Open Product Design project

Project Title: Open Product Design project

Project Description: This is simply an invitation for students to propose their own project ideas. They should make structured proposals for the theme, with sufficient scope for the need for research before defining a detailed brief.

This project can cover any product area leading to a project whose scope and content are feasible in the allotted time. Particular attention to the methodology during this selection process will be necessary.

Product Details: The project will lead to a design proposal. This may involve model or prototype building, depending on the choice of the product. The project will involve the analysis of a potential market, the definition of a product to comply with that market, the proposal and development of designs for that product, leading to the final detailed design of the product involving CAD.

Weld stress analysis and fatigue prediction using FEA approach

Project Title: Weld stress analysis and fatigue prediction using FEA approach

Project Description:

A review of current methods and guidelines for weld stress analysis and fatigue prediction using FEA approach should be carried out. Some emphasis should be given to the literature containing experimental validation.

Suitable methods should be selected and applied to the welds that exist in wind turbine structures.

Product Details:

A review report of current methods and guidelines for weld stress analysis and fatigue prediction using FEA approach.

Some case studies of weld stress analysis and fatigue prediction using FEA approach.

Resources Required:

ANSYS software
Fatigue analysis software

Survey and implementation of multiaxial fatigue analysis using S-N methods

Project Title: Survey and implementation of multiaxial fatigue analysis using S-N methods

Project Description:

Stress-life (S-N) based fatigue analysis methods are widely used for high cycle fatigue problems such as those seen in turbines. The loading conditions on turbines typically result in multiaxial stress state at the critical locations. Utilising the latest fatigue prediction techniques will help the designers of turbines to carry out fatigue design with higher confidence.

In this project, a literature survey should be carried out for the S-N based multiaxial fatigue analysis techniques. Some emphasis should be put on the turbine related applications and those with experimental validation.

The methods suitable for turbines should be implemented using Matlab and verified using case studies found in the literature.

The implemented fatigue analysis program should be applied to some wind turbine components subject to realistic loading conditions.

Product Details:

A review report on the S-N based multiaxial fatigue analysis techniques.
Matlab programs of S-N based multiaxial fatigue analysis.
A report on the application to a wind turbine component.

Resources Required:

Matlab
ANSYS

Industry based:

Garrad Hassan and Partners Ltd., a wind turbine consultancy company, will provide the wind turbine component FE model, material properties and the loading information at the application stage of the project.

 

Multiaxial fatigue analysis of wind turbine main shaft

Project Title: Multiaxial fatigue analysis of wind turbine main shaft

Project Description:

A review of the fatigue analysis and design methods of the wind turbine main shaft should be carried out. Some emphasis should be given to the utilisation of multiaxial fatigue analysis methods and experimental validation.

A wind turbine main shaft will be modelled using CAD and imported into ANSYS for stress analysis. A computer-aided fatigue analysis will be carried out. Realistic loading information and material properties will be used. Different fatigue analysis methods will be applied and results compared.

Product Details:

A review report of the fatigue analysis and design methods of the wind turbine main shaft.

A report on computer-aided fatigue analysis of a wind turbine main shaft and the associated computer models.

Resources Required:

ANSYS
Fatigue analysis software

Review of wind turbine simulation software and simulation of wind turbine structural dynamics using ADAMS/ANSYS

Project Title: Review of wind turbine simulation software and simulation of wind turbine structural dynamics using ADAMS/ANSYS

Academic Research Areas: CAE

Project Description:

A review of the existing wind turbine simulation software packages should be carried out.

ADAMS and ANSYS will be used to model a wind turbine structure. Different methods of modelling the flexible components will be investigated. The dynamic behaviour of the model will be compared with the results from an independent source.

Product Details:

A review report of the existing wind turbine simulation software packages.

A report and an ADAMS/ANSYS model of a wind turbine structure.

Resources Required:

ADAMS
ANSYS

 

Genetic Algorithms for Automotive Controller Design

Project Title: Genetic Algorithms for Automotive Controller Design

Project Description:

Modern vehicles contain many advanced automotive systems – such as Electronic Stability Control, Cruise Control, ABS, etc – that require control systems to be designed using strict performance criteria (to satisfy ride/handling constraints, etc.). Genetic algorithms can be used to assist engineers in this controller design process.

Genetic Algorithms for Lateral Stability Control of Aircraft

Project Title: Genetic Algorithms for Lateral Stability Control of Aircraft

Project Description:

Genetic algorithms are powerful, adaptive search algorithms using principals from natural selection. They are of particular use in solving problems where the search space is noisy or ill-defined. Modern aircraft (such as Boeing 747s) demand controllers that are both robust and meet specific performance criteria. Unfortunately these goals often conflict – such as in the case of H-infinity controller design, where performance is often traded for robustness – and innovative ways must be found to achieve the desired performance criteria whilst retaining the robustness. Genetic algorithms can frequently assist the engineer in designing controllers.

Product Details:

Controller to meet performance requirements. Additional evolutionary algorithm software.

Resources Required:

MATLAB, Simulink

2D to 3D Manufacture Project

Project Title: 2D to 3D Manufacture

Project Description: 3D sculptures’ use layered manufacturing techniques to produce complex 3D pieces of art on a relatively small scale. This project will investigate the potential to utilise associated manufacturing methods to produce medium to large scale pieces of art taking into account cost.

 

Development of MRP manufacturing management system simulation project

Project Title: Development of MRP manufacturing management system simulation

Project Description: The object of this project is to further develop a number of simulations of manufacturing management systems to illustrate and teach real problems faced by a manufacturing company. It will attempt to integrate the existing simulations with relevant software to enable further detail to be developed in real time.

Product Details:
Resources Required:
Preactor FCS scheduling
Access to simulation kits

Lean Manufacturing Project Synopsis

Project Title: Lean manufacturing

Project Description: This project will investigate the application of lean manufacturing through surveys and look at in particular the significance of these techniques to companies during a downturn in demand.