Seminar Announcement

Optimization and Design of the Forging Process

Mike Chiesa (chiesa@sandia.gov)
Engineering Mechanics Modeling and Simulation Department
Sandia National Labs, Livermore, CA

Wednesday, April 26, 2000
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Bldg. 921, Room 137

Closure of the DOE Oxnard Forging Facility has had a catastrophic effect on the ability of DP to procure WR GTS (gas transfer system) forgings in time to meet required gas reservoir replacement schedules. Procurement times exceeding two years are the result of the trial-and-error effort in die design, small lot sizes and backlogs at the forging facilities. Additionally, the forgings, when received, are often not of WR quality as there are strict requirements for microstructure to attain long-term gas compatibility.

Sandia has proposed to assume design responsibility of the forging process and thus eliminate the traditional trial-and-error design approach. By using complex, multi-stage, finite element modeling of the forging process we are able to predict final material properties and redesign tooling as required. This is still a trial-and-error approach with the computer replacing the actual manufacture and testing of forging tooling. Optimization methods are being applied that can potentially use computers to design the forging process without intervention by the modeler. By using this approach optimal material properties can be obtained in minimum time. The final goal is to reduce the procurement of GTS forgings from 30 months to as little as 4-6 weeks.

Joint work with Reese Jones, Science Based Materials Modeling Dept.

This seminar is hosted by the Computational Sciences and Mathematics Research Department at Sandia National Labs in Livermore, CA. For more information on this or other events, visit http://csmr.ca.sandia.gov/news.html. Visitors from outside Sandia require advance arrangements in order to attend. For more information, please contact the CSMR office management assistant Doretha Smith at dahall@sandia.gov or (925) 294-4630.