NAFEMS Awareness Seminar - Finite Elements and Numerical Optimisation in Engineering (24th November, 2010)

Scope 

The simulation of engineering processes using the Finite element method (FEM) is today a quite well established procedure, which opens doors to solving new and more complex problems using optimisation approaches together with the FEM. Optimisation problems, such as, for instance, shape or topology optimisation problems, use the finite element method along with optimisation algorithms to reach an effective result. However, the difficulty of these kinds of problems is increased by the addition of the optimisation algorithms intricacy to the known FEM simulation complexities. This fact makes these problems as one of the most challenging problems in engineering.

The use of optimisation methods also allow to solve inverse problems, such as the parameter identification of material constitutive models used in the FEM. Additionally, several physical phenomena are naturally represented and simulated by an optimisation problem. This is the case when the "equilibrium" is attained at the minimum of an energy function and it is typical in, for instance, the case of contact problems in solids mechanics or biomechanical problems.

Engineering optimisation can have strong applications in industry. In metal forming, the development and design of forming tools can be still seen as a “trial-and-error” practice mainly due to complexities inherent to plastic forming processes. In industries, such as the automotive, where complex and innovative parts are constantly required at the shortest time possible, this practice can lead to large economical costs. In this field, one of the goals of engineering optimisation is to use automatic numerical procedures to determine the desired shape of the forming tools and the initial geometry of the metallic blank to be plastically formed in order to provide a final part after forming with the lowest level of imperfections. Doing so, common problems on open metallic parts such as springback, wrinkling, buckling instabilities, flow localisation and fracture, are intended to be avoided. Additionally, other parameter such as, for instance, optimum blank holder pressure, optimum friction, minimum number of forming steps, to name but a few, are very useful for these kind of industrial processes.

The present Awareness Seminar, supported by NAFEMS organisation, intends to bring together experts in those areas of knowledge, aiming to discuss the current state-of-the-art of numerical simulation techniques together with numerical optimisation processes, and trying to establish the future guidelines in the field.  

Date: 24 November, 2010 @ 0900-1800 hours

Venue: Dept. Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Room: Main Auditorium, Dept. Mechanical Engineering

For additional info contact: Prof. A. Gil Andrade-Campos, gilac@ua.pt

Organisation: GRIDS-DiMEO / TEMA / CEMUC

Who should attend?

This seminar is aimed at engineers who wish to learn more about the current state-of-the-art of finite element techniques together with optimisation algorithms applied to their particular industrial problems. The seminar is also focused on researchers and developers in the field, as well as engineering students with some background on numerical simulation techniques.

More information and online registration

http://grids.web.ua.pt/grids_ev_NAFEMS2.html

http://www.nafems.org/events/nafems/2010/optimization_iberia/