Integrated Process Simulation of Powder Metallurgical Shaping and Sintering Applied to the Optimization of Porcelain Tile Manufacturing

包括无压烧结致密化在内的粉末冶金加工是一种成熟的、世界范围内使用的制造工艺。然而，由于颗粒材料的非平凡的热力学行为和由不同生产步骤组成的工艺结构的复杂性，仍然缺乏全面的工艺描述。这极大地限制了数字化制造和应用工业4.0原则的可能性。这项合作研究项目将由巴西和德国的有关机构进行，将开发综合粉末冶金成型和烧结过程的计算机辅助建模。所开发的多尺度模拟策略将应用于瓷砖制造的优化，从而包括相应的算法来描述液相烧结致密化。然而，本项目将开发的单元操作模型和新的计算方法可以有效地应用于其他粉末冶金工艺的优化。最后，集成生产过程的模拟将允许缩短新产品的上市时间，使用先进的模型预测过程控制保证产品质量，并由于产量优化而减少能源和材料消耗。从主要的研究目标可以区分出来：开发新的模型和模拟方法来模拟粉末的液相烧结，适应当前的成型工艺，以产生适合更有效烧结的高填充绿色体，增强温度/时间/环境时间表，以实现先进的性能和低能耗。该项目将在加强德国和巴西机构之间的学术合作、加强经验和知识交流方面发挥重要作用。来自德国和巴西的研究小组在邻近的研究领域，如流程模拟，多尺度工艺处理或烧结过程的建模和实验分析，具有长期的经验。这两个小组都拥有近年来各自开发的独特方法、重要模型和工具。通过密切的互动、讨论和分享想法来交流经验和知识是成功执行拟议工作的重要组成部分。

Powder metallurgical processing including densification by pressureless sintering is a well-established and worldwide used manufacturing process. However, due to the non-trivial thermomechanical behavior of granular materials and complexity of process structures consisting of different production steps, the comprehensive process description is still missing. This significantly limits the possibilities to digitalize manufacturing and apply principles of Industrie 4.0. In the scope of this collaborative research project, which will be performed between involved institutions in Brazil and Germany, the computer-aided modeling of integrated powder metallurgical shaping and sintering processes will be developed. The developed multiscale simulation strategy will be applied to the optimization of porcelain tile manufacturing, thereby including a respective algorithm to describe densification by liquid phase sintering. Though, the models of unit operations and novel calculation approaches which will be developed in this project can be afterwards effectively applied for optimization of other powder metallurgical processes. Finally, the simulation of integrated production process will allow to reduce time to market for new products, guarantee product quality using advanced model-predictive process control and to reduce energy and material consumption due to yield optimization. From the main research objectives can be distinguished: development of new models and simulation approaches for modelling of powder subjected to liquid phase sintering, adaptation of current shaping processes to produce high-packed green bodies suitable to more effective sintering, enhancement of temperature/time/environment schedules to achieve advanced properties and low energy consumption. Important role in the project will play enhancement of academic cooperation between German and Brazilian institutions, intensification of experience and knowledge exchange. The research groups from Germany and Brazil have long-term experience in the adjacent research areas such as flowsheet simulation, multiscale process treatment or modeling and experimental analysis of sintering processes. The both groups possess over the unique methods, significant models and tools which were developed by them in the recent years. The exchange of experiences and knowledges through the intensive interactions, discussions and sharing of ideas is an essential component for successful performing of proposed work.