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| Author | Topic: Feed screw simulation programs |
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Rudder Member Posts: 1 |
posted June 12, 2001 10:54 AM
  
Does anyone know if feed screw design simulation programs work? and if so were I can get the ones that do? IP: Logged |
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Peter P Senior Member Posts: 61 |
posted June 12, 2001 06:14 PM
quote: Why did you have to get me on to this topic? There are a couple on the market that claim to be successful, but be careful! They are only as good as the mathematical model, on which they are based. One or two of the models are based on dubious assumptions. When you do come across them, make sure you quiz the salesman about these models and ask how well their predictions match their experiments, they should have done the work - ask to see their data. Peter P. [This message has been edited by Peter P (edited 06-12-2001).] IP: Logged |
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Tom C Moderator Posts: 737 |
posted June 13, 2001 09:03 AM
I sell extrusion simulation programs and work with them all of the time. I have seen amazing accuracy and huge failures. When the programs fail we go back to the drawing board and often can figure out why (the difference in the physical phenomena assumed, and what is actually happening) and compensate for the differences with real science. This process has been going on for more than 30 years, so many extrusion processes have been well developed. I see screws and processes designed using these tools every day, and they work great. Almost all of the screw designers I know have some type of simulator or calculation method at their disposal to help with development. They would not waste their time with the calculations if they were not helpful. Think of a simulator as the extrusion equivelent of a financial calculator. The financial calculator can not tell you how to invest, but it may help you understand you investments a little better. Nor can the financial calculator predict how the market will fluctuate. This all can make the financial calculator look like it is not much help, but would you like to make the calculations by hand, or invest blindly. Conversly, would you invest money if you did not know the market, even if you had a financial calculator. Maybe you would like to spend a little time on one of those simulated investment programs on the net, just to get a feel without risking real money. Simulators need good infomation in order to function well. Getting good material information and accurate geometry is very difficult and expensive sometimes. Verification of the simulation is also an area with huge inaccuracy. Perhaps less than 50% of the facilities I have visited know how to get an accurate melt temperature. Then they try to compair a poor measurment to the simulator, and declair the simulator no good. A simulator can be a great TOOL, but it does not have all of the answers. A lot of skill and care and feeding is required for good results. But the results can pay off big time. I don't think that this is a technology that should be dismissed by extrusion professionals as it so often is. Tom @ CCS [This message has been edited by Tom C (edited 06-13-2001).] [This message has been edited by Tom C (edited 06-23-2001).] IP: Logged |
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