Alloy Development via Segmented CO2 Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing aluminum products do not effectively minimize the CO2 footprint in production, as they lack a comprehensive approach to simulate and optimize the CO2 emissions throughout the entire process chain, leading to inefficiencies in material sourcing and alloy composition.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that generates candidate aluminum alloy entities by mixing raw materials from various sources and simulates their properties to qualify alloys based on intended use, focusing on a low CO2 footprint through a 'Through Process Modelling' principle, which calculates a CO2 index for each alloy and discards those above a set threshold, allowing for the selection of alloys with reduced environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If comprehensive simulation of entire process chain is implemented, then CO2 footprint optimization is improved, but CPU time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation process is divided into separate modules: a first simulation module that quickly evaluates CO2 index for candidate alloys, and a second simulation module that performs detailed property simulations only for alloys meeting the CO2 threshold. This segmentation allows the system to filter out high-CO2 alloys early without investing excessive computational resources in detailed simulations for all candidates.
Solution Approach 2:
The method performs preliminary CO2 index evaluation for all candidate alloys before conducting detailed property simulations. By calculating the CO2 index first and discarding alloys above the threshold, the system prepares the candidate set in advance to ensure only environmentally acceptable alloys undergo time-consuming detailed simulations, thus optimizing both CO2 footprint and computational efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If CO2 threshold filtering is applied early in the process, then environmental optimization is improved, but the number of candidate alloys for further processing decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the evaluation parameter from detailed mechanical properties to CO2 index for the initial filtering stage. By using a different parameter (CO2 emissions) that can be calculated quickly and objectively, the system efficiently reduces the candidate pool while maintaining the ability to later evaluate the remaining candidates on comprehensive criteria including mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and other performance metrics.
3Manufacturing precision
If detailed property simulation is performed for all candidate alloys, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation process is divided into separate modules: a first simulation module that quickly evaluates CO2 index for candidate alloys, and a second simulation module that performs detailed property simulations only for alloys meeting the CO2 threshold. This segmentation allows the system to filter out high-CO2 alloys early without investing excessive computational resources in detailed simulations for all candidates.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complete detailed simulations on all candidate alloys, the system applies partial action by conducting only CO2 index evaluation initially. Detailed simulations are performed excessively only on the reduced set of alloys that pass the CO2 threshold, ensuring both environmental compliance and manufacturing precision while maintaining productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to mixing raw materials from two or more aluminium metal sources from a Metal Base. The Raw material is categorized (“R”, i=1−n) and stored in a database from where candidate alloys are randomly proposed by a computer and each single Candidate alloy entity is categorized (“C”, j=1−m). Candidate alloys having a CO2 index that is above a set threshold can be discarded for further evaluation. The remaining candidate alloys are further evaluated and qualified with regard to their ability to fulfil the actual functions of use, for instance as a specific product and followingly a set of Qualified Candidate alloys (“QC”, k=1−m) can be defined. The invention also relates to a product produced by the method.