Application of virtual engineering tools to support design optimization: a case study on a cryogenic machining system

摘要

In an ever-increasing competitiveness in the engineering landscape, increased complexity of products and processes and reduction of time-to market for products are key competitive factors. To this end, engineers seek the most efficient utilization of digital tools, such as Computer-Aided (CAx), to enable virtual prototyping and reduce the time invested in physical testing of a system after it is built. However, the introduction of digital tools in the development process cannot guarantee a successful design on its own and requires effective utilization of these tools from the engineer, in the form of modeling the system, selecting the optimal compromise in detail to reduce the complexity of the model and interpretation of results. In this study, the virtual prototyping of a cryogenic cooling system for hybrid manufacturing is investigated. Hybrid manufacturing, incorporating additive and subtractive capabilities in the same machine tool, is one of the most promising technologies that can ramp up the use of Additive Manufacturing in many high-value industrial components. The use of cryogenic cooling is a sustainable alternative to conventional emulsion cooling, which can have detrimental effects on the part and machine tool components, without compromising the heat dissipation performance. The paper presents the design considerations during the conceptual design phase, the design variables to be investigated for the parametric design phase are selected, a physics-based model is utilized for the virtual optimization of the design and the results are interpreted and discussed.