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Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 11841

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Prof. Dr. Spyros Papaefthymiou

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School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Division of Metallurgy and Materials Technology, Laboratory of Physical Metallurgy, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: metals; steel; aluminium; copper; heat treatment; forming; rolling; microstructure–property relationships; unconventional methods of heat treatment; ultrafast annealing
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Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Manolakos

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 157-73 Athens, Greece
Interests: manufacturing processes (rolling, forging, extrusion, sheet metal forming, metal removal processing, welding, casting, explosive cladding); precision and ultra-precision manufacturing; nanotechnology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Manufacturing processes of advanced materials become more complex as materials tend to depend on tailored process routes. Computational methods together with phenomenological, empirical modeling and simulation approaches support the optimization, further enhancement and development of materials and processes. This Special Issue aims to bring together contributions from experts in the field of advanced computational modeling and simulation that focus their efforts on the manufacturing processes of modern advanced materials.

Multi-scale modeling from nano to micro, meso and macro scale using thermodynamic, phase field and crystal plasticity approaches are expected to shed light on the microstructure evolution modeling of advanced materials. Works on microstructure-property relationships, prediction of mechanical properties using Finite Element Modeling and numerical simulations that focus on the effect of deformation and the forming operation are expected to underline the importance of advanced manufacturing processes including traditional forming methods such as rolling, extrusion, forging, drawing, but also embrace new ones such as Additive Manufacturing processes, e.g., 3D printing, Selective Laser Melting, etc. Additionally, works that focus on process modeling using Computational Fluid Dynamics are also welcome as they may include thermal treatment steps, etc.

Therefore, contributions are welcome to focus on all computational aspects of manufacturing processes embracing process and microstructural relevant aspects and approaches, which are critical for the production of advanced materials and alloys. Simulation approaches alone works validated by industrial practices and/or enhanced by experimental aspects are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Spyros Papaefthymiou
Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Manolakos
Guest Editors

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Keywords

metals
multi scale modeling (from nano to micro, to meso and macro scale)
rolling, extrusion, forging, drawing
additive manufacturing, 3D printing, SLM
microstructure-property relationships modeling
microstructure modeling
mechanical properties modeling
thermodynamic modeling
crystal plasticity modeling
phase field modeling
FEM & numerical modeling
CFD & process modeling
machine learning and AI

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 7318 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Modified Trilinear Post-Cracking Model for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete to Improve the Evaluation of the Serviceability Limit State Performance

by Fan Zhang, Wouter De Corte, Xian Liu, Yihai Bao and Luc Taerwe

Materials 2025, 18(7), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071395 - 21 Mar 2025

Viewed by 252

Abstract

An accurate constitutive model for fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) is fundamental for analyzing and designing FRC structures. The recently released fib Model Code 2020 (MC2020) includes significant modifications to the tensile constitutive model for FRC, enhancing its accuracy. However, it has been observed that the applicability of this model for certain types of FRC is limited due to its overly simplified post-cracking mechanical assumptions. This is particularly evident in structural FRC, where the fiber pull-out force reaches its maximum at a large fiber slip, resulting in a load decrease before increasing again after the notched beam cracks. In that case, the bilinear assumption in the stress–strain model of MC2020 for post-cracking is insufficient to reflect the fiber mechanism and the mechanical properties of FRC at small crack widths. Therefore, based on the characteristics of fiber pull-out in structural FRC, this paper proposes a trilinear post-cracking stress–strain model to reflect the fiber pull-out mechanism more accurately and better analyze the performance of FRC structures in the serviceability limit state. Through an analysis of experimental data and numerical simulation studies on steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) notched beams, the parameters for the proposed trilinear constitutive model are determined and validated, and the results indicate that the stress value at the new inflection point in the post-cracking trilinear model should be 0.8f_Fts (the serviceability residual strength of the FRC). Although the proposed trilinear model seems similar to the trilinear model provided in MC2020, it is developed based on fiber pull-out behavior, whereas the trilinear model in MC2020 was mainly developed to eliminate numerical singularities. Finally, while the models in MC2020 perform well in evaluating the ultimate limit state performance, the proposed constitutive model can serve as a supplement, especially when serviceability limit state performance is considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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28 pages, 38281 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Investigation of the Impact of Processing Conditions on Burr Formation in Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) Drilling with Multiscale Modeling

by Guangjian Bi, Xiaonan Wang, Yongjun Shi, Cheng Zhang and Xuejin Zhao

Materials 2025, 18(6), 1244; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061244 - 11 Mar 2025

Viewed by 441

Abstract

Burrs generated during the drilling of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) would seriously reduce the service life of the components, potentially leading to assembly errors and part rejection. To solve this issue, this paper proposed a finite element (FE) model with multiscale modeling to investigate the formation and distribution of burrs at various processing conditions. The FE model comprised the microscopic fiber and resin phases to predict the formation process of burrs, while part of the CFRP layers was defined to be macroscopic equivalent homogeneous material (EHM) to improve the computational efficiency. A progressive damage constitutive model was proposed to simulate the different failure modes and damage propagation of fibers. The impact of strain rate on the mechanical properties of the resin and CFRP layers was considered during the formulation of their constitutive models. With this numerical model, the formation process of the burrs and the drilling thrust force were accurately predicted compared to the experimental measurements. Then, the burr distributions were analyzed, and the influences of the drill bit structures and drilling parameters on burrs were assessed. It was concluded that the burrs were easily generated in the zones with 0° to 90° fiber cutting angles at the drilling exit. The sawtooth structure could exert an upward cutting effect on burrs during the downward feed of the tool; thus, it is helpful for the inhibition of burrs. More burrs were produced with higher feed rates and reduced spindle speeds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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25 pages, 78779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Investigation and Multi-Objective Optimization on Forming Quality of CFRP/Al Self-Piercing Riveting Joint

by Feng Xiong, Xuehou Yu, Shuai Zhang, Dengfeng Wang and Hongyu Xu

Materials 2025, 18(6), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061233 - 11 Mar 2025

Viewed by 472

Abstract

Self-piercing riveting (SPR) has become a highly promising new method for connecting dissimilar materials in multi-material vehicle bodies, while the joint’s forming quality which largely affects its connection performance lacks sufficient research. This study conducted a detailed numerical investigation on the forming quality of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)/aluminum alloy (Al) SPR joint and proposed a novel multi-objective optimization strategy. First, the finite element (FE) model of CFRP/Al SPR joint forming was established and then verified to monitor the forming process. Second, based on FE numerical simulation, the action laws of rivet length and die structural parameters (die depth, die gap, and die radius) on the joint’s forming quality indicators (bottom thickness and interlock value) were systematically studied to reveal the joint’s forming characteristics. Finally, taking the rivet length and die structural parameters as design variables and the above forming quality indicators as optimization objectives, a hybrid Taguchi–Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method was proposed to conduct the multi-objective optimization of the joint’s forming quality. According to the outcomes, the bottom thickness and interlock value of the joint were respectively increased by 10.18% and 34.17% compared with the baseline design, achieving a good multi-objective optimization of the joint’s forming quality, which provides an effective new method for efficiently predicting and improving the forming quality of the CFRP/Al SPR joint. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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28 pages, 12034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Study to Analyze the Influence of Process Parameters on Temperature and Stress Field in Powder Bed Fusion of Ti-6Al-4V

by Helia Mohammadkamal and Fabrizia Caiazzo

Materials 2025, 18(2), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18020368 - 15 Jan 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 965

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive numerical investigation to simulate heat transfer and residual stress formation of Ti-6Al-4V alloy during the Laser Powder Bed Fusion process, using a finite element model (FEM). The FEM was developed with a focus on the effects of key process parameters, including laser scanning velocity, laser power, hatch space, and scanning pattern in single-layer scanning. The model was validated against experimental data, demonstrating good agreement in terms of temperature profiles and melt pool dimensions. The study elucidates the significant impact of process parameters on thermal gradients, melt pool characteristics, and residual stress distribution. An increase in laser velocity, from 600 mm/s to 1500 mm/s, resulted in a smaller melt pool area and faster cooling rate. Similarly, the magnitude of residual stress initially decreased and subsequently increased with increasing laser velocity. Higher laser power led to an increase in melt pool size, maximum temperature, and thermal residual stress. Hatch spacing also exhibited an inverse relationship with thermal gradient and residual stress, as maximum residual stress decreased by about 30% by increasing the hatch space from 25 µm to 75 µm. The laser scanning pattern also influenced the thermal gradient and residual stress distribution after the cooling stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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28 pages, 5727 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Fundamentals of Reverse Ring Rolling: A Numerical Proof of Concept

by Ioannis S. Pressas, Spyros Papaefthymiou and Dimitrios E. Manolakos

Materials 2024, 17(9), 2055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17092055 - 27 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1308

Abstract

Ring Rolling is a near-net manufacturing process with some measurable dimensional inaccuracies in its products. This fact is exaggerated even more under the scope of high-precision manufacturing, where these imprecisions render such products unfitting for the strict dimensional requirements of high-precision applications (e.g., bearings, casings for turbojets, etc.). In order to remedy some of the dimensional inaccuracies of Ring Rolling, the novel approach of Reverse Ring Rolling is proposed and investigated in the current analysis. The conducted research was based on a numerical simulation of a flat Ring Rolling process, previously presented by the authors. Since the final dimensions of the ring from the authors’ previous work diverged from those initially expected, the simulation of a subsequent Reverse Ring Rolling process was performed to reach the target dimensions. The calculated deformational results revealed a great agreement in at least two of the three crucial dimensions. Additionally, the evaluation of the calculated stress, strain, temperature and load results revealed key aspects of the mechanisms that occur during the proposed process. Overall, it was concluded that Reverse Ring Rolling can effectively function as a corrective process, which can increase the dimensional accuracy of a seamless ring product with little additional post-processing and cost. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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22 pages, 9467 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Mode Damage and Fracture Mechanisms of Thin-Walled Tubular Parts with Cross Inner Ribs Manufactured via Flow Forming

by Xiang Zeng, Leheng Huang, Xiaoguang Fan, Hongwei Li, Mei Zhan, Zhongbao Mi, Xuefeng Xu and Yubin Fan

Materials 2024, 17(7), 1576; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071576 - 29 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1019

Abstract

In order to study the multi-mode damage and fracture mechanisms of thin-walled tubular parts with cross inner ribs (longitudinal and transverse inner ribs, LTIRs), the Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) model was modified with a newly proposed stress state function. Thus, tension damage and shear damage were unified by the new stress state function, which was asymmetric with respect to stress triaxiality. Tension damage dominated the modification, which coupled with the shear damage variable, ensured the optimal prediction of fractures of thin-walled tubular parts with LTIRs by the modified GTN model. This included fractures occurring at the non-rib zone (NRZ), the longitudinal rib (LIR) and the interface between the transverse rib (TIR) and the NRZ. Among them, the stripping of material from the outer surface of the tubular part was mainly caused by the shearing of built-up material in front of the rollers under a large wall thickness reduction (ΔT). Shear and tension deformation were the causes of fractures occurring at the NRZ, while axial tension under a large TIR interval (l) mainly resulted in fractures on LIRs. Fractures at the interface between the TIR and NRZ were due to the shearing applied by rib grooves and radial tension during the formation of ribs. This study can provide guidance for the manufacturing of high-performance aluminum alloy thin-walled tubular components with complex inner ribs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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30 pages, 9533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Investigation of the Damage Effect on the Evolution of Adiabatic Shear Banding and Its Transition to Fracture during High-Speed Blanking of 304 Stainless Steel Sheets

by Konstantina D. Karantza, Spyros A. Papaefthymiou, Nikolaos M. Vaxevanidis and Dimitrios E. Manolakos

Materials 2024, 17(7), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071471 - 23 Mar 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1284

Abstract

This paper investigates numerically the effect of damage evolution on adiabatic shear banding (ASB) formation and its transition to fracture during high-speed blanking of 304 stainless steel sheets. A structural-thermal-damage-coupled finite element (FE) analysis is developed in LS-DYNA considering the modified Johnson–Cook thermo-viscoplastic model for both plasticity flow rule and damage law, while further, a temperature-dependent fracture criterion is implemented by introducing a critical temperature. The modeling approach is initially validated against experimental data regarding the fracture profile and ASB width. Next, FE simulations are conducted to examine the effect of strain rate and temperature dependence on damage law, while the effect of damage coupling is also evaluated, aiming to highlight the connection between thermal and damage softening and attribute them a specific role regarding ASB formation and transition to fracture. Also, the influence of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) softening is studied macroscopically, while further, a parametric analysis of the Taylor–Quinney coefficient is conducted to highlight the effect of plastic work-to-internal heat conversion efficiency on ASB formation. The results revealed that the implementation of damage coupling reacts to reduced ASB width and provides an S-shaped fracture profile, while it also decreases the peak force and results in an earlier fracture. Both findings are enhanced when accounting further for DRX softening and a higher value of the Taylor–Quinney coefficient. Finally, the simulations indicated that thermal softening precedes damage softening, showing that the temperature rise is responsible for ASB initiation, while instead, damage evolution drives ASB propagation and fracture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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16 pages, 52203 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Materials on Footwear Behaviour: A Finite Element Simulation Study

by Arina Seul, Aura Mihai, Mariana Costea, Alexandra Bodoga and Antonela Curteza

Materials 2023, 16(22), 7203; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16227203 - 17 Nov 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2492

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of materials and their position within the upper assembly on the behaviour of casual footwear using finite element simulation tools. The study was carried out on three models of casual footwear, which are identical in terms of design lines, varying only in the materials of the upper assembly, namely calfskin leather (M1), knitted fabric (M2), and combination of knitted fabric and calfskin leather (M3). The footwear models were designed according to the design constraints specific to casual footwear. The foot was reconstructed based on the shoe last obtained based on anthropometric data. Material definition, 3D models editing, setting up analysis conditions, and constraints were performed using the Ansys 17.2 software. Gait biomechanics were taken into account to define the loading model, force distribution, force values, and constraints. The study evaluates footwear behaviour in terms of directional deformation (Z axis), equivalent von Mises stress, and equivalent elastic strain distribution. This paper explores a methodology that has the potential to enhance the footwear design and manufacturing process, providing designers with information about the deformations and stress distribution on upper parts of the footwear product. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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29 pages, 22282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deformation-Induced Surface Roughening of an Aluminum–Magnesium Alloy: Experimental Characterization and Crystal Plasticity Modeling

by Yannis P. Korkolis, Paul Knysh, Kanta Sasaki, Tsuyoshi Furushima and Marko Knezevic

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5601; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165601 - 12 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1981

Abstract

The deformation-induced surface roughening of an Al-Mg alloy is analyzed using a combination of experiments and modeling. A mesoscale oligocrystal of AA5052-O, obtained by recrystallization annealing and subsequent thickness reduction by machining, that contains approx. 40 grains is subjected to uniaxial tension. The specimen contains one layer of grains through the thickness. A laser confocal microscope is used to measure the surface topography of the deformed specimen. A finite element model with realistic (non-columnar) shapes of the grains based on a pair of Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) scans of a given specimen is constructed using a custom-developed shape interpolation procedure. A Crystal Plasticity Finite Element (CPFE) framework is then applied to the voxel model of the tension test of the oligocrystal. The unknown material parameters are determined inversely using an efficient, custom-built optimizer. Predictions of the deformed shape of the specimen, surface topography, evolution of the average roughness with straining and texture evolution are compared to experiments. The model reproduces the averaged features of the problem, while missing some local details. As an additional verification of the CPFE model, the statistics of surface roughening are analyzed by simulating uniaxial tension of an AA5052-O polycrystal and comparing it to experiments. The averaged predictions are found to be in good agreement with the experimentally observed trends. Finally, using the same polycrystalline specimen, texture–morphology relations are discovered, using a symbolic Monte Carlo approach. Simple relations between the Schmid factor and roughness can be inferred purely from the experiments. Novelties of this work include: realistic 3D shapes of the grains; efficient and accurate identification of material parameters instead of manual tuning; a fully analytical Jacobian for the crystal plasticity model with quadratic convergence; novel texture–morphology relations for polycrystal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Methods in Manufacturing Processes)

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