Material flow

About: Material flow is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3050 publications have been published within this topic receiving 36844 citations. The topic is also known as: material stream.

Internal Material Flow Layers in AA6082-T6 Butt-Joints during Bobbin Friction Stir Welding

Abstract: Bobbin friction stir welding with a double-sided tool configuration produces a symmetrical solid-state joint. However, control of the process parameters to achieve defect-free welds is difficult. The internal flow features of the AA6082-T6 butt-joints in bobbin friction stir welding were evaluated using a set of developed reagents and optical microscopy. The key findings are that the dark curved patterns (conventionally called 'flow-arms'), are actually oxidation layers at the advancing side, and at the retreating side are elongated grains with a high-density of accumulation of sub-grain boundaries due to dynamic recrystallization. A model of discontinuous flow within the weld is proposed, based on the microscopic observations. It is inferred that the internal flow is characterized by packets of material ('flow patches') being transported around the pin. At the retreating side they experience high localized shearing at their mutual boundaries, as evidenced in high density of sub-grain boundaries. Flow patches at the advancing side are stacked on each other and exposed to oxidization.

A comparative study of single-phase and two-phase approaches for the layout problem with material handling costs

Abstract: A comparative study of one- and two-phase procedures for material handling cost-based layout problems is presented. A cost function that explicitly accounts for heterogeneous material handling equipment is used as the objective criterion and simulated annealing based search procedures are used to determine layout solutions. Simulated annealing is applied directly in the one-phase procedure and augmented with volume distance based clustering of work centres in the two-phase procedure to reduce computational complexity. The performance of the two approaches are tested on 180 sample problems with 40 work centres that differ in terms of material flow matrix density, work centre space requirements, and variation in the distribution of material flow matrix elements. The results indicate that complexity reduction techniques using surrogate objectives based on volume distance might not always result in layouts that reduce material handling cost.

Energy consumption model and its simulation for manufacturing and remanufacturing systems

Abstract: This paper adopts a method of researching the process of energy consumption in manufacturing/remanufacturing systems to achieve lean energy. This method can be used in typical machining systems, especially including the machining process of manufacturing and remanufacturing. To validate this approach, we model and simulate the system with the DEVS theory and input-output model. This model establishes the machining process of a product. On the basis of work station, which is used for receiving work pieces and energy, exporting products and information of different kinds of energy consumption. We can simulate manufacturing/remanufacturing of integration machining process and material flow, information flow, and energy flow of the coupling process. After that, classify the energy consumption according to the quality of the products. The solutions, which are the margin of error between simulation and measurement, show that this method is effective. The output results help manage energy resource and provide train of thought for saving energy and reducing consumption.

Material-flow Considerations for the Design of Injection Forging

Abstract: During injection forging, the ratio of axial and radial deformation of each section of billet in the diecavity prescribes the pattern of material-flow, thereby determining the scope of the process and the quality of the product. To date, research on the quantification of the pattern of material-flow has been superficial; the models which were used invariably referred to particular conditions. FE simulation and corresponding experimental analyses were conducted with a view to characterising the flow of material during Injection Forging of solid billets and enabling the definition of the practical process range and a proposal for an approach for the design of preforms to eliminate the development of flaws.