1. Efficient modification of the CRAFT algorithm for layout optimisationBorut Buchmeister, Aljaž Javernik, Robert Ojsteršek, Iztok Palčič, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Every combination of product mix and production volume requires a suitable layout of workplaces (functional units). An optimised layout is of utmost importance to achieve global competitiveness of companies and to build an efficient, sustainable production. We plan the layout mainly with heuristic methods; constructive, improvement and combined methods are available. In this paper, a modification of the established improvement algorithm CRAFT (exchange method) is presented, which provides much better and more accurate results at a slightly higher computational cost. The most important change is the immediate precise determination of the centroids of the areas of workplaces (or departments) that are exchanged. The distance between any two workplaces is represented by the orthogonal distance between the centroids. In the example given, which is based on a pairwise exchange, the difference is 22 % in favour of the modified algorithm. Ključne besede: algorithm modification, CRAFT method, layout optimisation, pair-wise exchanges, production layout Objavljeno v DKUM: 21.05.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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2. Ellipsoidal soft micro-particles suspended in dilute viscous flowJana Wedel, Matjaž Hriberšek, Jure Ravnik, Paul Steinmann, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Soft particles in viscous flows are prevalent both in nature and in various industrial applications. Notable examples include biological cells such as blood cells and bacteria as well as hydrogels and vesicles. To model these intriguing particles, we present an extension of our recent, efficient, and versatile pseudo-rigid body approach, originally developed for initially spherical soft particles suspended in arbitrary macroscale viscous flows. The novel extension allows modeling the barycenter and shape dynamics of soft initially non-spherical, i.e. ellipsoidal particles by introducing a novel shape and orientation tensor. We consider soft, micrometer-sized, ellipsoidal particles deforming affinely. To this end, we combine affine deformations (as inherent to a pseudo-rigid body) and the Jeffery-Roscoe model to analytically determine the traction exerted on a soft ellipsoidal particle suspended locally in a creeping flow at the particle scale. Without loss of generality, we assume nonlinear hyperelastic material behavior for the particles considered. The novel extension of our recent numerical approach for soft particles demonstrates that the deformation and motion of the particles can be accurately reproduced also for ellipsoidal particles and captures results from the literature, however, at drastically reduced computational costs. Furthermore, we identify both the tumbling and trembling dynamic regime for soft ellipsoidal particles suspended in simple shear flow again capturing results from the literature. Our extended approach is first validated using experimental and numerical studies from the literature for quasi-rigid as well as soft particles, followed by a comparison of the effects of particle deformability for some well-known fluid flow cases, such as laminar pipe flow, lid-driven cavity flow, and a simplified bifurcation. We find that taking particle deformability into account leads to notable deviations in the particle trajectory compared to rigid particles, with increased deviations for higher initial particle aspect ratio. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our approach can track a statistically relevant number of soft particles in complex flow situations. Ključne besede: soft particles, Lagrangian particle tracking, pseudo-rigid bodies, point-particle method Objavljeno v DKUM: 19.05.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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3. Integrating Multi-Physics Modeling within Multi-Objective Optimization to Enhance the Performance and Efficiency of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines : doktorska disertacijaMitja Garmut, 2025, doktorska disertacija Opis: This Dissertation focuses on the optimization of an Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) machine for handheld battery-powered tools, aiming to enhance performance and efficiency.
The research integrates multi-physics modeling, including electromagnetic Finite Element Method (FEM) and thermal models, to evaluate machine performance under various operating conditions. The performance is evaluated according to selected Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Further, different control methods, such as Field Oriented Control and Square-Wave Control, impact the performance significantly and are incorporated into the optimization process.
Due to the computational challenges of FEM-based performance evaluations in Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO), this work utilizes Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based meta-models, to accelerate the optimization process while preserving accuracy.
The developed meta-models capture nonlinear machine characteristics from the FEM model. These meta-models are then used to evaluate machine performance through a combination of analytical and numerical post-processing methods.
Four MOO scenarios are presented, each aimed at optimizing the cross-sectional design of IPM machines, to enhance performance and efficiency while reducing mass and cost. Additionally, these scenarios modify the machine’s electromagnetic behavior, to ensure better alignment with the selected control method.
By comparing the optimization process of Scenario 1, which uses direct FEM-based evaluation without time reduction measures, to the approach incorporating Artificial Neural Network based meta-models, the total number of individual FEM evaluations decreased from 2.35×10^9 to 2.03×10^5, without almost any loss of accuracy. This reduced the computation time from 297 years to 9.07 days on our standard desktop computer. The obtained ANN-base meta-models can be used further for other optimizations without the need for additional FEM evaluations.
In all four optimization scenarios, the use of meta-models enabled the generation of a Pareto front of the optimal solutions, leading to improved KPIs compared to the reference design. The highest relative improvement occurred in Scenario 1, where the selected optimized machine design achieved a 30% increase in power density compared to the reference design. Ključne besede: Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) Machine, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Meta-Modeling, Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO), Finite Element Method (FEM), Multi-Physics Modeling, Field Oriented Control (FOC), Square-Wave Control (SWC) Objavljeno v DKUM: 15.05.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 28
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5. Quadratic time elements for time-dependent fundamental solution in the BEM for heat transfer modelingIvan Dominik Horvat, Jurij Iljaž, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: In this paper, a quadratic time interpolation for temperature and a linear time interpolation for fluxes are implemented for the parabolic (time-dependent) fundamental solution-based scheme for solving transient heat transfer problems with sources using the subdomain BEM (boundary element method), which is the main innovation of this paper. The approach described in this work to incorporate the quadratic time variation does not require doubling the number of equations, which is otherwise required in the BEM literature, for the discretized problem to be well-conditioned. Moreover, the numerical accuracy, compared over an unprecedented range of the Fourier number (Fo) and source strength values, can help in selecting the appropriate scheme for a given application, depending on the rate of the heat transfer process and the included source term. The newly implemented scheme based on the parabolic fundamental solution is compared with the well-established elliptic (Laplace) scheme, where the time derivative of the temperature is approximated with the second-order finite difference scheme, on two examples. Ključne besede: quadratic time elements, time-dependent fundamental solution, heat transfer modeling, boundary element method Objavljeno v DKUM: 07.05.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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6. Multiple quartz crystals connected in parallel for high-resolution sensing of capacitance changesVojko Matko, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: We present a new highly sensitive, low-value capacitance sensor method that uses multiple
quartz crystals connected in parallel inside the oscillator. In the experimental setup, the measured
(sensible) reactance (capacitance) is connected in parallel to the total shunt capacitance of the quartz
crystals, oscillating in the oscillator. Because AT-cut crystals have a certain nonlinear frequency–
temperature dependence, we use the switching mode method, by which we achieve a temperature
compensation of the AT-cut crystals’ frequency–temperature characteristics in the temperature range
between 0–50 ◦C. The oscillator switching method also compensates for any other influences on the
frequency of the oscillator, such as ageing of the crystals and oscillator elements, supply voltage
fluctuations, and other parasitic impedances in the oscillating circuit. Subsequently using two
50-ms-delayed switches between the measuring and reference capacitors, the experimental error in
measuring the capacitance is lowered for measurements under a dynamic temperature variation in
the range of 0–50 ◦C. The experimental results show that the switching method, which includes a
multiple quartz connection and high-temperature compensation improvement of the quartz crystals’
characteristics, enables a sub-aF resolution. It converts capacitance changes in the range 10 zF–200 fF
to frequencies in the range 4 kHz–100 kHz.
Ključne besede: multiple quartz crystals in parallel, quartz capacitive sensing method, temperature compensation, switching mode method Objavljeno v DKUM: 01.04.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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7. Task-oriented evaluation of the feasible kinematic directional capabilities for robot machiningSaša Stradovnik, Aleš Hace, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Performing the machining of complex surfaces can be a challenging task for a robot, especially in terms of collaborative robotics, where the available motion capabilities are greatly reduced
in comparison with conventional industrial robot arms. It is necessary to evaluate these capabilities
prior to task execution, for which we need efficient algorithms, especially in the case of flexible
robot applications. To provide accurate and physically consistent information about the maximum
kinematic capabilities while considering the requirements of the task, an approach called the Decomposed Twist Feasibility (DTF) method is proposed in this study. The evaluation of the maximum
feasible end-effector velocity is based on the idea of decomposition into the linear and angular motion
capabilities, considering a typical robot machining task with synchronous linear and angular motion.
The proposed DTF method is presented by the well-known manipulability polytope concept. Unlike
the existing methods that estimate the kinematic performance capabilities in arbitrarily weighted
twist space, or separately in the translation and the rotation subspace, our approach offers an accurate
and simple solution for the determination of the total kinematic performance capabilities, which is
often highly required, especially in the case of robot machining tasks. The numerical results obtained
in this study show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Moreover, the proposed DTF method
could represent suitable kinematic performance criteria for the optimal placement of predefined tasks
within the robot workspace Ključne besede: robot surface machining, task feasibility, task-dependent kinematic capability, kinematic performance evaluation, manipulability index, manipulability polytope, motion decomposition, Decomposed Twist Feasibility method, DTF method Objavljeno v DKUM: 01.04.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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8. Contactless determination of a permanent magnet’s stable position within ferrofluidMislav Trbušić, Anton Hamler, Viktor Goričan, Marko Jesenik, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The paper deals with the contactless detection of a rod permanent magnet’s position within
a ferrofluid. The working principle of the proposed approach is grounded on the solenoidal nature of
the field lines. For the line detection technique analyzed in this article, where the magnetic field is
scanned along the line parallel to the magnet’s axial direction, the center of the magnet corresponds
to the point on the line where the radial component of the magnetic field vanished. The concept
introduced here was evaluated numerically, where the results showed a promising perspective for
the technique to be employed in practice. In contrast to the X-ray or Vernier-caliper-based technique,
the one proposed here is somewhat more suitable for employment in applications where simplicity
and robustness are of vital importance. Ključne besede: permanent magnet, levitation, ferrofluid, magnetic sensor, magnetic field, finite element method, FEM Objavljeno v DKUM: 28.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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9. Structural integrity and life assessment of Ti-6Al-4V orthopaedic implantsKatarina Čolić, Svetlana M. Kostić, Simon Sedmak, Nenad Gubeljak, Aleksandar Grbović, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This paper presents an experimental and numerical analysis of the mechanical behaviour of orthopaedic implants with crack-type defects, considering the principles and advantages of the modern X-FEM method, which was used due to limitations of traditional FEM in terms of crack growth simulation, especially for complex geometries. In X-FEM, the finite element space is enriched with discontinuity functions and asymptotic functions at the crack tip, which are integrated into the standard finite element approximation using the unity division property. Though rare, femoral component failures are well-documented complications that can occur after hip prosthetic implantation. Most stem fractures happen in the first third of the implant due to the loosening of the proximal stem and fixation of the distal stem, leading to bending and eventual fatigue failure. The main goal of this paper was to obtain accurate and representative models of such failures. Experimental analyses of the mechanical behaviour of implants subjected to physiological loads, according to relevant standards, using a new combined approach, including both experiments and numerical simulations was presented. The goal was to verify the numerical results and obtain a novel, effective methodology for assessing the remaining fatigue life of hip implants. For this purpose, the analysis of the influence of Paris coefficients on the total number of cycles was also considered. Hence, this simulation involved defining loads to closely mimic real-life scenarios, including a combination of activities such as ascending stairs, stumbling, and descending stairs. The tensile properties of the titanium alloy were experimentally determined, along with the Paris law coefficients C and m. The finite element software ANSYS 2022R2 version was used to develop and calculate the three-dimensional model with a crack, and the resulting stresses, stress intensity factors, and the number of cycles presented in the figures, tables, and diagrams. The results for the fatigue life of a partial hip implant subjected to various load cases indicated significant differences in behaviour, and this underscores the importance of analysing each case individually, as these loads are heavily influenced by each patient’s specific activities. It was concluded that the use of numerical methods enabled the preliminary analyses of the mechanical behaviour of implants under fatigue loading for several different load cases, and these findings can be effectively used to predict the possibility of Ti-6Al-4V implant failure under variable cyclic loads. Ključne besede: structural integrity, fatigue fracture, extended finite element method (XFEM), experimental testing, DIC, numerical simulations, stress intensity factor, orthopaedic implants, crack-type defect Objavljeno v DKUM: 21.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 7
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10. Estimate of the driving force for creep crack growthOtmar Kolednik, Marko Kegl, Nenad Gubeljak, Jožef Predan, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: A discussion on the conventional creep crack growth parameters, e.g. the experimental C*-integral, C*exp, or the experimental Ct-integral, Ct,ssc, shows that the physical meaning of these parameters for growing cracks in elastic–plastic, creeping materials is not fully clear. Therefore, a comparison is presented in this paper between the conventional creep crack growth parameters, several J-integral related parameters and the crack driving force (CDF), which has been used in linear elastic and elastic–plastic fracture mechanics. The CDF for elastic–plastic, creeping materials is derived from basic thermodynamic principles and by applying the concept of configurational forces (CFs). A comprehensive numerical study is performed where crack propagation is modelled by alternating creep and crack extension steps at constant loads in a compact tension specimen made of the nickel-base superalloy Waspaloy at a temperature of 700 °C. The CDF is evaluated by a CF-based post-processing procedure after a conventional finite element computation. This procedure is applicable for small-scale creep (ssc-), transition creep (tc-) and “moderate” extensive creep (ec-) conditions. For more pronounced ec-conditions, the procedure might have to be adapted. It is shown that C*exp and Ct,ssc reflect the time derivative of the CDF during the creep stages. In contrast, the variations of the CDF coincide well with that of J-values estimated from the crack-tip opening displacement. Ključne besede: fracture mechanics, creep crack growth, crack driving force, C*-integral, J-integral, configurational force concept, finite element method Objavljeno v DKUM: 20.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 5
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