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Laboratory for Simulation of Materials and Processes


Head:
Prof. Božidar Šarler
Deputy Head:  dr. Boštjan Mavrič

Activities 

A principal activity of the laboratory, established at the beginning of 2013, is development of topmost basic science for numerical modelling of materials and processes and use of this knowledge in improvement of production processes and products. The vision is to maintain the achieved leading role in the development of numerical methods and modelling of multiphase systems at different scales and to help Slovenian and global industry in establishing a world-class technological processes and products in the most economical and environmentally friendly way.

The fundamental research efforts are focused on contributing to the world treasury of knowledge with new approaches of modeling liquid-solid and solid-solid systems, with new meshless numerical approaches for modeling problems with moving boundaries and with laboratory and industrial test cases and reference calculation of solidification problems. We are particularly focused on the simulation of coupled transport phenomena and electromagnetic fields.

The applied research is focused on establishment of all the elements for through process of modeling for the aluminum and steel industry, especially for the various processes of casting, rolling and heat treatment. The ultimate goal is the modeling of product characteristics as a function of process paremeters of each of the process steps. This is achieved by the coupled physical models of relations between the process variables, microstructure and properties of the product. The physical modeling of microstructure evolution is supplemented, replaced or calibrated, based on the artificial intelligence methods. The manufacturing processes are optimized based on minimization of various object functions: eg. macroscopic, which take into account factors such as the productivity of the process and use of energy and raw materials, and such as microscopic, which take into account the characteristics of the product as a function of microstructure.

Personnel

(1) prof. dr. Božidar Šarler
(2) doc. dr. Miha Kovačič
(3) dr. Umut Hanoglu
(4) dr. Quingguo Liu
(5) dr. Katarina Mramor
(6) dr. Robert Vertnik
(7) dr. Boštjan Mavrič
(8) Vanja Hatić
(9) Grega Belšak
(10) Tadej Dobravec

Equipment

  • Bundle of multiprocessor servers.
  • High-end personal computers.
  • JMatPro data base for material properties of steels and aluminium alloys.

 

Collaboration

  • Laboratory for Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
  • University of Nova Gorica, Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
  • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Nemčija
  • City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
  • Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, China.
  • Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Science, China.
  • Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
  • Ecole des Mines de Nancy, Nancy, France.
  • University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
  • Univerzitet Crne Gore, Podgorica, Montenegro.
  • University of Napoli »Parthenope«, Napoli, Italy.
  • Silesian Technical University, Poland.
  • DESY, Germany.

Projects

(1) 01.7.2011 - 31.12.2014: J2-4120 Advanced modelling and simulation of solid-liquid processes. Sponsor: Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS). Basic project.
(2) 01.05.2010 - 31.12.2014: L2-3651 Simulation and optimization of casting, rolling and heat treatment processes for competitive production of topmost steel. Sponsors: company Štore-Steel and Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS). Applied project.
(3) 15.02.2013 - 01.07.2014: Razvoj elektromagnetnega polkontinuirnega ulivanja. Sponsors: company IMPOL Slovenska Bistrica and Slovenian Ministry of Economy (Research vaucher).
(4) 01.07.2014 - 20.06.2017: L2-5667 Simulation of industrial solidification processes under influence of electromagnetic fields. Sponsors: company Štore-Steel, company IMPOL Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS). Applied project.
(5) 15.07.2015 - 15.08.2016: Development of simulation system for hot rolling for industrial use. Sponsor: company Štore-Steel, industrial project.
(6) 28.12.2015-27.12.2017: Modelling and simulation of continuous casting of steel, Sponsor: Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Science, applied project.
(7) 01.01.2016-31.12.2018: J2-7384 Advanced modelling and simulation of solid-liquid systems with free boundaries. Sponsor: Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS), basic project.
(8) 01.01.2016-31.12.2018: J7-7197 Development of methods for support of decision based on smart sensors for proces of steel recycling in electic arc furnace. Sponsor: Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS), basic project.
(9) 01.01.2016-31.12.2018: J2-7157 Topologically shaped magnesium alloys for biomedical applications. Sponsor: Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS), basic project.
(10) 01.03.2016-30.9.2016: Simulation of electromagnetic deflector for manufacturing of rockwool, Sponsor: company Isoteh, industrial project.
(11) 14.09.2016-15.09.2017: Simulation of pre-rolling. Sponsor: company Štore-Steel, industrial project.
(12) 01.04.2017-30.03.2020: J1-8136 Astrophysics of transients in the era of all-sky surveys. Sponsor: Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS), basic project.
(13) 01.07.2018-30.06.2021: L2-9246 Multiphysics and multiscale modelling for competitive continuous casting. Sponsor: Štore-Steel + Slovenian Grant Agency (ARRS), applied project.