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This paper describes the concept and some results of the project "Menschen Lernen Maschinelles Lernen" (Humans Learn Machine Learning, ML2) of the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg. It brings together students of different courses of study and practitioners from companies on the subject of Machine Learning. A mixture of blended learning and practical projects ensures a tight coupling of machine learning theory and application. The paper details the phases of ML2 and mentions two successful example projects.
Since direct current high energy shock fulguration was initially performed in the mid 1980s, ablation of cardiac arrhythmias has come to widespread use. Today the most frequently used energy source for catheter ablation is radio frequency (RF). It was the German engineer Peter Osypka who made available the HAT 100 as the first simple commercial RF ablator.
Nevertheless, in the first years of ablation, physicians were effectively working in the dark. Until today with an increasing understanding of arrhythmia mechanisms, both at the atrial and ventricular levels, this curative technology has made tremendous progress. Now, due to crucial improvement of RF ablation generators, temperature and contact force sensor catheters in combination with non-flouroscopic electroanatomical mapping technologies, computerized temperature and impedance controlled radiofrequency catheter ablation can be used to cure all types of arrhythmias including atrial and ventricular fibrillation. For the latter, cooled ablation by saline solution irrigated catheters has been developed to a widely used standard method. This procedure resulting in pulmonary vein isolation requires transseptal puncture and is technically demanding. Nevertheless, it has shown to be more effective than antiarrhythmic drug therapy.
While earliest RF ablations were performed with non-steerable catheters, today are used steerable sensor catheters without or with external and internal cooling and tips of 4mm or 8mm length. Further innovations like integration of mapping and cardiac imaging give exact information of the number of pulmonary veins and branching patterns and help to correlate electrical signals with anatomical structures.
The magnetic navigation significantly improved the success rates and safety of catheter ablation. Thus, in most cases RF catheter ablation has developed in the treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias from an alternative approach to drug therapy into the first therapeutic choice providing low complication rates.
In future, robotic navigation will further simplify procedures and reduce radiation exposure of this curative approach.
Vergleich der hämodynamischen Reaktion auf VV-Delay Änderungen bei Sinusrhythmus und Vorhofflimmern
(2010)
Semi-invasive electromechanical target interval to guide left ventricular electrode placement
(2011)
Electrical velocimetry to optimize VV delay in biventricular VVIR and DDD pacing for heart failure
(2011)
Introduction: VV delay (VVD) is the only parameter to hemodynamically optimize cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrical velocimetry (EV) has been established to monitor thoracic electrical conductivity and to calculate hemodynamic surrogate parameters. We compared the response of this method to hemodynamic parameter changes between CRT patients with sinus rhythm (SR) and patients with AF.
Methods: VVD was individualized in 17 CRT patients in SR (12m, 5f, 67.0±7.2yrs.) after echo AV delay optimization and in 11 CRT patients in AF (10m, 1f, 69.8±9.6yrs.) using the Aesculon Cardiovascular Monitor (Osypka Medical, Berlin, Germany). Serial 30s EV recordings were accomplished, decreasing the VVD stepwise by 10ms from +60ms to -60ms between right and left ventricular stimulus. Optimal VVD was determined by the maximum of at least two of the three averaged parameters stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and cardiac index (CI). The response of SV, CO and CI was tested comparing their values in optimal VVD and suboptimal VVD. Suboptimal VVD was defined by optimal VVD±20ms.
Results: In all 28 patients in SR and AF, EV recordings resulted in optimal VVD. Between suboptimal and optimal mean VVD of 18.6±30.8ms between left and right ventricular stimulus, SV increased by 7.2±6.8%, CO by 7.8±7.2% and CI by 10.0±13.3% (all p<0.02). In the SR group with VVD of 18.8± 29.6ms, SV increased by 4.6±2.9%, CO by 5.0±2.9% and CI by 4.9±2.9% (all p<0.02). In the AF group with VVD of 18.2±4.0ms, SV increased by 10.4±8.9%, CO by 11.3±9.5% and CI by 16.4±18.2% (all p<0.02). Significant differences were not found between optimal VVD in SR and AF patients.
Conclusion: EV is a feasible serial method to individualize VVD in DDD and VVIR pacing for heart failure. Its response to hemodynamic changes demonstrates the value of EV for VVD fine-tuning.
Introduction: Radiofrequency ablation allows successful treatment of most supraventricular reentrant and focal tachycardias and an increasing number of ventricular tachycardias. Different catheter tips are used. While AV nodal reentrant tachycardias require catheters with a tip of 4mm length, an 8 mm tip electrodes will be used for atrial flutter. A pulmonary vein isolation will be performed using 4 mm irrigated tip electrodes to achieve larger and deeper lesions. The need of a tubing set and pump for saline transfusion is a disadvantage of this technique. Gold tip electrodes can alternatively be used to produce increases in lesion size. Aim of this study was to compare RF ablation catheters of exactly the same geometry with either platin-iridum or gold tip.
Methods: Gold provides an almost four-fold thermal conductivity compared with platinum-iridium. The Cerablate G flutter (Osypka AG, Rheinfelden-Herten) is a newly designed radiofrequency ablation catheter with an 8 mm gold tip. Its power delivery was compared with the Cerablate flutter of same geometry but platin-iridium tip. Therefore, in-vitro RF ablations were performed using pork meat in a 0.9% saline solution at 37°C temperature. A pulsed volume flow was generated using a pump to simulate the blood flow. Temperature controlled ablations of 60 seconds using 45, 55 and 65°C and a maximum of 70W RF power were performed.
Results: Using the Osypka HAT300smart ablator, cumulative power of 167, 474 and 672W was delivered with gold tip against 121, 227 and 310 W with platin-iridium tip. By the Stockert SmartAblate G4 ablator, 202, 546 and 1075W was delivered with gold tip against 117, 246 and 394W with platin-iridium using 45, 55 and 65°C temperature.
Conclusion: During in-vitro investigations, the gold tip electrodes allowed a in power delivery increase of 117 up to 173%. Thus, gold tips can be used to increase lesion depth and diameter without cooling equipment.
Significance of new electrocardiographic parameters to improve cardiac resynchronization therapy
(2011)
Introduction: Oesophageal left heart electrogram (LHE) is a valuable tool providing electrocardiographic parameters for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). It can be utilized to measure left ventricular (LVCD) and intra-leftventricular conduction delays (ILVCD) in heart failure patients to justify implantation of CRT systems. In the follow-up, LHE enables measurement of implant-related interatrial conduction times (IACT) which are the key intervals defining the hemodynamically optimal AV delay (AVD).
Methods: By TOSlim oesophageal electrode and Rostockfilter (Osypka AG, Rheinfelden, Germany), LHE was recorded in 39 heart failure patients (10f, 29m, 65±8yrs., QRS=163±21ms) after implantation of CRT systems according to guidelines. In position of maximal left ventricular deflection, LVCD and ILVCD were measured and compared with QRS width. In position of maximal left atrial deflection (LA), IACT was determined in VDD and DDD operation as interval As-LA and Ap-LA between atrial sense event (As) or stimulus (Ap), resp., and onset of LA. AVD was individualized using SAV =As-LA + 50ms for VDD and PAV=Ap-LA + 50ms for DDD operation.
Results: The CRT patients were characterized by minimal transoesophageal LVCD of 40ms but 73±20ms, at mean, ILVCD of 90±24ms and QRS/LVCD ratio of 2.4±0.6. The measured As-LA of 39±24ms and Ap-LA of 124±26ms resulted into SAV of 89±24ms and PAV of 174±26ms. In case of empirical AVD programming using 120ms for SAV and 180ms for PAV, the LHE revealed inverse sequences of LA and Vp in 4 patients (10%) during VDD and 13 patients (33%) in DDD pacing. In these patients, Vp preceded LA as IACT exceeded the programmed AVD.
Conclusion: Guideline indication of CRT systems is associated with LVCD of 40ms or more. Therefore, individual LVCD offers the minimal target interval that should be reached during left ventricular electrode placement to increase responder rate. Postoperatively, AV delay optimization respecting implant-related IACTs excludes adverse hemodynamic effects.
Responder-rate in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) of patients in sinus rhythm (SR) or atrial fibrillation (AF) mainly depends on accurat selection, optimal position of the left ventricular electrode and individualization of hemodynamical parameters of the implanted biventricular pacing system during follow-up. High resolution esophageal left heart electrocardiography offers a quick and semi-invasive approach to the electrical activity of left atrium and left ventricle. It was used in 62 heart failure patients in sinus rhythm and 11 in atrial fibrillation after implantation of CRT systems to compare the semi-invasive interventricular conduction delay (IVCDE) with QRS width. In all of the patients, guideline decision for CRT was linked with IVCDE of about 40ms and up. From logical point of view, IVCDE provides the minimal target interval for the left ventricular electrode placement in order to exclude non-responders. Esophageal measurement of interatrial conduction intervals in VDD and DDD pacing was utilized to individualize the AV delay and to exclude adverse hemodynamic effects.
Using guideline parameters for indication of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), only about two thirds of the patients improve clinically. Unfortunately both, surface ECG and echo are uncertain to predict CRT response. To better characterize cardiac desynchronization in heart failure, interventricular (IVCD) and intra-leftventricular conduction delays (ILVCD) were measured by esophageal left ventricular electrogram (LVE). Recordings in 43 CRT patients (34m, 9f, age: 64.7 ± 9.5yrs) evidenced only weak correlation between IVCD and QRS of 0.53 and between ILVCD and QRS of 0.33. This demonstrated that QRS duration is not a reliable indicator of desynchronization. Therefore, the study resulted into development of LVE feature for a programmer with implant support device. It can be used interoperatively to guide the left ventricular electrode location in order to increase responder rate in CRT.
AV delay (AVD) optimization can improve hemodynamics and avoid nonresponding to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). AVD can be approximated by the sum of the individual implant-related interatrial conduction interval and a mean electromechanical interval of about 50ms. We searched for methods to facilitate automatic, implant-based AV delay optimization. In 25 patients (19m, 6f, age: 65±8yrs.) with Medtronic Insync III Marquis CRT-D series systems and left ventricular electrode at lateral or posterolateral wall, we determined interatrial conduction intervals by telemetric left ventricular tip versus superior vena cava coil electrogram (LVCE). Compared with esophageal measurements, the duration of optimal AV delay by LVCE showed good correlation (k=0.98, p=0.01) with a difference of 1.5±4.9ms, only. Therefore, LVCE is feasible to determine interatrial conduction intervals in order to automate AV delay optimization in CRT-D pacing promising increased accuracy compared to other algorithms.
Well-designed and informative product presentations can support consumers in making purchase decisions. There are plenty of facts and details about a product of interest. However, also emotions are an important aspect for the purchase decision. The unique visualization opportunities of virtual reality (VR) can give users of VR applications the feeling of being there (telepresence). The applications can intensely engage them in a flow experience, comprising the four dimensions of enjoyment, curiosity, focused attention and control. In this work, we claim that VR product presentations can create subjective product experiences for consumers and motivate them to reuse this innovative type of product presentation in the future, by immersing them in a virtual world and causing them to interact with it. To verify the conceptual model a study was conducted with 551 participants who explored a VR hotel application. The results indicate that VR product presentations evoke positive emotions among consumers. The virtual experience made potential customers focus their attention on the virtual world and aroused their curiosity about getting more information about the product in an enjoyable way. In contrast to the theoretical assumption, control did not influence the users’ behavioral intentions to reuse VR product presentation. We conclude that VR product presentations create a feeling of telepresence, which leads to a flow experience that contributes to the behavioral intention of users to reuse VR product presentations in the future.
For e-commerce retailers it is crucial to present their products both informatively and attractively. Virtual reality (VR) systems represent a new marketing tool that supports customers in their decision-making process and offers an extraordinary product experience. Despite these advantages, the use of this technology for e-commerce retailers is also associated with risks, namely cybersickness. The aim of the study is to investigate the occurrence of cybersickness in the context of the customer’s perceived enjoyment and the perceived challenge of a VR product presentation. Based on a conceptual research framework, a laboratory study with 533 participants was conducted to determine the influence of these factors on the occurrence of cybersickness. The results demonstrate that the perceived challenge has a substantially stronger impact on the occurrence of cybersickness, which can only be partially reduced by perceived enjoyment. When realizing VR applications in general and VR product presentations in particular, e-commerce retailers should therefore first minimize possible challenges instead of focusing primarily on entertainment aspects of such applications.
FHOP-Mikroprozessor-Kernel
(1995)
A platform of an electronic capsule is being developed for multi-task medical assistant application. It includes a near field telemetry unit for bidirectional communication system of 115 KHz low carrier frequency for inductive data transmission suited for human body energy transfer. The system triggers an actuator for drug delivery in various time and release forms via wireless external control, it has the ability to record temperature, measure pH of the body (additional sensors), and retrieve data to the outside. It consists of a 32bit processor, memory, external peripheries, and detection facility. The complete system is designed to fit small-size mass medical application with low power consumption, size of 7x25mm. The system is designed, simulated and emulated on FPGA. A final layout of the complete chip design is still under progress.
A new, small, and optimized for low power processor core named SIRIUS has been developed, simulated, synthesized to a netlist and verified. From this netlist, containing only primitives like gates and flip-flops, a mapping to an ASIC - or FPGA technology can easily be done with existing synthesizer tools, allowing very complex SOC designs with several blocks. Emulation via FPGA can be done on already simple setups and cheap hardware because of the small core size. The performance is estimated 50 MIPS on Cyclone II FPGA and about 100 MIPS on a 0.35 CMOS 5M2P technology with 4197 primitives used for the core, including a 16 x 16 multiplier. An example design of the ASIC for an electronic ePille device currently in development is shown.
Im Institut für angewandte Forschung (IAF) der FH Offenburg wird derzeit eine Chipkarte entwickelt, mit der Temperaturzeitreihen über längere Zeiträume aufgezeichnet werden können. Die zur Datenerfassung erforderlichen Systemkomponenten sind auf nur einem Halbleiterchip zusammengefaßt, wodurch sich bei großen Produktionsstückzahlen ein sehr niedriger Herstellpreis erzielen läßt. Die 'Thermologger' genannte Chipkarte kann zudem mit Standard-Chipkartenlesern und einer dedizierten Software auf jedem PC konfiguriert, gelesen und ausgewertet werden.
Digitaler Phasenreglerkreis mit numerisch gesteuertem Oszillator als LCA-Microcontroller Kombination
(1992)
Am Beispiel einer Schrittmotor-Indexerschaltung wird der effektive Einsatz von konfigurierbaren Logic Cell Arrays in Zusammenwirkung mit einem Mikrokontroller demonstriert, wobei die hohe Arbeitsgeschwindigkeit des LCAs den Bereich der Schaltung übernimmt und im Regelkreis die arithmetrische Berechnung durchführt. Die Konfiguration des LCA aus dem EPROM des Controllers führt zu einer ungewöhnlichen Flexibilität des Entwurfs und ermöglicht zahlreiche andere Anwendungen mit dieser Architektur.
Hot work tools are subjected to complex thermal and mechanical loads during hot forming processes. Locally, the stresses can exceed the material’s yield strength in highly loaded areas as e.g. in small radii in die cavities. To sustain the high loads, the hot forming tools are typically made of martensitic hot work steels. While temperatures for annealing of the tool steels usually lie in the range between 400 and 600 °C, the steels may experience even higher temperatures during hot forming, resulting in softening of the material due to coarsening of strengthening particles. In this paper, a temperature dependent cyclic plasticity model for the martensitic hot work tool steel 1.2367 (X38CrMoV5-3) is presented that includes softening due to particle coarsening and that can be applied in finite-element calculations to assess the effect of softening on the thermomechanical fatigue life of hot work tools. To this end, a kinetic model for the evolution of the mean size of secondary carbides based on Ostwald ripening is coupled with a cyclic plasticity model with kinematic hardening. Mechanism-based relations are developed to describe the dependency of the mechanical properties on carbide size and temperature. The material properties of the mechanical and kinetic model are determined on the basis of tempering hardness curves as well as monotonic and cyclic tests.
Passive hybridization of battery cell and photovoltaic cell: modeling and experimental validation
(2017)
Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing (3DP) has become a widespread new technology in recent years and is now used in many areas of industry. At the same time, there is an increasing need for training courses that impart the knowledge required for product development in 3D printing. In this article, a workshop on “Rapid Prototyping” is presented, which is intended to provide students with the technical and creative knowledge for product development in the field of AM. Today, additive manufacturing is an important part of teaching for the training of future engineers. In a detailed literature review, the advantages and disadvantages of previous approaches to training students are examined and analyzed. On this basis, a new approach is developed in which the students analyze and optimize a given product in terms of additivie manufacturing. The students use two different 3D printers to complete this task. In this way, the students acquire the skills to work independently with different processes and materials. With this new approach, the students learn to adapt the design to different manufacturing processes and to observe the restrictions of different materials. The results of these courses are evaluated through feedback in a presentation and a questionnaire.
In addition to traditional methods in product development, the increasing availability of additive manufacturing AM technologies offer new opportunities in product development processes today. This contribution explores several ways in which AM can productively be used in education. New to this approach is amongst others that the students assemble and install the 3D-printers themselves. In two case studies is demonstrated how students in design education are able to autonomously research and realize technical possibilities and limitations of AM technologies, as well as economic constraints.
Implementation of interdisciplinary student teams in design education for additive manufacturing
(2018)
Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are becoming increasingly popular in all areas of product development. Therefore, it is imperative that students be taught Design for AM. However, due to the rapid development of new methods and materials for AM, it does not make sense to only teach particular design guidelines, as these can quickly become obsolete. Rather, students should acquire the competence to develop guidelines themselves, that take into account the current state of the art. Thus, they will be able to react to changing processes and new materials
in the future. In order to convey the independent development of design guidelines for additive manufacturing by students, a new concept was developed, which is presented in this contribution. In this process, the learning goal is worked out by a group of students on the basis of a practical
task. The group consists of an interdisciplinary team in order to combine different competencies and to provide different perspectives on the task. A case study will show the design and manufacture of a miniature aircraft using Fused Layer Modelling. The aim of the development is above all the design for additive manufacturing. In addition, a low use of resources in combination with lightweight construction should be achieved. In the implementation of the task, the students are confronted with challenging aerodynamic design of wings as well as with the economic evaluation of the development process. An examination of the level of knowledge before and after the case study examines the learning success.
Besides of conventional CAD systems, new, cloud-based CAD systems have also been available for some years. These CAD systems designed according to the principle of software as a service (SaaS) differ in some important features from the conventional CAD systems. Thus, these CAD systems are operated via a browser and it is not necessary to install the software on a computer. The CAD-data is stored in the cloud and not on a local computer or central server. This new approach should also facilitate the sharing and management of data. Finally, many of these new CAD systems are available as freeware for education purposes, so the universities can save license costs. This contribution examines newly developed, cloud-based CAD systems. In the context of a case study, the application of these new CAD systems are investigated in the training of engineers in design education. Thus, the students compare a conventional and a cloud-based CAD system as part of an exercise of designing and 3D modelling of a pinion shaft. Subsequently, the students manufacture a drawing with different views of the pinion shaft. This assessment evaluates different criteria such as user-friendliness, tutorial support and installation effort.
Additive manufacturing processes have evolved rapidly in recent years and now offer a wide range of manufacturing technologies and workable materials. This range from plastics and metals to paper and even polymer plaster composites. Due to the layer by layer structure of the components the additive processes have in comparison with conventional manufacturing processes the advantage of freedom of design, that means the simple implementation of complex geometries. Moreover, the additive processes provide the advantage of reduced consumption of resources, since essentially only the material is consumed, which is required for the actual component, since no waste in the form of chips is produced. In order to use these advantages, the potentials of additive manufacturing and the requirements of sustainable design must already be observed in the product development process. So the design of the components and products must be made so as little as possible construction and supporting material is required for the generative production and therefore little resources are consumed. Also, all steps of the additive manufacturing process must be considered properly, that includes the post processing. This allows components be designed so that for instance the effort for removing the support structure is considerably reduced. This leads to a significant reduction in manufacturing time and thus energy consumption. The implementation of these potentials in product development can be demonstrated by means of a multiple-stages model. A case study shows how this model is applied in the training of Master students in the field of product development. In a workshop the students work as a group while implementing the task of developing a miniature racing car under the rules of sustainable design in compliance with the boundary conditions for an additive manufacturing. In this case, Fused Deposition Modelling FDM using plastics as a building material is applied. The results show how the students have dealt with the different requirements and how they have implemented them in product development and in the subsequent additive manufacturing.
The integration of additive manufacturing processes into the teaching of students is an important prerequisite for the further dissemination of this new technology. In this context, the DfAM is of particular importance. For this reason, this paper presents an approach in which a connection is made between methodical product development and practical implementation by AM. Using a model racing car as an example, students independently develop significant improvements of particular assemblies. A final evaluation shows that the students have significantly improved their skills and competencies.
Today the methods of numerical simulation of sheet metal forming offer a great diversity of possibilities for optimization in product development and in process design. However, the results from simulation are only available as virtual models. Because there are any forming tools available during the early stages of product development, physical models that could serve to represent the virtual results are therefore lacking. Physical 3D-models can be created using 3D-printing and serve as an illustration and present a better understanding of the simulation results. In this way, the results from the simulation can be made more “comprehensible” within a development team. This paper presents the possibilities of 3D-colour printing with particular consideration of the requirements regarding the implementation of sheet metal forming simulation. Using concrete examples of sheet metal forming, the manufacturing of 3D colour models will be expounded upon on the basis of simulation results.
Virtuelle Modell "begreifbar" Machen - Darstellung von Simulationsergebnissen mittels 3D-Farbdruck
(2016)
Today, Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an important part of teaching for the education of future engineers. Therefore, a variety of approaches have been developed in recent years on how to bring the design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) into university teaching. In a detailed literature review, the advantages and disadvantages of the previous approaches are considered and analysed. Based on this, an extended approach is presented in which students analyse and optimize a given product with respect to additive manufacturing. In doing so, the students have to solve challenging tasks in optimization in product development with the help of methodical approaches and practically implement their developed solutions with state-of-the-art additive processes. To work on this task, the students have two different 3D printers at their disposal, which work with different processes and materials. Thus, the students learn to adapt the design to different manufacturing processes and to consider the restrictions of different materials. The assessment of the results from this course is done through feedback and a written survey.
The present-day methods of numerical simulation offer a great variety of options for optimizing metal forming processes. Although it is possible to simulate complex forming processes, the results are typically available only as 2D projections on screens. Some forming processes have reached a level of complexity beyond the level of spatial sense, which makes it necessary to use physical 3D representations to develop a deeper understanding of the material flow, microstructural processes, process and design limits, or to design the required tooling. Physical 3D models can be produced in a short amount of time using 3D printing, and indexed with a wide range of colors. In this paper, the additive manufacturing of 3D color models based on simulation results are explored by means of examples from metal forming. Different 3D-printing processes are compared on the basis of quality as well as technical and economic criteria. Other examples from the fields joining by upset-bulging of tubes and microstructure simulation are also analyzed. This paper discusses the possibilities offered by the rapid progress and wide availability of 3D printers for the design and optimization of complex metal forming processes.
As a reaction to the increasing market dynamics and complex requirements, today’s products need to be developed quickly and customized to the customer’s individual needs. In the past, CAD systems are mainly used to visualize the model that the product designer creates. Generative Design shifts the task of the CAD program by actively participating in the shaping process. This results in more design options and the complexity of the shapes and geometries increases significantly. This potential can be optimally exploited through the combination of Generative Design with Additive Manufacturing (AM). Artificial intelligence and the input of target parameters generate geometries, for example, by creating material for stressed areas, which in turn develops biomorphic shapes and thus significantly reduces the consumption of resources. This contribution aims at the evaluation of existing applications in CAD systems for generative design. Special attention is paid to the requirements in design education and easy access for students. For this purpose, three representative CAD systems are selected and analyzed with the help of a comprehensive example of mass reduction. The aim is to perform an individual result analysis in order to assess the application based on various criteria. By using different materials, the influence of the material for the generation is investigated by comparing the material distribution. By comparing the generated models, differences of the CAD systems can be identified and possible fields of application can be presented. By specifying the manufacturing parameters for the generation of the models, the feasibility of AM can be guaranteed without having to modify the results. The physical implementation of the example by means of Fused Deposition Modeling demonstrates this in an exemplary way and examines the interface of the Generative Design and AM. The results of this contribution will enable an evaluation of the different CAD systems for Generative Design according to technical, visual and economic aspects.
Additive manufacturing enables the production of lightweight and resilient components with extensive design freedom. In the low-cost sector, material extrusion (e.g. Fused Deposition Modeling - FDM) has been the main method used to date. Thus, robust 3D printers and inexpensive 3D materials (polymer filaments) can be used. However, the printing times for FDM are very long and the quality of the dimensions and surfaces is limited. Recently, new processes from the field of Vat polymerization have entered the market. For example, masked stereolithography (mSLA) offers a significant improvement in component quality and build speed through the use of resins and large-area curing at still reasonable costs. Currently, there is only limited knowledge available on the optimal design of components using this young process. In this contribution, design guidelines are developed to determine the possibilities and limitations of mSLA from a design point of view. For this purpose, a number of test geometries are designed and investigated to obtain systematic insights into important design features, such as wall thickness, grooves and holes. In addition, typical problems in additive manufacturing, such as the design of overhangs and fits or the hollowing of components, are investigated. The evaluation of practical 3D printing tests thus provides important parameters that can be transferred to design guidelines of components for additive manufacturing using mSLA.
Additive manufacturing with plastics enables the production of lightweight and resilient components with a high degree of design freedom. In the low-cost sector, Material Extrusion as Fused Layer Modeling (FLM) has so far been the leading method, as it offers simple 3D printers and a variety of inexpensive 3D materials. However, printing times for 6FLM are very long and dimensional accuracy and surface finish are rather poor. Recently, new processes from the field of Vat Polymerization have appeared on the market, such as masked Stereolithography (mSLA), which offer a significant improvement in component quality and build speed at equally favorable machine costs.
This paper therefore analyzes the technical and economic capabilities of the two competing additive processes. For this purpose, the achievable dimensional and surface qualities are determined using a test specimen which represents various important geometry elements. In addition, the machine and material costs are determined and compared with each other. Finally, the resulting environmental impact is determined in the form of the CO2 footprint. In order to optimize the strength of the printed components, material properties of the tensile specimens produced additively with mSLA are determined. The use of ABS-like resins will also be investigated to determine optimal processing settings.
Various Rapid Prototyping methods have been available for the production of physical architectural models for a few years. This paper highlights in particular the advantages of 3D printing for the production of detailed architectural models. In addition, the current challenges for the creation and transfer of data are explained. Furthermore, new methods are being developed in order to improve both the technical and economic boundary conditions for the application of 3DP. This makes the production of models with very detailed interior rooms possible. The internal details are made visible by dividing the complex overall model into individual models connected by means of an innovative plug-in system. Finally, two case studies are shown in which the developed methods are applied in order to implement detailed architectural models. Additional information about manufacturing time and costs of the architectural models in the two case studies is given.
Various rapid prototyping methods have been available for the production of physical architectural models for a few years. This paper highlights in particular the advantages of 3D printing and Fused Layer Modeling for the production of detailed architectural models. In addition, the current challenges for the creation and transfer of CAAD-data are explained. Furthermore, new methods are being developed in order to improve both the technical and economic boundary conditions for the application of 3DP und FLM. This makes the production of models with very detailed interior rooms possible. The internal details are made visible by dividing the complex overall model into individual models connected by means of an innovative plug-in system. In addition, three case studies are shown in which the developed methods are applied in order to implement detailed architectural models. Finally manufacturing time and costs of the architectural models in the three case studies are compared.
Additive manufacturing is a rapidly growing manufacturing process for which many new processes and materials are currently being developed. The biggest advantage is that almost any shape can be produced, while conventional manufacturing methods reach their limits. Furthermore, a lot of material is saved because the part is created in layers and only as much material is used as necessary. In contrast, in the case of machining processes, it is not uncommon for more than half of the material to be removed and disposed of. Recently, new additive manufacturing processes have been on the market that enables the manufacturing of components using the FDM process with fiber reinforcement. This opens up new possibilities for optimizing components in terms of their strength and at the same time increasing sustainability by reducing materials consumption and waste. Within the scope of this work, different types of test specimens are to be designed, manufactured and examined. The test specimens are tensile specimens, which are used both for standardized tensile tests and for examining a practical component from automotive engineering used in student project. This project is a vehicle designed to compete in the Shell Eco-marathon, one of the world’s largest energy efficiency competitions. The aim is to design a vehicle that covers a certain distance with as little fuel as possible. Accordingly, it is desirable to manufacture the components with the lowest possible weight, while still ensuring the required rigidity. To achieve this, the use of fiber-reinforced 3D-printed parts is particularly suitable due to the high rigidity. In particular, the joining technology for connecting conventionally and additively manufactured components is developed. As a result, the economic efficiency was assessed, and guidelines for the design of components and joining elements were created. In addition, it could be shown that the additive manufacturing of the component could be implemented faster and more sustainably than the previous conventional manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing offers completely new production technologies thanks to the layered structure and the simultaneous processing of several materials. In order to exploit the potential of this new technology, it is already necessary in product development to consider the components no longer as monolithic blocks, but as a structure of many layers and individual elements (voxels). Therefore, this paper will examine the current state of voxel-based CAD systems and the subsequent 3D multi-material printing of the designed components. Different voxel-based CAD systems are used and analyzed for component design and a sample component is additively manufactured. The results show that simple components can be designed using voxel-based CAD systems. With the application of 3D multi-material printing, different materials and thus functions can be assigned to the designed voxel-based CAD-model.
In 4D printing an additively manufactured component is given the ability to change its shape or function under the influence of an external stimulus. To achieve this, special smart materials are used that are able to react to external stimuli in a specific way. So far, a number of different stimuli have already been investigated and initial applications have been impressively demonstrated, such as self-folding bodies and simple grippers. However, a methodical specification for the selection of the stimuli and their implementation was not yet in the foreground of the development.
The focus of this work is therefore to develop a methodical approach with which the technology of 4DP can be used in a solution- and application-oriented manner. The developed approach is based on the conventional design methodology for product development to solve given problems in a structured way. This method is extended by specific approaches under consideration of the 4D printing and smart materials.
To illustrate the developed method, it is implemented in practice using a problem definition in the form of an application example. In this example, which represents the recovery of an object from a difficult-to-access environment, the individual functions of positioning, gripping and extraction are implemented using 4D printing. The material extrusion process is used for additive manufacturing of all components of the example. Finally, the functions are successfully tested. The developed approach offers an innovative and methodical approach to systematically solve technical complex problems using 4DP and smart materials.
In recent years, the additive manufacturing processes have rapidly developed. The additive manufacturing processes currently present a high-performance alternative to conventional manufacturing methods. In particular, they offer the opportunity of previously hardly imaginable design freedom, i.e. the implementation of complex forms and geometries. This capability can, for example, be applied in the development of especially light but still loadable components in automotive engineering. In addition, waste material is seldom produced in additive manufacturing which benefits a sustainable production of building components. Until now, this design freedom was barely used in the construction of technical components and products because, in doing so, both specific design guidelines for additive manufacturing and complex strength calculations must be simultaneously observed. Yet in order to fully take advantage of the additive manufacturing potential, the method of topology optimization, based on FEM simulation, suggests itself. It is with this method that components that are precisely matched and are especially light, thereby also resource-saving, can be produced. Current literature research indicates that this method is used in automotive manufacturing for reducing weight and improving the stability of both individual parts and assembly units. This contribution will study how this development method can be applied in the example of a brake mount from an experimental vehicle. In this, the conventional design is improved by means of a simulation tool for topology optimization in various steps. In an additional processing step, the smoothing of the thus developed component occurs. Finally, the component is generatively manufactured by means of selective laser melting technology. Models are manufactured using binder jetting for the demonstration of the process. It will also be determined how this weight reduction affects the CO2 emissions of a vehicle in use.
Architecture models are an essential component of the development process and enable a physical representation of virtual designs. In addition to the conventional methods of model production using the machining of models made of wood, metal, plastic or glass, a number of additive manufacturing processes are now available. These new processes enable the additive manufacturing of architectural models directly from CAAD or BIM data. However, the boundary conditions applicable to the ability to manufacture models with additive manufacturing processes must also be considered. Such conditions include the minimum wall thickness, which depends on the applied additive manufacturing process and the materials used. Moreover, the need for the removal of support structures after the additive manufacturing process must also be considered. In general, a change in the scale of these models is only possible at very high effort. In order to allow these restrictions to be adequately incorporated into the CAAD model, this contribution develops a parametrized CAAD model that allows such boundary conditions to be modified and adapted while complying with the scale. Usability of this new method is illustrated and explained in detail in a case study. In addition, this article addresses the additive manufacturing processes including subsequent post-processing.
The ability to change aerodynamic parameters of airfoils during flying can potentially save energy as well as reducing the noise made by the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) because of sharp edges of the airfoil and its rudders. In this paper, an approach for the design of an adaptive wing using a multi-material 3D printer is shown. In multi-material 3D printing, up to six different materials can be combined in one component. Thus, the user can determine the mixture and the spatial arrangement of this “digital material” in advance in the pre-processing software. First, the theoretical benefits of adaptive wings are shown, and already existing adaptive wings and concepts are explicated within a literature review. Then the additive manufacturing process using photopolymer jetting and its capabilities to print multiple materials in one part are demonstrated. Within the scope of a case study, an adaptive wing is developed and the necessary steps for the product development and their implementation in CAD are presented. This contribution covers the requirements for different components and sections of an adaptive wing designed for additive manufacturing using multiple materials as well as the single steps of development with its different approaches until the final design of the adaptive wing. The developed wing section is simulated, and qualitative tests in a wind tunnel are carried out with the wing segment. Finally, the additively manufactured wing segment is evaluated under technical and economic aspects.
Experimental and numerical investigations into the forming of tailored strips and tailored tubes
(2008)
Through the application of tailored strips and tailored tubes, the wall thickness of components can be manufactured in a load-optimised manner. Thus, it is also possible to optimise component weight. Prior to the application of tailored products, wall thicknesses and the respective degree of deformation as well as the welding seam position can be determined in a FEM (finite element method) simulation. These results are then verified in test series on transfer presses and tube bending machines, with the necessary tool adaptations being determined in the process. This results in weight and cost reductions for deep-drawn components and tube sections. Moreover, this means that especially with regard to tubes, multiple sections can be combined in one component. A feasibility study shows that the level of possible weight and cost savings depends on the respective component geometry and load situation. Additional costs for the production of tailored products and - if necessary - tool modifications also need to be considered. Thus, the amount of savings possible for a part can only be determined on an individual basis.
Einsatz von Additive Manufacturing zur Darstellung von Simulationsergebnissen in der Blechumformung
(2016)
4D printing (4DP) is an evolutionary step of 3D printing, which includes the fourth dimension, in this case the time. In different time steps the printed structure shows different shapes, influenced by external stimuli like light, temperature, pH value, electric or magnetic field. The advantage of 4DP is the solution of technical problems without the need for complex internal energy supply via cables or pipes. Previous approaches to 4D printing with magnetoresponsive materials only use materials with limited usability (e.g. hydrogels) and complex programming during the manufacturing process (e.g. using magnets on the nozzle). The 4D printing using unmagnetized particles and the later magnetization allows the use of a standard 3D printer and has the advantage of being easily reproducible and relatively inexpensive for further application. Therefore, a magnetoresponsive feedstock filament is produced which shows elastic and magnetic properties. In a first step, pellets are produced by compounding polymer with magnetic particles. In a second step, those pellets are extruded in form of filament. This filament is printed using a conventional printing system for Material Extrusion (MEX-TRB/P). Various prototypes have been printed, deformed and magnetized, which is called programming. In comparison to shape memory polymers (SMP) the repeatability of the movement is better. The results show the possibilities of application and function of magnetoresponsive materials. In addition, an understanding of the behaviour of this novel material is achieved.
The additive manufacturing processes have developed significantly in recent years. Currently, new generative processes are coming onto the market. Likewise, the number of available materials that can be processed using additive processes is steadily increasing. Therefore, an important task is to integrate these new processes and materials into the university education of engineers. Due to the rapid change and the constant development in the field of additive manufacturing, a pure transfer of knowledge is not expedient, because this obsolete very quickly. Rather, the students should be enabled to use their skills in such a way that they can always handle new technologies and materials independently and meaningfully.
In this paper, therefore, a new course is developed in which the students largely independently work with additive manufacturing processes. For this purpose, teams of four to five students from different technical programs are formed. The teams have the task of developing and manufacturing a product using additive processes. The goal is to create a powerful product by taking into account the optimization of costs and use of resources.
As an example, the development and additive manufacturing of an ornithopter (aircraft that flies by flapping its wings) will be presented in this contribution. The students have to analyze and optimize the mechanics and aerodynamics of the aircraft. In addition, the rules for production-oriented design must be determined and applied. Further more, they should assess the costs and material consumption during development and production.
This contribution shows how the students have achieved the different learning outcomes. In addition, it becomes clear how the students independently acquired and applied their knowledge in development, design and additive manufacturing. Also, it will be demonstrated how much time the students spent on learning the different technologies.
The development of new processes and materials for additive manufacturing is currently progressing rapidly. In order to use the advantages of additive manufacturing, however, product development and design must also be adapted to these new processes. Therefore it is suitable to use structural optimization. To achieve the best results in lightweight design, it is important to have an approach that reduces the volume in the unloaded regions and considers the restrictions and characteristics of the additive manufacturing process. In this contribution, a case study using a humanoid robot is presented. Thus, the pelvis module of a humanoid robot is optimized regarding its weight and stiffness. Furthermore, an integrated design is implemented in order to reduce the number of parts and the screw connections. The manufacturing uses a new aluminum-based material that has been specially developed for use in additive manufacturing and lightweight construction. For the additive manufacturing by means of the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process, different restrictions and the assembly concepts of the humanoid robot have to be taken into account. These restrictions have to be considered in the setting of the individual parameters and target functions of the structural optimization. As a result, a framework is presented that shows the steps of the redesign and the optimization of the pelvis module. In order to achieve high accuracy with the product, the redesign of the pelvis module is demonstrated with regard to mechanical and thermal postprocessing. Finally, the redesigned part and the different assembly concepts are compared to analyze the economic and technical effects of the optimization.
For some years now, additive manufacturing (AM) has offered an alternative to conventional manufacturing processes. The strengths of AM are primarily the rapid implementation of ideas into a usable product and the ability to produce geometrically complex shapes. It has also significantly advanced the lightweight design of products made of plastic. So far, the strength of printed components made of polymers is previously very limited.
Recently, new AM processes have become available that allow the embedding of short and also long fibers in polymer matrix. Thus, the manufacturing of components that provide a significant increase in strength becomes possible. In this way, both complex geometries and sophisticated applications can be implemented. This paper therefore investigates how this new technology can be implemented in product development, focusing on sports equipment. An extensive literature research shows that lightweight design plays a decisive role in sports equipment. In addition, the advantages of AM in terms of individualized products and low quantities can be fully exploited.
An example of this approach is the steering system for a seat sled used by paraplegic athletes in the Olympic discipline of Nordic paraskiing. A particular challenge here is the placement and alignment of the long carbon fibers within the polymer matrix and the verification of the strength by means of Finite-Element-Analysis (FEA). In addition, findings from bionics are used to optimize the lightweight design of the steering system. Using this example, it can be shown that the weight of the steering system can be drastically reduced compared to conventional manufacturing. At the same time, a number of parts can be saved through function integration and thus the manufacturing and assembly effort can be reduced significantly.
In addition to traditional methods in product development, the increasing availability of two new technologies, namely additive manufacturing AM (e.g. 3D-printing) and reverse engineering RE by means of 3D-scanning, offer new opportunities in product development processes today. However, to date only very few approaches exist those include these new technologies systematically in the education of students in the field of product development. This paper explores several ways in which AM and RE can productively be used in education. New to this approach is, on the one hand, that the students assemble and install the 3Dprinters themselves, and on the other hand, that they are introduced to an approach that combines 3D-scanning followed by 3D-printing. In different case studies is demonstrated that students in design education are able to autonomously research and realize technical possibilities and limitations of these technologies, as well as economic parameters and constraints.
Additive Manufacturing and Reverse Engineering have increasingly been gaining in importance over the past years. This paper investigates the current status of the implementation of these new technologies in design education and also identifies current shortcomings. Then it develops two new approaches for the teaching of the necessary expertise for the design of 3D-printed components and illustrates these with case studies. First, a workshop is presented in which students gain a broad understanding for the functionalities of additive manufacturing and the creative possibilities and limits of this process, through the assembly and installation of a 3D-printer. A second new approach is the combination of reverse engineering and 3D-printing. Thereby, students learn how to deal with this complex process chain. The result of these new approaches can e.g. be seen in the design guidelines for Additive Manufacturing, which were developed by the students themselves. At the same time, the students are able to estimate opportunities and limits of both technologies. Finally, the success of the new course contents and form is reviewed by an evaluation by the students.
This paper presents a new approach for the teaching of competence in additive manufacturing to engineering students in product development. Particularly new to this approach is the combination of the students' autonomous assembly and commissioning of a 3D-printer, and the independent development of guidelines for this new technology regarding the design of components. This way the students will be able to gain first practical experiences with the data preparation, the additive manufacturing process itself and also the required post-treatment of the 3D-printed parts. To allow the students a significantly deeper insight into the functioning of 3D-printing, the workshop Rapid Prototyping developed a new approach in the course of which the students first assemble a construction kit for a 3D-printer themselves and then commission the printer. This enables the students to gain a better understanding of the functionality and configuration of additive manufacturing. In a next step, the students used the 3D-printers they constructed themselves to produce components which they take from a database. Finally, the experiences of the students in the course of the workshop will be evaluated to review the effectiveness of the new approach.
In addition to traditional methods in product development, the increasing availability of two new 3D digital technologies, namely digital manufacturing (3D-printing) and digitizing of surfaces (3D-scanning), offer new opportunities in product development processes today. With regard to the systematic implementation of these technologies in the education of students in the field of product development, however, only a small number of approaches exist so far. This paper explores several ways in which 3D digital technologies can productively be used in design education. The innovative aspects here include that the students assemble and install the 3D-printers themselves, and that they are introduced to an approach that combines 3D-scanning followed by 3D-printing.
Application of Polymer Plaster Composites in Additive Manufacturing of High-Strength Components
(2015)
Today, 3D-printing with polymer plaster composites is a common method in Additive Manufacturing. This technique has proven to be especially suitable for the production of presentation models, due to the low cost of materials and the possibility to produce color-models. But nowadays it requires refinishing through the manual application of a layer of resin. However, the strength of these printed components is very limited, as the applied resin only penetrates a thin edge layer on the surface. This paper develops a new infiltration technique that allows for a significant increase in the strength of the 3D-printed component. For this process, the components are first dehydrated in a controlled two-tier procedure, before they are then penetrated with high-strength resin. The infiltrate used in this process differs significantly from materials traditionally used for infiltration. The result is an almost complete penetration of the components with high-strength infiltrate. As the whole process is computer-integrated, the results are also easier to reproduce, compared to manual infiltration. On the basis of extensive material testing with different testing specimen and testing methods, it can be demonstrated that a significant increase in strength and hardness can be achieved. Finally, this paper also considers the cost and energy consumption of this new infiltration method. As a result of this new technology, the scope of applicability of 3D-printing can be extended to cases that require significantly more strength, like the production of tools for the shaping of metals or used for the molding of plastics. Furthermore, both the process itself and the parameters used are monitored and can be optimized to individual requirements and different fields of application.
The use of architectural models is a long-proven method for the visualization of designs. More recently, powerful 3D printers have enabled the rapid and cost-effective additive manufacturing (AM) of textured architectural models. The use of AM technology to sample terraced houses in a specific use case (sampling center with more than 1200 customers per year) is examined within this contribution. The aim is to offer customers with limited spatial imagination assistance in the form of detailed architectural models of the whole house, which are divided into different modules. For this purpose, the structure of the terraced house is first analysed and examined for flexible design elements. The implementation of different variants of each floor should serve as a basis for the customer's decision on design and equipment. Thus, the architectural models are additively manufactured using Polyjet modeling. The necessary CAAD-data and interfaces, the technical possibilities and limits of this approach as well as the resulting costs are analyzed. The results of the AM process are evaluated to determine their applicability for the sampling of terraced houses. In addition, the evaluation will show that the additively manufactured architectural models will allow a more precise visualization of the building and thus a faster understanding of the design choices.
Direct Digital Manufacturing of Architectural Models using Binder Jetting and Polyjet Modeling
(2019)
Today, architectural models are an important tool for illustrating drawn-on plansor computer-generated virtual models and making them understandable. Inaddition to the conventional methods for the manufacturing of physical models, awide range of processes for Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) has spreadrapidly in recent years. In order to facilitate the application of these new methodsfor architects, this contribution examines which technical and economic resultsare possible using 3D printed architectural models. Within a case study, it will beshown on the basis of a multi-storey detached house, which kind of datapreparation is necessary. The DDM of architectural models will be demonstratedusing two widespread techniques and the resulting costs will be compared.
In the development of new vehicles, increasing customer comfort requirements and rising safety regulations often result in an increase in weight. Nevertheless, in order to be able to meet the demand for reduced fuel consumption, it is necessary within product development process to implement complex and filigree lightweight structures. This contribution therefore addresses the potential of generatively developed components for fiber-reinforced additive manufacturing (FRAM). Currently, several commercial systems for this application are available on the market. Therefore, a comparison of the systems is first made to determine a suitable system. Then, a highly stressed and safety-relevant chassis component of a race car is generatively designed and manufactured using FRAM. A matrix with short fiber reinforcement and additional long fiber reinforcement with carbon fibers is applied. Finally, tensile tests are carried out to check the mechanical properties. In addition, relevant properties such as weight and cost are obtained in order to be able to compare them with conventionally developed and manufactured components.
Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing (3DP), has increasingly become more wide-spread and applied to a great degree over the past years. Along with that, the necessity for training courses which impart the required knowledge for product development with 3D printing rises. This article will introduce a “Rapid Prototyping” workshop which should convey to students the technical and creative knowledge for product development in using additive manufacturing. In this workshop, various 3D printers are initially installed and put into operation for the construction of self-assembly kits during the introduced training course. Afterwards, the students use databanks to select and download suitable components for the 3D print on the basis of criteria. Lastly, the students develop several assembly kits independently and establish design guidelines based on their experience. The students likewise learn to estimate and evaluate economic boundaries such as, e.g. costs and delivery times. For a start, it is a new approach to be using various assembly kits. These are up to date with current technology and dispose of features such as, e.g., additional nozzles for support material and heated building platforms. Moreover, a comprehensive evaluation of the training success will be conducted. The students’ level of knowledge in various areas will also be determined and compared with surveys taken before and after the conducting of the workshops. Additionally, cost and delivery time estimates and knowledge of databanks will be determined through concrete questioning.
Zur Herstellung von Spritzgussformeinsätzen kommen in der Regel spanende Verfahren zum Einsatz. In den letzten Jahren hat sich allerdings auch die additive Herstellung dieser Werkzeuge als zweckmäßig erwiesen. In der Produktentwicklung spielt die Agilität heute eine immer wichtigere Rolle. Um mögliche Potentiale des Additive Tooling im Rahmen des Agile Prototyping und um Unterschiede zu den konventionellen Herstellverfahren aufzuzeigen, werden Angebote für die Fertigung mehrerer Formeinsätze durch eine CNC- und HSC-Fertigung, sowie durch additive Herstellung angefragt und hinsichtlich Beschaffungskosten und -zeiten miteinander verglichen. Zudem erfolgt eine Bewertung der technischen Unterschiede. Aus diesen beiden Betrachtungen kann schließlich ein Profil über die drei Herstellverfahren abgeleitet werden, welches bei der anwendungsfallspezifischen Verfahrensauswahl unterstützen soll.
Due to globalization and the resulting increase in competition on the market, products must be produced more and more cheaply, especially in series production, because buyers expect new variants or even completely new products in ever shorter cycles. Injection molding is the most important production process for manufacturing plastic components in large quantities. However, the conventional production of a mold is extremely time-consuming and costly, which creates a contradiction to the fast pace of the market. Additive tooling is an area of application of additive manufacturing, which in the field of injection molding is preferably used for the prototype production of mold inserts. This allows injection molding tools to be produced faster and more cheaply than through the subtractive manufacturing of metal tools. Material Jetting processes using polymers (MJT-UV/P), also called Polyjet Modeling (PJM), have a great potential for use in additive tooling. Due to the poorer mechanical and thermal properties compared to conventional mold insert materials, e.g. steel or aluminum, the previously used design principles cannot be applied. Accordingly, new design guidelines are necessary, which are developed in this paper. The necessary information is obtained with the help of a systematic literature research. The design guidelines are mapped in a uniform design guide, which is structured according to the design process of injection molds. The guidelines do not only refer to the constructive design of the injection mold or the polymer mold insert, but to the entire design process and describe the four phases of planning, conception, development and realization. Particular attention is paid to the special geometric designs of a polymer mold insert and the thermomechanical properties of the mold insert materials. As a result, design guidelines are available that are adapted to the special requirements of additive tooling of molds inserts made of plastics for injection molding.
The fast and cost-effective manufacturing of tools for thermoforming is an essential requirement to shorten the development time of products. Thus, additive processes are used increasingly in tooling for thermoforming of plastic sheets. However, a disadvantage of many additive methods is that they are highly cost-intensive, since complex systems based on laser technology and expensive metal powders are needed. Therefore, this paper examines how to work with favorable additive methods, e.g. Binder Jetting, to manufacture tools, which provide sufficient strength for thermoforming. The use of comparatively low-priced inkjet technology for the layer construction and a polymer plaster as material can be expected to result in significant cost reductions. Based on a case study using a cowling (engine bonnet) for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the development of a complex tool for thermoforming is demonstrated. The object in this study is to produce a tool for a complex-shaped component in small numbers and high quality in a short time and at reasonable costs. Within the tooling process, integrated vacuum channels are implemented in additive tooling without the need for additional post-processing (for example, drilling). In addition, special technical challenges, such as the demolding of undercuts or the parting of the tool are explained. All process steps from tool design to the use of the additively manufactured tool are analyzed. Based on the manufacturing of a small series of cowlings for a UAV made of plastic sheets (ABS), it is shown, that the Binder Jetting offers sufficient mechanical and thermal strength for additive tooling. In addition, an economic evaluation of the tool manufacturing and a detailed consideration of the required manufacturing times for the different process steps are carried out. Finally, a comparison is made with conventional and alternative additive methods of tooling.
A number of design rules must be adhered to in the development and manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles. In this, additive manufacturing, particularly in the implementation of requirements with respect to light-weight construction and sustainability, offers several advantages compared to conventional manufacturing methods. Therefore, this article will primarily introduce and compare current concepts for sustainable design using additive manufacturing. These will, above all, consist of the production of complete fuselages and wings by means of rapid prototyping or also rapid tooling. In addition, a new concept will be introduced in which a UAV using AM can be implemented through the combination of very light components and a preferably resource-saving manufacturing method. In this process, a three-dimensional spaceframe is used in combination with a covering in the construction of the wing. Hereby, the development process for sustainable design using additive manufacturing will be analyzed and the results will be explained by means of concrete case studies. In conclusion, the results of these case studies will be compared to the latest technology regarding wing span load.
Implementation of lightweight design in the product development process of unmanned aerial vehicles
(2017)
The development and manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require a multitude of design rules. Thereby, additive manufacturing (AM) processes provide a number of significant advantages over conventional production methods, particularly for implementing requirements with regard to lightweight construction and sustainability. A new, promising approach is presented, with which, through the combination of very light structural elements with a ribbed construction, an attached covering by means of foil is used. This contribution develops and presents a development process that is based on various development cycles. Such cycles differ in their effort and scope within the overall development, and may only comprise one part of the development process, or the entire development process. The applicability of this development process is demonstrated within the framework of a comprehensive case study. The aim is to develop an additively manufactured product that is as light as possible in the form of a UAV, along with a sustainable manufacturing process for such product. Finally, the results of this case study are analyzed with regard to the improvement of lightweight construction.
Besides of conventional CAD systems, new, cloudbased CAD systems have also been available for some years. These CAD systems designed according to the principle of software as a service (SaaS) differ in some important features from the conventional CAD systems. Thus, these CAD systems are operated via a browser and it is not necessary to install the software on a computer. The CAD-data is stored in the cloud and not on a local computer or central server. This new approach should also facilitate the sharing and management of data. Finally, many of these new CAD systems are available as freeware for education purposes, so the universities can save license costs. The chances and risks of cloud-based systems will first be analyzed in this paper. Then two leading cloud-based CAD systems will be researched. During the process, the technical performance range these new systems offer for the product development will be initially checked and reviewed. For this purpose, various criteria are worked out and the CAD software is evaluated using these criteria. In addition, the criteria are weighted by their importance for design education. This allows one to conclude which capabilities the different CAD system offers for use in education.
Today, thermoforming moulds are mostly produced using conventional mould-building technologies (e.g. milling and drilling) and are made of metal (e.g. aluminium or steel) or hardwood. The tools thus produced are very robust, but are only cost-effective in mass production. For the production of small batches of thermoformed parts, there is a need for moulds which can be produced quickly and economically. A new approach which significantly reduces the production time and cost is the 3D printing process (3DP). The use of this technology to produce thermoforming moulds offers many new options in the geometries which can be manufactured, and in manufacturing time and costs. In a case study of a thermoformed part (a scaled automotive model), the pre-processing of the CAD model of a mould is demonstrated. The mould can be printed within a few hours, and is sufficiently heat-resistant for moulding processes. The important advantages of moulds printed in 3D, in comparison to moulds built using conventional technologies, are the ability to create any shape of channels for the vacuum and the simplification in the production of tool mock-ups. This paper also discusses the economics of the technique, such as a comparison of material costs and manufacturing costs in relation to conventional production technologies and materials.
Moderne, intelligente Schraubmontagesysteme sind heutzutage in der Lage, streckgrenzengesteuerte Anziehverfahren für die prozesssichere Verschraubung zur Verfügung zu stellen. Insbesondere im Hochmomentenbereich bis 200.000 Nm ist diese Technologie erst seit kurzem etabliert. Entwicklungsbedarf besteht jedoch, sobald Bauteile im Kraftfluss liegen, die im Lastbereich ein nichtlineares Materialverhalten zeigen, wie zum Beispiel Korrosionsschutz-Lackschichten. Im Bereich der Schraubmontage gibt es nahezu unzählige Einflussfaktoren auf das Erreichen der angestrebten Montagevorspannkraft. Diese sind nicht mit vertretbarem Aufwand vollständig in einem entsprechenden Berechnungs- oder Simulations-Modell zur Auslegung von Schraubenverbindungen abbildbar. Ausserdem hat jede Applikation ihre spezifischen individuellen Eigenheiten. Modelle und Simulationen von Schraubenverbindungen sind daher nur mit eingeschränktem Maße für andere Applikationen wiederverwendbar. Zur Reduzierung von Entwicklungszeiten und Einhaltung der normativen Forderungen sollte zukünftig ein schneller Abgleich der Modelle mit den Daten der gesamten Schraubenverbindung aus realitätsnahen Versuchen angestrebt werden. Normative Forderungen wie beispielsweise die VDI/VDE 2645, welche eine Maschinenfähigkeitsuntersuchung der verwendeten Schraubtechnik zum Schraubfall vom Anwender fordert, zeigen unter anderem die Notwendigkeit auf. Idealerweise finden entsprechende Messungen unter realen Bedingungen statt. Die ermittelten Daten beinhalten nicht nur die Eigenschaftsdaten der Schrauben und die der Plattenbauteile, sondern die des ganzen Systems inkl. aller individuellen Einflussfaktoren bis hin zum Werkzeug selbst. Moderne, intelligente Schraubmontagesysteme können diese Aufgabe erfüllen. Rechtzeitig eingesetzt liefern sie die Daten zur Optimierung von Berechnung, Auslegung sowie Simulation von Schraubenverbindungen und sichern somit den Berechnungsprozess ab. Damit ist es zum einem möglich, bis an die Grenzen des technisch maximal Möglichen zu gehen, zum anderen im Echt-Test Schwachstellen der Auslegung oder Materialfehler bereits vor der Serieneinführung zu erkennen. Dieser Beitrag soll Ihnen vermitteln, dass Sie mit Hilfe intelligenter Schraubmontagesysteme die Berechnung, Auslegung und Simulation von Schraubenverbindungen mit dem Produktions- und Montageprozess abgleichen können, und dies nicht nur über den Anziehfaktor αa - dem sog. "Montage-Unsicherheitsbeiwert". Der konkrete Nutzen liegt in der Erweiterung der bisherigen Auslegung von Schraubenverbindungen mit Lackierungen im Hochmomentenbereich, die von einem breiten Anwenderkreis verwendet werden wird. Damit gelingt es, bereits in der frühen Entwicklungsphase vor Serienfreigabe übermäßige Vorspannkraftverluste zu vermeiden, was für zukünftige optimierte Berechnungen und Konstruktionen sehr wichtig ist.
Temperature regulation is an important component for modern high performance single -core and multi-core processors. Especially high operating frequencies and architectures with an increasing number of monolithically integrated transistors result in a high power dissipation and - since processor chips convert the consumed electrical energy into thermal energy - in high operating temperatures. High operating temperatures of processors can have drastic consequences regarding chip reliability, processor performance, and leakage currents. External components like fans or heat spreaders can help to reduce the processor temperature - with the disadvantage of additional costs and reduced reliability. Therefore, software based algorithms for dynamic temperature management are an attractive alternative and well known as Dynamic Thermal Management (DTM). However, the existing approaches for DTM are not taking into account the requirements of real-time embedded computing, which is the objective in the given project. The first steps are the profiling and the thermal modeling of the system, which is reported in this paper for a Freescale i. MX6Q quad-core microprocessor. An analytical model is developed and verified by an extensive set of measurement runs.
Experiences with a telecare platform integration of ZigBee sensors into a middleware platform
(2012)
Die zunehmende Anzahl von Transistoren mit immer kleineren Strukturgrößen führt zu einer zunehmenden Leistungsaufnahme in modernen Prozessoren. Das gilt insbesondere für High-End Prozessoren, die mit einer hohen Taktfrequenz betrieben werden. Die aufgenommene Leistung wird in Wärme umgewandelt, die in einer Temperaturerhöhung der Prozessoren resultiert. Hohe Betriebstemperaturen verursachen u.a. eine verringerte Rechenleistung, eine kürzere Lebensdauer des Prozessors und höhere Leckströme. Aus diesen Gründen wird aktives, dynamisches thermisches Management immer wichtiger. Dieser Beitrag stellt eine Erweiterung zu dem Standard- Linux-Scheduler in der Kernel-Version 3.0 für eingebettete Systeme vor: einen PID-Regler, der unter Angabe einer Solltemperatur eine dynamische Frequenz- und Spannungsskalierung durchführt. Die Experimente auf dem Freescale LMX6 Quadcore-Prozessor zeigen, dass der PID-Regler die Betriebstemperatur des Prozessors an die Solltemperatur regeln kann. Er ist die Grundlage für eine in Zukunft zu entwickelnde prädiktive Regelung.
Live streaming of events over an IP network as a catalyst in media technology education and training
(2020)
The paper describes how students are involved in applied research when setting up the technology and running a live event. Real-time IP transmission in broadcast environments via fiber optics will become increasingly important in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to create a platform in this area where students can learn how to handle IP infrastructure and fiber optics. With this in mind, we have built a fully functional TV control room that is completely IP-based. The authors present the steps in the development of the project and show the advantages of the proposed digital solutions. The IP network proves to be a synergy between the involved teams: participants of the robot competition and the members of the media team. These results are presented in the paper. Our activities aim to awaken enthusiasm for research and technology in young people. Broadcasts of live events are a good opportunity for "hands on" activities.
The monitoring of industrial environments ensures that highly automated processes run without interruption. However, even if the industrial machines themselves are monitored, the communication lines are currently not continuously monitored in todays installations. They are checked usually only during maintenance intervals or in case of error. In addition, the cables or connected machines usually have to be removed from the system for the duration of the test. To overcome these drawbacks, we have developed and implemented a cost-efficient and continuous signal monitoring of Ethernet-based industrial bus systems. Several methods have been developed to assess the quality of the cable. These methods can be classified to either passive or active. Active methods are not suitable if interruption of the communication is undesired. Passive methods, on the other hand, require oversampling, which calls for expensive hardware. In this paper, a novel passive method combined with undersampling targeting cost-efficient hardware is proposed.
In this paper we present the implementation of a model-predictive controller (MPC) for real-time control of a cable-robot-based motion simulator. The controller computes control inputs such that a desired acceleration and angular velocity at a defined point in simulator’s cabin are tracked while satisfying constraints imposed by working space and allowed cable forces of the robot. In order to fully use the simulator capabilities, we propose an approach that includes the motion platform actuation in the MPC model. The tracking performance and computation time of the algorithm are investigated in computer simulations. Furthermore, for motion simulation scenarios where the reference trajectories are not known beforehand, we derive an estimate on how much motion simulation fidelity can maximally be improved by any reference prediction scheme compared to the case when no prediction scheme is applied.
Seit einiger Zeit wird an der Fachhochschule in Offenburg ein Entwicklungsprojekt verfolgt, an dessen Ende ein GPS Empfänger stehen soll. Dabei handelt es sich um einen Satellitenempfänger, mit dem weltweit eine genaue dreidimensionale Standortbestimmung durchgeführt werden kann. Für diesen Empfänger sollte ein Großteil der Analogschaltung, bestehend aus ZF Verstärker, Costas Loop Synchrondemodulator und Pegeldetektor, in das Transistorarray B500a von AEG intgriert werden. Das Chipdesign wurde im Labor für ASIC Design an der FH Offenburg während des Wintersemesters 1990/91 erstellt. Gefertigt wurde der Chip von der Firma AEG in Ulm, wobei die Fertigungszeit des ASIC 6 Wochen betragen hat.
The authors present an abiotically catalyzed glucose fuel cell and demonstrate its application as energy harvesting power source for a cardiac pacemaker. This is enabled by an optimized DC-DC converter operating at 40 % conversion efficiency, which surpasses commercial low-power DC-DC converters. The required fuel cell surface area can thus be reduced from about 125 cm2 to 18 cm2, which would allow for its direct integration onto the pacemaker casing.
Due to the rapidly increasing storage consumption worldwide, as well as the expectation of continuous availability of information, the complexity of administration in today’s data centers is growing permanently. Integrated techniques for monitoring hard disks can increase the reliability of storage systems. However, these techniques often lack intelligent data analysis to perform predictive maintenance. To solve this problem, machine learning algorithms can be used to detect potential failures in advance and prevent them. In this paper, an unsupervised model for predicting hard disk failures based on Isolation Forest is proposed. Consequently, a method is presented that can deal with the highly imbalanced datasets, as the experiment on the Backblaze benchmark dataset demonstrates.
The recent successes and wide spread application of compute intensive machine learning and data analytics methods have been boosting the usage of the Python programming language on HPC systems. While Python provides many advantages for the users, it has not been designed with a focus on multiuser environments or parallel programming - making it quite challenging to maintain stable and secure Python workflows on a HPC system. In this paper, we analyze the key problems induced by the usage of Python on HPC clusters and sketch appropriate workarounds for efficiently maintaining multi-user Python software environments, securing and restricting resources of Python jobs and containing Python processes, while focusing on Deep Learning applications running on GPU clusters.
Diffracted waves carry high resolution information that can help interpreting fine structural details at a scale smaller than the seismic wavelength. Because of the low signal-to-noise ratio of diffracted waves, it is challenging to preserve them during processing and to identify them in the final data. It is, therefore, a traditional approach to pick manually the diffractions. However, such task is tedious and often prohibitive, thus, current attention is given to domain adaptation. Those methods aim to transfer knowledge from a labeled domain to train the model, and then infer on the real unlabeled data. In this regard, it is common practice to create a synthetic labeled training dataset, followed by testing on unlabeled real data. Unfortunately, such procedure may fail due to the existing gap between the synthetic and the real distribution since quite often synthetic data oversimplifies the problem, and consequently the transfer learning becomes a hard and non-trivial procedure. Furthermore, deep neural networks are characterized by their high sensitivity towards cross-domain distribution shift. In this work, we present deep learning model that builds a bridge between both distributions creating a semi-synthetic datatset that fills in the gap between synthetic and real domains. More specifically, our proposal is a feed-forward, fully convolutional neural network for imageto-image translation that allows to insert synthetic diffractions while preserving the original reflection signal. A series of experiments validate that our approach produces convincing seismic data containing the desired synthetic diffractions.
Active participation of industrial enterprises in electricity markets - a generic modeling approach
(2021)
Industrial enterprises represent a significant portion of electricity consumers with the potential of providing demand-side energy flexibility from their production processes and on-site energy assets. Methods are needed for the active and profitable participation of such enterprises in the electricity markets especially with variable prices, where the energy flexibility available in their manufacturing, utility and energy systems can be assessed and quantified. This paper presents a generic model library equipped with optimal control for energy flexibility purposes. The components in the model library represent the different technical units of an industrial enterprise on material, media, and energy flow levels with their process constraints. The paper also presents a case study simulation of a steel-powder manufacturing plant using the model library. Its energy flexibility was assessed when the plant procured its electrical energy at fixed and variable electricity prices. In the simulated case study, flexibility use at dynamic prices resulted in a 6% cost reduction compared to a fixed-price scenario, with battery storage and the manufacturing system making the largest contributions to flexibility.
In many application areas, Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) has led to breakthroughs. In Curriculum Learning, the Machine Learning algorithm is not randomly presented with examples, but in a meaningful order of increasing difficulty. This has been used in many application areas to further improve the results of learning systems or to reduce their learning time. Such approaches range from learning plans created manually by domain experts to those created automatically. The automated creation of learning plans is one of the biggest challenges.In this work, we investigate an approach in which a trainer learns in parallel and analogously to the student to automatically create a learning plan for the student during this Double Deep Reinforcement Learning (DDRL). Three Reward functions, Friendly, Adversarial, and Dynamic based on the learner’s reward are compared. The domain for evaluation is kicking with variable distance, direction and relative ball position in the SimSpark simulated soccer environment.As a result, Statistic Curriculum Learning (SCL) performs better than a random curriculum with respect to training time and result quality. DDRL reaches a comparable quality as the baseline and outperforms it significantly in shorter trainings in the distance-direction subdomain reducing the number of required training cycles by almost 50%.
The sharp rise in electricity and oil prices due to the war in Ukraine has caused fluctuations in the results of the previous study about the economic analysis of electric buses. This paper shows how the increase in fuel prices affects the implementation of electric buses. This publication is constructing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model in the small-mid-size city, Offenburg for the transition to electric buses. The future development of costs is estimated and a projection based on learning curves will be carried out. This study intends to introduce a new future prospect by presenting the latest data based on previous research. Through the new TCO result, the cost differences between the existing diesel bus and the electric bus are updated, and also the future prospects for the economic feasibility of the electric bus in a small and midsize city are presented.
Non-fluoroscopic Imaging with MRT/CT Image Integration - Catheter Positioning with Double Precision
(2014)
Introduction: When antiarrhythmic drug therapy has failed, different approaches of pulmonary vein isolation are considered a reasonable option in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. It will be performed predominantly by radiofrequency catheter ablation. As the individual anatomy of left atrium and the pulmonary veins differs considerably, accurate visualization of these structures is essential during catheter positioning. Using non-fluoroscopic electroanatomic mapping system with image integration, electroanatomic mapping can be combined with highly detailed anatomical MRT or CT information on complex left atrial structures. This may facilitate catheter navigation during ablation for atrial fibrillation.
Methods: The CARTO XP electroanatomic system was used in a project during biomedical engineering study to practice image integration of anonymized real patients that underwent pulmonary vein isolation by CARTO XP and a MRT/CT procedure. Using the image integration software, MRT or CT images were imported into the CARTO XP system. The next process was segmentation of the acquired images. It involves dividing the images into different regions in order to select the structures of interest. In clinical routine, this segmentation has to be performed before catheter ablation. Then, the segmented images were aligned with the reconstructed electroanatomic maps. This consists of several steps, including selection of the left atrium, scaling of the reconstructed geometry, fusion of the structures using landmarks, and optimization of the integration by adjusting the reconstructed geometry of the left atrium.
Results: In the 3 months lasting period of the project, image integration was trained in 13 patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Within this period, time consumption for the process decreased from about 90 minutes at the beginning to about 35 minutes at the end for one patient.
Conclusion: Image integration into non-fluoroscopic electroanatomic map is a sophisticated tool in cardiac radiofrequency catheter ablation. Intensive training is necessary to control the procedure.
3D Bin Picking with an innovative powder filled gripper and a torque controlled collaborative robot
(2023)
A new and innovative powder filled gripper concept will be introduced to a process to pick parts out of a box without the use of a camera system which guides the robot to the part. The gripper is a combination of an inflatable skin, and a powder inside. In the unjammed condition, the powder is soft and can adjust to the geometry of the part which will be handled. By applying a vacuum to the inflatable skin, the powder gets jammed and transforms to a solid shaped form in which the gripper was brought before applying the vacuum. This physical principle is used to pick parts. The flexible skin of the gripper adjusts to all kinds of shapes, and therefore, can be used to realize 3D bin picking. With the help of a force controlled robot, the gripper can be pushed with a consistent force on flexible positions depending of the filling level of the box. A Kuka LBR iiwa with joint torque sensors in all of its seven axis’ was used to achieve a constant contact pressure. This is the basic criteria to achieve a robust picking process.