Development of the hot forming system using reconfigurable forming dies, digital twin and topology optimisation

Abstract

This research is concerned with the fourth industrial revolution. Manufacturing is an industry that has been transformed and reformed time and time again through industrial revolutions in order to remain competitive. Innovation in technology through the latest Industry 4.0 digitalisation technologies offers manufacturers considerable value that could never be attained prior to the introduction of connected smart technologies such as Digital Twin. Revolutions are fast, disruptive and destructive, those that do not evolve with the industrialisation are left behind as history has demonstrated. The main hypothesis proposes that by implementing Industry 4.0 technological advancements of Digital Twin combined with innovative technologies such as Live Topology Optimisation and Reconfigurable forming die for the adopted process of the Hot Forming capability, it will revolutionise the process and eliminate the downfalls of high costs, high non-conformance, heavily manual oriented and poor production flexibility. The research develops an original reconfigurable die design with the novel capability of automatability, the research continues to develop an original Digital Twin software with backend Live Topology Optimisation for the process of Hot Forming. In the process, the Hot Forming manufacturing layout was re-designed to allow for automatability through the connection to the Digital Twin. The Digital Twin acted as the brain behind the operation of automation and optimisation throughout the production process, harnessing the advantages of Industry 4.0. The research also developed an original emulation model as a method of validating and verifying the developed Digital Twin and to allow for simulation as part of the Digital Twin. The results outline that the developed Digital Twin outperformed the conventional method and industry standard in all of the 21 measured key performance metrics. The Digital Twin system returned a 24.67% reduction in total cycle time, an increase of 48.72% in volume and a staggering reduction in defects by 87.15%. Furthermore, the system reported a reduction in cost by 64.74%, an increase in right first time by 40.78% and an increased in operational efficiency by 59.30%. It can be recognised that the developed systems of the Digital Twin, Live Topology Optimisation and reconfigurable forming die forms a technological combination that is a first of its kind and has been widely successful in transforming the Hot Forming capability from a outdate process riddled with major inherited pitfalls to an automated, efficient and cost-effective process. The research carries innovative, methodological, theoretical, technological and analytical value. Contributing significantly to the advancement and knowledge base of the fourth industrial revolution especially its revolutionary effect on manufacturing. The current state of knowledge in the field is reserved in nature and lacks the depth required to implement Industry 4.0 in a practical nature as determined by the literature review. This research contributes significantly by exploring realms that are less explored in the areas of industry 4.0 and manufacturing. Abstracting from the literature review, the researcher addresses literature gaps in the form of lack of available implementation blue print for implementing industry 4.0 in manufacturing, lack of clear economic and operational benefits for adopters, lack of research in reconfigurable forming via automation, lack of technological combination with industry 4.0 framework, lack of studies in Live topology optimisation through live production and lack of available blue print in validating and verifying Digital Twin systems. Making the research a comprehensive, detailed and revolutionary contribution to the fourth industrial knowledge base. The research further contributes to the advancement of knowledge via the development of a new and original design for Re-configurable forming dies for automation and digitalisation purposes, new and original technological combination to further compliment the industry 4.0 framework, innovative development of Live Topology Optimisation to further leverage the digitisation element of industry 4.0, novel manufacturing layout to enhance digitisation and automation feedback. The research illustrates a clear-cut advantage that via the introduction of the innovative elements in the research, manufacturers are able to improve operational performance by over 60% in average. The significance of this is immense and allows the adopters to attain a competitive advantage whilst improving profitability and customer satisfaction.