Integrated Engineering Approach Research Articles

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a hypereutectic Al–Si–Cu alloy manufactured by laser powder bed fusion

A novel Al–Si–Cu alloy was designed for additive manufacturing of automotive components, such as pistons and supercharger rotors, requiring a combination of elevated temperature properties and high cycle fatigue strength. The alloy was designed with an Al–Si hypereutectic chemistry to exploit the formation of primary Si nucleants to enable an equiaxed as-printed microstructure during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The alloy design space was assessed using a combined integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach with melt-spinning experiments to select a chemistry exhibiting primary Si nucleants acting as heterogeneous grain nucleation sites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) of the LPBF as-printed samples revealed primary Si particles with a fully equiaxed grain structure and no apparent texturing as evaluated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) revealed sub-micron Si particles and Al2Cu θ-phase precipitates which result in enhanced room and elevated temperature mechanical strength (room temperature: UTS: 449 ± 10 MPa, YS: 336 ± 12 MPa) as compared to commercial Al10SiMg (UTS: 417 ± 3 MPa, YS: 236 ± 6 MPa).

Engineering Strategies for Efficient Bioconversion of Glycerol to Value-Added Products by Yarrowia lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica has been a valuable biotechnological workhorse for the production of commercially important biochemicals for over 70 years. The knowledge gained so far on the native biosynthetic pathways, as well as the availability of numerous systems and synthetic biology tools, enabled not only the regulation and the redesign of the existing metabolic pathways, but also the introduction of novel synthetic ones; further consolidating the position of the yeast in industrial biotechnology. However, for the development of competitive and sustainable biotechnological production processes, bioengineering should be reinforced by bioprocess optimization strategies. Although there are many published reviews on the bioconversion of various carbon sources to value-added products by Yarrowia lipolytica, fewer works have focused on reviewing up-to-date strain, medium, and process engineering strategies with an aim to emphasize the significance of integrated engineering approaches. The ultimate goal of this work is to summarize the necessary knowledge and inspire novel routes to manipulate at a systems level the yeast biosynthetic machineries by combining strain and bioprocess engineering. Due to the increasing surplus of biodiesel-derived waste glycerol and the favored glycerol-utilization metabolic pathways of Y. lipolytica over other carbon sources, the present review focuses on pure and crude glycerol-based biomanufacturing.

Design and Innovative Integrated Engineering Approaches Based Investigation of Hybrid Renewable Energized Drone for Long Endurance Applications

At present, surveillance is attracting attention in the field of UAV development. In particular, border surveillance plays a vital role in obtaining the required data around the border and for assisting in military operations. The primary function of this Hybrid UAV (VTOL and Fixed Wing) is to provide prerequisite data, captured during day/night surveillance, to the respective database. One of the primary problems that arise in border patrolling is the use of the UAV under different environmental conditions, thereby reducing its endurance firmly. In addition to the surveillance equipment, energy harvesting techniques are involved in solving the problem of endurance. The piezoelectric energy harvester and solar panels are added to harvest electrical energy in the UAV. Based on this application, the conceptual design of the Hybrid UAV, based on nature, was designed and investigated theoretically, as well as computationally. A series of analysis, which includes Computational Fluid Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis and Analytical approach, was used to determine the energy harvested from the energy harvester. This work confirms the proposed integrated engineering approach for the estimation of renewable energy, via PVEH patches, and the same approach is thus offered to researchers for subsequent applications. Additionally, a hybrid energy idea for newly developed drones was proposed in this work. This concept will be extensively used in the unmanned aircraft system sectors.

Modeling and Experimental Verification of the Performance of Polymer Composite Reinforcing Bars of Different Types in Concrete of Different Density.

Currently, there is a scientific and practical deficit in new methods of integrated technological and design solutions based on improving the properties of concrete as the primary material that perceives compressive loads, and its joint work with various types of reinforcing rods. A new system using an integrated engineering approach to the design of building structures is proposed, which involves minimizing their cost and weight through numerical simulations and an experimental verification of the operation of reinforcing bars made of various materials in concrete of various densities. The control of the bearing capacity of reinforced building structures on the example of compressed elements is proposed to be carried out using the developed recipe-technological methods at the manufacturing stage. The economic and environmental efficiency of nano modification with the help of production waste and the use of lightweight dispersion-reinforced concrete to obtain such structures was revealed. The most effective concrete formulations showed strength gains ranging from 10% to 34%. Ultimately, this led to an increase in the bearing capacity of the elements up to 30%. The application of such an integrated lean approach will allow saving up to 20% of resources during construction.

Bio-waste valorisation: Agricultural wastes as biosorbents for removal of (in)organic pollutants in wastewater treatment

The conventional waste management practices dispose or incinerate agricultural and forestry waste, contributing to the environmental pollution while misusing biomass, a valuable resource with a great potential of reuse. In fact, cultivation of agricultural crops and harvesting generate an abundant amount of waste (e.g., stones, shells, straw) that can be used for wastewater treatment. Waste biomass may be used as: (i) an adsorbent in its original, raw form, following ambient drying and grinding; (ii) modified bio-based sorbents; or (iii) a source material for the synthesis of activated carbon adsorbents through carbonization. Despite the numerous publications in this field examining the removal of a wide range of target pollutants (metals, metalloids, dyes, pesticides, as well as emerging contaminants) by several materials, more realistic studies are still required to evaluate the potential to remove residual compounds in complex matrices, by testing natural matrices, i.e., environmental samples without spiking the target compounds.This perspective paper highlights how an integrated-engineering approach may help solving environmental-pollution issues related to water, solid waste, and air pollution. Chiefly, the application of locally produced bio-waste as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment tackles water contamination, decreases the overall amount of agricultural waste, and reduces the potential gas emissions caused by waste transportation, treatment and/or disposal.

Fracturing With Height Control Extends the Life of Mature Reservoirs in the Pannonian Basin

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 200588, “Fracturing With Height Control Extends the Life of Mature Reservoirs: Case Studies From the Pannonian Basin,” by Ruslan Malon, SPE, Independent, and Jonathan Abbott, SPE, and Ludmila Belyakova, SPE, Schlumberger, et al., prepared for the 2020 SPE Europec featured at the 82nd EAGE Conference and Exhibition, originally scheduled to be held in Amsterdam, 1-3 December. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Hydraulic proppant fracturing is an effective tool in mature, low-permeability reservoirs found in the Pannonian Basin. However, for wells already producing with high water cut, even a small fracture extension into a water-bearing zone offsets the gains in hydrocarbon production. Fracture-geometry-control (FGC) techniques limit increases in water cut. The complete paper describes the first implementation of a solution to control fracture height for conventional wells in the Pannonian Basin. An integrated engineering approach was applied, including a new proppant-transport model to predict fracture geometry improvement using the FGC solution. Decreased Recovery in A and B Fields Oilfield A began producing in 1984. In addition to an interruption by the war in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, production has been in decline, and most wells are at risk of being shut in because of low production rates. During the last 10 years, propped fracturing was integrated into the production strategy for this mature field. Field A comprises Lower Pontian (Miocene) sandstones. Another sandstone formation exists between 5 and 15 m below the production target reservoir, with high water saturation as confirmed by log analysis and well testing. The proximity of the oil target to the water-bearing interval still presents a risk to production considering that hydraulic fracturing is required to extend field life. An impermeable shale streak that may act as a geomechanical barrier exists below the target formation. With a lower risk of fracture propagation into the water zone, Field A was one of the first candidate fields for propped fracturing and was later considered for advanced fracture-height-control techniques to prevent the increase of water cut after stimulation. Hydraulic fracturing would not be trialed in Field B—the characteristics of which are provided in the complete paper—until the advanced height-control techniques had been proved on the basis of experience with Field A. Oilfield A: Early Fracturing Results Early campaigns proved the economic feasibility of propped fracturing, resulting in a 2.1-fold average increase in oil production during the first 6 months of production. Unfortunately, production after this early period declined rapidly. Increases in water cut, seen in several fracturing campaigns, clearly were related to hydraulic fracture growth. Although the resulting uplift in oil production warranted continued fracturing, avoiding water was a key issue to address before expansion of propped fracturing further in this field and to other fields with an even higher risk of water.

Optimal Design for Metal Additive Manufacturing: An Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) Approach

We present our latest results on linking the process–structure–properties–performance (PSPP) chain for metal additive manufacturing (AM), using a multi-scale and multi-physics integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach. The abundance of design parameters and the complex relationship between those and the performance of AM parts have so far impeded the widespread adoption of metal AM technologies for structurally critical load-bearing components. To unfold the full potential of metal AM, establishing a full quantitative PSPP linkage is essential. It will not only help in understanding the underlying physics but will also serve as a powerful and effective tool for optimal computational design. In this work, we illustrate an example of ICME-based PSPP linkage in metal AM, along with a hybrid physics-based data-driven strategy for its application in the optimal design of a component. Finally, we discuss our outlook for the improvement of each part in the computational linking of the PSPP chain.

Technical Modelling Approach for Spatial Integrated Optomechatronic Products

In the age of digitalization, the amount of data generated and transferred continues to increase dramatically. To increase the usability of this data it must be accessible with sufficient transmission bandwidth. Optical signals are already being used for transmitting data over long distances and high bandwidths, as this enables fast and low-loss data transmission. This trend is now also continuing in smaller scales of data transmission. Consequently, even highly integrated electrical circuits must be supported with optical components. Therefore, completely new research approaches for the product development of spatially integrated optical waveguides are necessary. The polymer-based aerosol jet printing represents a promising method to print optical waveguides on 3D circuit carriers. For this reason, the Research Group for Module Integrated Bus Systems deals with topics related to product development and production of such systems. A focus is to customize the design and associated modelling tasks accordingly. Thus, it is essential to create methodical approaches for a digital representation of waveguides and their production processes in order to map the physical behavior and to predict their manufacturability. Current studies show that integrated engineering approaches with removed boundaries among engineering domains are preferable to traditional engineering approaches. Consequently, novel engineering tools are needed for modelling the geometric as well as the physical properties of optical waveguides with the possibility to integrate specific design rule checks. The presented modelling approach in this paper provides/supports the creation of exact digital models without discontinuities through unnecessary interfaces. This article presents a method for a powerful computer-aided modelling environment that enables the design of models that are capable of representing and validating logical relationships among optoelectronic networks, but also considers challenges resulting from spatial geometric characteristics as well as restrictions from manufacturing and physics.

LiVE approach: Lean integrated Value Engineering for construction industry

PurposeIncreasing demand for the best value for client’s money necessitates waste reduction while enhancing the project functionality in construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to propose Lean integrated Value Engineering (LiVE) approach by establishing the synergy between Lean and Value Engineering (VE) concepts for construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA literature survey and in-depth un-structured interviews with six subject matter experts in three steps were used to investigate the synergy between Lean principles and VE job plan to develop LiVE approach for the construction industry. The gathered data were analysed using code-based content analysis and the LiVE approach was finally validated using interviews by two additional subject matter experts representing industry and academia.FindingsResearch findings established that there is a synergy between Lean principles and VE job plan. Accordingly, the study developed a LiVE approach, which specify client’s value, identify the value stream, make value flow without interruption, let the client pull functional requirements and pursue perfection during “value establishment”, “value analysis of functional requirements”, “value creativity”, “value evaluation”, “value development”, “value verification” and “value achievement” phases.Originality/valueThe novel LiVE approach will guide construction industry practitioners on how to integrate Lean concept with VE in order to reduce unnecessary costs and wastes, to enhance project functionality and ultimately to achieve value for client’s money.

An integrated reverse engineering and rapid prototyping approach towards reconstruction of damaged impeller

With the advancement of technology it is now possible to have a reconstructed or reengineered product arising out of any damaged product or part by any digitisation techniques. The reengineered or reconstructed products may prove to be an economically viable option for manufacturing industries especially where higher costs are associated with products like turbine rotors, boiler components, auto components, etc. Also, in many cases, this technique bridges the gap between the actual products and their lost or damaged design data. In the present work, an integrated reverse engineering and rapid prototyping approach has been demonstrated for the reconstruction and subsequent finite element analysis of a damaged impeller. Further, the optimisation of the parameters is carried out for the reconstructed impeller. The results obtained for the reconstructed impeller are compared with that of the original rotor and the finding are discussed in light of some previous works conducted.

Active Chiral Plasmonics.

Active control over the handedness of a chiral metamaterial has the potential to serve as key element for highly integrated polarization engineering approaches, polarization sensitive imaging devices, and stereo display technologies. However, this is hard to achieve as it seemingly involves the reconfiguration of the metamolecule from a left-handed into a right-handed enantiomer and vice versa. This type of mechanical actuation is intricate and usually neither monolithically realizable nor viable for high-speed applications. Here, enabled by the phase change material Ge3Sb2Te6 (GST-326), we demonstrate a tunable and switchable mid-infrared plasmonic chiral metamaterial in a proof-of-concept experiment. A large tunability range of the circular dichroism response from λ = 4.15 to 4.90 μm is achieved, and we experimentally demonstrate that the combination of a passive bias-type chiral layer with the active chiral metamaterial allows for switchable chirality, that is, the reversal of the circular dichroism sign, in a fully planar, layered design without the need for geometrical reconfiguration. Because phase change materials can be electrically and optically switched, our designs may open up a path for highly integrated mid-IR polarization engineering devices that can be modulated on ultrafast time scales.

High density operation for reactor-relevant power exhaust

With increasing size of a tokamak device and associated fusion power gain an increasing power flux density towards the divertor needs to be handled. A solution for handling this power flux is crucial for a safe and economic operation. Using purely geometric arguments in an ITER-like divertor this power flux can be reduced by approximately a factor 100. Based on a conservative extrapolation of current technology for an integrated engineering approach to remove power deposited on plasma facing components a further reduction of the power flux density via volumetric processes in the plasma by up to a factor of 50 is required. Our current ability to interpret existing power exhaust scenarios using numerical transport codes is analyzed and an operational scenario as a potential solution for ITER like divertors under high density and highly radiating reactor-relevant conditions is presented. Alternative concepts for risk mitigation as well as strategies for moving forward are outlined.

Engineering Approach To Optimize Development Strategy in the Oil Segment of the Eagle Ford Shale: A Case Study

Summary This paper presents a case study of the implementation of an integrated engineering approach to drill, complete, evaluate, and optimize multiple sets of parallel horizontal wells in the oil segment of the Eagle Ford shale. Two sets of horizontal wells were drilled parallel to each other in the Eagle Ford shale. Chemostratigraphic analysis was used during the drilling process to assist in understanding the placement of the horizontal wellbores with regard to the target pay interval as well as to assess area faulting. This data was used in designing the stimulation-stage intervals and to evaluate surface injection responses during the fracture treatments. Ball-activated fracture valves and plug-and-perforation completion strategies were tested to determine whether one is superior to the other. Oil-soluble tracers were used to understand the efficiency of these different completion strategies and aided in the production comparisons. Downhole microseismic mapping was also used to assist in the completion evaluation. The integration of various engineering data allowed for interesting conclusions about horizontal wellbore placement and the effect it has on the fracture-stimulation treatments, as well as the resulting production from the comparative wells. These insights provide important information for optimizing infill-drilling, well-placement, and fracture-completion strategies in the Eagle Ford shale. The lessons learned were implemented on additional wells in the same field, and all of these results will be discussed.

Reducing Vehicle Weight and Improving U.S. Energy Efficiency Using Integrated Computational Materials Engineering

Transportation accounts for approximately 28% of U.S. energy consumption with the majority of transportation energy derived from petroleum sources. Many technologies such as vehicle electrification, advanced combustion, and advanced fuels can reduce transportation energy consumption by improving the efficiency of cars and trucks. Lightweight materials are another important technology that can improve passenger vehicle fuel efficiency by 6–8% for each 10% reduction in weight while also making electric and alternative vehicles more competitive. Despite the opportunities for improved efficiency, widespread deployment of lightweight materials for automotive structures is hampered by technology gaps most often associated with performance, manufacturability, and cost. In this report, the impact of reduced vehicle weight on energy efficiency is discussed with a particular emphasis on quantitative relationships determined by several researchers. The most promising lightweight materials systems are described along with a brief review of the most significant technical barriers to their implementation. For each material system, the development of accurate material models is critical to support simulation-intensive processing and structural design for vehicles; improved models also contribute to an integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach for addressing technical barriers and accelerating deployment. The value of computational techniques is described by considering recent ICME and computational materials science success stories with an emphasis on applying problem-specific methods.

Force sensor in simulated skin and neural model mimic tactile SAI afferent spiking response to ramp and hold stimuli

BackgroundThe next generation of prosthetic limbs will restore sensory feedback to the nervous system by mimicking how skin mechanoreceptors, innervated by afferents, produce trains of action potentials in response to compressive stimuli. Prior work has addressed building sensors within skin substitutes for robotics, modeling skin mechanics and neural dynamics of mechanotransduction, and predicting response timing of action potentials for vibration. The effort here is unique because it accounts for skin elasticity by measuring force within simulated skin, utilizes few free model parameters for parsimony, and separates parameter fitting and model validation. Additionally, the ramp-and-hold, sustained stimuli used in this work capture the essential features of the everyday task of contacting and holding an object.MethodsThis systems integration effort computationally replicates the neural firing behavior for a slowly adapting type I (SAI) afferent in its temporally varying response to both intensity and rate of indentation force by combining a physical force sensor, housed in a skin-like substrate, with a mathematical model of neuronal spiking, the leaky integrate-and-fire. Comparison experiments were then conducted using ramp-and-hold stimuli on both the spiking-sensor model and mouse SAI afferents. The model parameters were iteratively fit against recorded SAI interspike intervals (ISI) before validating the model to assess its performance.ResultsModel-predicted spike firing compares favorably with that observed for single SAI afferents. As indentation magnitude increases (1.2, 1.3, to 1.4 mm), mean ISI decreases from 98.81 ± 24.73, 54.52 ± 6.94, to 41.11 ± 6.11 ms. Moreover, as rate of ramp-up increases, ISI during ramp-up decreases from 21.85 ± 5.33, 19.98 ± 3.10, to 15.42 ± 2.41 ms. Considering first spikes, the predicted latencies exhibited a decreasing trend as stimulus rate increased, as is observed in afferent recordings. Finally, the SAI afferent’s characteristic response of producing irregular ISIs is shown to be controllable via manipulating the output filtering from the sensor or adding stochastic noise.ConclusionsThis integrated engineering approach extends prior works focused upon neural dynamics and vibration. Future efforts will perfect measures of performance, such as first spike latency and irregular ISIs, and link the generation of characteristic features within trains of action potentials with current pulse waveforms that stimulate single action potentials at the peripheral afferent.

Reliability of Data Centers by Tier Classification

When the concept of reliability began to formally become an integrated engineering approach in the 50s, reliability was associated with failure rate. Today the term “reliability” is used as an umbrella definition covering a variety of subjects including availability, durability, quality, and sometimes the function of the product. Reliability engineering was developed to quantify “how reliable” a component, product, or system was when used in a specific application for a specific period of time. The data center industry has come to rely on “tier classifications” as presented in a number of papers by the Uptime Institute as a gradient scale of data center configurations and requirements from least (Tier 1) to most reliable (Tier 4). This paper will apply the principles and modeling techniques of reliability engineering to specific examples of each of the tier classifications and discuss the results. A review of the metrics of reliability engineering being used will also be included.

Integrated method in international development for water solutions using the rights-based approach

The introduction of the rights-based approach to International Development has presented a new set of challenges to those working for the water and sanitation sectors in developing countries. This introduction of this additional pressure on both State and Non-State Actors working in the field has necessitated an overhaul of the existing needs based responses. The engineering solutions and intermediate technology currently available often fail to address the complex requirements of the recipients. This study addresses the change that is required and suggests an integrated engineering approach that will be capable of responding accurately to the requirements of the beneficiary. It proposes an 'integrated method', a way of combining technology, community participation and education.

The systematic integration of human factors into safety analyses: An integrated engineering approach

The performance of the human reliability analysis (HRA) and integration of its outcomes into quantitative risk assessment schemes remains quite a difficult and complex task to perform. Even worse is the assessment of organisational reliability assessment. The reasons of this difficulty mainly lay on the absence of a generically accepted paradigm that enables engineers to include systematically human and organisational factors (H&OF) into the analysis. Broadly speaking, engineering approaches very often account for error of omission forgetting the errors of commission (EOC), and, on top of that, they do not make any macro distinction between pre- and post-initiating human failures. This paper offers a paradigm on how to integrate H&OF into safety analysis by means of the recursive operability analysis (ROA), which has been adapted to accommodate H&OF, and renamed integrated recursive operability analysis (IROA). By means of a practical example, the method will illustrate how to account for H&OF in a systematic and consistent manner using an engineering approach. The paper will even provide a paradigm for the construction of integrated fault trees consistent with the IROA framework.

Give me five

When the concept of reliability formally became an integrated engineering approach in the 1950s, it was associated with failure rate. Today, the term reliability is used as an umbrella definition covering a variety of subjects including availability, durability, quality, and sometimes the function of the product. Currently, in the power industry, when the subject is reliability, it is very common to see statements about five 9s. The implication is that this term somehow defines a specific level of reliability. It is only one component of reliability and must be used in its intended manor. This article will present the industry-accepted definitions along with examples to show what five 9s really mean in specific instances and with specific electrical distribution systems. The main issue is that reliability is a term with a specific definition, and the five 9s refer to availability; it means an availability of 0.99999. As we will see later, it requires more than a single term to adequately define the expectations for reliable operation of critical facilities.

Multiphysics modeling and optimization of mechatronic multibody systems

Modeling mechatronic multibody systems requires the same type of methodology as for designing and prototyping mechatronic devices: a unified and integrated engineering approach. Various formulations are currently proposed to deal with multiphysics modeling, e.g., graph theories, equational approaches, co-simulation techniques. Recent works have pointed out their relative advantages and drawbacks, depending on the application to deal with: model size, model complexity, degree of coupling, frequency range, etc. This paper is the result of a close collaboration between three laboratories, and aims at showing that for "non-academic" mechatronic applications (i.e., issuing from real industrial issues), multibody dynamics formulations can be generalized to mechatronic systems, for the model generation as well as for the numerical analysis phases. Model portability being also an important aspect of the work, they must be easily interfaced with control design and optimization programs. A global "demonstrator", based on an industrial case, is discussed: multiphysics modeling and mathematical optimization are carried out to illustrate the consistency and the efficiency of the proposed approaches.