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Story
When predecessor SFI SIMLab was halfway through its eight year
programme, some of the partners expressed concerns: would the
research give them the innovative tool they needed? That’s when
Audi’s Thomas Hambrecht came up with the idea of a Tool Box. He
was familiar with similar tools elsewhere.
IN USE WITH SUCCESS
Now the Tool Box is in place and available to all partners. In many
respects it is the very foundation of CASA.
It has already proven useful. Industrial implementation is
accelerating. Many of the partners will naturally want to protect
their innovations, but this much can be said: one partner has
made large improvements on their products thanks to one of
the models in the Box. Another partner has compared a Tool Box
model with competing models and received more reliable results
with SIMLab’s Box. So, better products is one result. Money saved
is another.
THEN…
When the first Tool Box version was presented in 2011, it
contained four basic tools, and bear with us for a bit of scientific
speak in the rest of the paragraph: the Results Organizer is
designed to support experimental planning, execution and
processing, the Digital Image Correlation allows determining the
displacement field on material/structural tests based on digital
images and Mat-Pre-Post is a tool for parameter identification
and tailored pre- and post-processing. Finally, the Model Library
is a collection of customized, user-defined material models and
solution techniques.
…AND NOW
Since then, a number of dedicated researchers and students have
worked steadily to develop the Box further. The four initial tools
have become eight, including micro generator and forming limit
apps, the latter being used on metal sheets in car production and
the like. New programs are added, database solutions attached,
structure and user-friendliness improved.
Today, the Tool Box can be used to model materials, move further
down in scale and work on multi-scale modelling. Industrial
applications are ever increasing. The image of the basic research
being performed in the SFI, the partner logos in a circle around it
and the Tool Box between them is increasingly accurate and truthful.
This includes assistance from members of the research team at
NTNU and SINTEF when partners write applications for innovation
projects. It also includes commissioned testing and development of
dedicated software. The portfolio is steadily growing.
JOINT OWNERSHIP
The SIMLab Tool Box is developed and owned jointly by NTNU
and its research partner SINTEF. This cooperation is reflected in
CASA’s Methods and Tools Programme being headed by Research
Director Odd-Geir Lademo and Research Scientist Térence
Coudert at SINTEF Materials and Chemistry. The development of
the Tool Box is a central part of the programme. This will include
improvement of prediction accuracy, efficiency and robustness of
existing models and methods as well as the development of new
ones.
MET WITH SCEPTICISM
At the start, the idea of the Tool Box was met with considerable
scepticism, not the least on the Scientific Advisory Board. There
was fear that it would be costly to maintain due to the financial
and manpower requirements and have negative impact on
research. Today, Odd-Geir Lademo is in no doubt whatsoever that
the Box is a success.
“In fact, we have saved money and we are more efficient than we
would have been without it. The synthesis of our joint efforts is
the decisive factor. None of us could have carried this through on
our own. Other research centres are looking to us to learn from
what we have achieved.
The partners get access to massive amounts of research at a low
cost. It is a very good deal for them.”
FUNDING INCLUDED
To some extent, Lademo understands the original scepticism on
the Advisory Board:
“I think it has to do with the board members not being familiar
with our Nordic tripartite model of universities, independent
research organizations and innovative business working together
for the common good. The continued benefits of the Tool Box
is part of the package. It is funded by the partnership fees, as
simple as that,” he states.
That is not to say that the Tool Box doesn’t cost. Several
researchers are closely involved with improving the Box. This is
not in conflict with the basic research to be carried out in an SFI
as methods and tools are a must with respect to innovation and
value creation at the industrial partners.
Partner Tools save
On the one hand, SFI CASA is brand new. On the other, the partners can start using
a wealth of scientific findings right from the start.
Here’s the SIMLab Tool Box for you.
MILLIONS