customer service efficiency and greatly accelerate component development. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India