PLANSEE's decisive advantage are individual overall solutions, or completely finished systems. Based on the customer's problem description, our Engineering Department will create an individual package of solutions using our broad knowledge gain over recent years.

At PLANSEE, state-of-the-art techniques, such as finite-element design or mathematical modeling, are applied at all levels. Our customers benefit from the specialized knowledge of our experts at the PLANSEE Technology Center, the cutting test room, production areas, and also from the worldwide integration of our corporation in knowledge networks with leading research institutes and universities.

Expert support through numerical simulations

The computer based simulation of production processes, products and new materials is a long-established as well as essential tool at PLANSEE.

Simulations allow us to develop and manufacture products on computers with specific properties, to develop testing methods to prove these properties, and to provide expert advice on any queries customers may have as to the use of the products. For the conceptual design, commission as well as optimization phase of all powder-metallurgically based processes, such as powder production, powder compaction, sintering, and hot forming, computerbased simulations are an everyday part of a number of production stages. By employing simulations, we are able to offer you a comprehensive, high-quality service.

When manufacturing prototypes and pilot or small batches of products, customers enjoy far shorter development times. Once the customer’s requests on material properties and other attributes have been entered into a computer model of the real-word system to be analyzed, a real-world prototype is built using the predicted data of a purely numerical, for example virtual optimization run, which must then be tested by the client. 
 

A further key area is optimizing components to customers’ exact requirements. This often involves ensuring a long service life for PLANSEE HPM-manufactured products when put to specific uses by customers. These include rotary x-ray anodes for CT scanners, heating systems for coating reactors, and charge carriers in high-temperature furnaces. In addition, the simulation technology is a big aid in materials engineering specifically for functionally oriented materials design.

Numerical simulation can also be of assistance when configuring the properties of new materials, and minimizes the need to manufacture prototype materials. Furthermore, existing materials and composites, a  well as their production, can be optimized according to their specific requirements in the application, as was the case for high performance heat exchangers in thermo-nuclear fusion reactors.

Here are just a few examples of how Plansee has employed numerical simulation for various products and applications:

Component optimization

• Operational load of a rotary x-ray anode for radiology diagnostics in medicine: temperature and stress analyses to optimize service life (see pictures below).
  
• Operational load of a load carrier in a high-temperature furnace: minimizing high-temperature creep to optimize service life.
  
• Operational load of a high-performance heat exchanger element for the ITER thermo-nuclear fusion reactor: minimizing stresses under extreme heat flows.
  
• Operational load of a 550kV high voltage switch contact: minimizing the arc-induced thermo-mechanical load of a switch tulip to optimize service life.
  
• Operational load of an axial piercing module: design optimization to maximize cutting power.
  
• Stirrer for homogenizing glass: optimizing the stirrer shape to improve the homogeneity of glass (preventing formation of particle clusters).

Process engineering

• Die compaction of an interconnector plate for a high temperature fuel cell: optimizing the green density distribution to minimize sintering distortions.
  
• Hot rolling of flat products made of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum and their alloys: predicting the local distribution of stresses, strains, and degree of deformation to achieve optimized quality relevant parameters such as relative density and grain size.
  
• Wire drawing of molybdenum, tungsten and their alloys: predicting household of temperatures, stresses, strains, and corresponding measures to avoid fracture in subsequent processing steps.
  
• Die compaction, sintering and re-pressing of gears and sprockets wheels: optimizing green density distribution (die compaction) and re-pressing (calibration).