I am Anna-Maria Persson and I started my PhD at the 1st of February this year. My study is related to the field of mechanical properties of thermoplastic elastomers in injection moulded components. My PhD is a SINTEF Material and Chemistry funded industrial PhD, associated to SFI Manufacturing and admitted by NTNU.

I started my PhD with experimental studies of the elasto-visco-plastic response of a novel but commercialised thermoplastic elastomer prepared by vulcanization (TPV). One significant aspect is sample preparation and geometry (figure 1), and another is handling and treating the experimental data (strain) output. As the experimental methodology in itself is a target for the PhD, a selected few more materials will be studied subsequently.
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Figure 1A and 1B: Speckle patterns for digital image correlation giving 3D field strain measurements of cyclic compression tests.
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In parallel, materials models are intended calibrated and verified, primarily for a selection of published material models, including behavioural features of non-linear nature and time-temperature dependency. I am currently immerged in 10-15 years of publications of rubber and elastomer material models. One major challenge is to adequately describe the complex mechanical response with a model also suitable for industrial use. Figure 2 is an example of one characteristic of elastomer mechanical response.

During my PhD, I will have a close dialogue with Kongsberg Automotive's Couplings division to get the valuable industrial view feedback (figure 4). To develop a response on how an integrated, free-geometry elastomer sealing can compete with a conventional o-ring in a demanding application, the material models will be used in simulation of two component injection moulded sealings. After this, the elastomer sealing performance needs to be related to the performance of a conventional rubber sealing (figure 3.)
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On Thursday 7 and Friday 8 September 2017 the 21st International Workshop on Teamworking (IWOT) will be held in Trondheim, Norway. The workshop is hosted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, SINTEF Raufoss Manufacturing, and supported by the research centre SFI Manufacturing.

IWOT has established itself as a multi-disciplinary arena for researchers of teamworking. The attendees are a mix of senior academics and junior researchers. The workshop is characterized by constructive feedback and an amicable atmosphere. To combine the useful with the pleasant, the social event combines sightseeing with dining so that participants can discuss their research interests informally.

Click here for the program and more information about the workshop.

Hi, my name is Signe Moe and I am a postdoctoral fellow at SFI Manufacturing, where I hope that several of my competences acquired during my PhD can be put to good use to ensure more effective production.
 
I graduated with a master’s degree in cybernetics in 2013 and immediately continued on a PhD at NTNU AMOS, Center for Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems, and in 2016 I completed my thesis “Guidance and Control of Robot Manipulators and Autonomous Marine Robots”. Soon thereafter I was officially a part of the SFI Manufacturing researcher team.
 
Set-based control of robotic systems
One of the main contributions of my PhD was the development of a control framework for robotic systems allowing us to define and control set-based tasks. Instead of telling a robot exactly what to do, we define a valid interval of states and ensure that our robot stays within these limits. This results in a system with more option on to perform its tasks, and opens up for a more efficient control structure. Furthermore, the framework is completely general and may therefore be applied to numerous applications.
 
Manufacturing
One possible task that is highly relevant for manufacturing purposes is directional control of robots, something which may be used to decrease operation time and/or energy consumption for instance in autonomous spray painting, welding and cleaning operations.
 
Another highly relevant task for any robotic system is collision avoidance, which is crucial to ensure safe and efficient operations. The set-based control framework may also be applied to this end, where the valid interval of the set-based task is defined as the set of safe distances between the robot and any obstacle.
 
Co-supervising
As part of my postdoctoral fellowship I am a co-supervisor to PhD-candidate Linn Danielsen Evjemo, who will work on 3D-printing by the use of robots. This will enable printing of larger objects in a much more versatile manner, as 3D-printing is currently performed in closed chambers in a strictly layer wise, horizontal routine. Robotic manipulators have a larger range and several additional degrees of freedom with regards to orientation control. Together, Linn and I have run initial, small-scale experiments as a proof of concept, where we used a small manipulator and a caulking gun to print a small cup.
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De siste dagene er det kommet flere meldinger fra Hexagon Composites: Gjennom datterselskapet Hexagon Lincoln i USA går konsernet inn i markedet for brenselsceller for tunge lastebiler, datterselskapet xperion Energy & Environment/Hexagon Raufoss skal levere gasstanker til fire ASKO-lastebiler og i Irak har Hexagon Ragasco fått en ny stor ordre for gassbeholdere til en verdi av 120 millioner kroner.

For å ta det siste først: Hexagon Ragasco har fått en ny, stor ordre for LPG-sylindere fra det irakiske selskapet Gas Filling Company (GFC). Ordren har en samlet verdi på rundt ca 120 millioner kroner. Leveransene er planlagt påbegynt i 4. kvartal 2017 og fortsette gjennom 1. kvartal 2018. Med denne bestillingen øker selskapet sin allerede store markedsandel for LPG-komposittsylindere i det irakiske hjemmemarkedet.  

Høytrykksbeholdere for lastebiler
Høytrykksbeholdere for gassdrevne lastebiler er absolutt et spennende felt å gå inn i. Hexagon Composites datterselskap xperion Energy & Environment er valgt som leverandør for leveransene av høytrykksbeholdere for ASKOs hydrogendrevne lastebiler. Hexagon mottok denne ordren fra Hydrogenics Corporation i Ontario. Dette selskapet er en ledende utvikler og produsent av systemer for hydrogendrevne biler med leveranser til hele verden. Gasstankene som skal leveres vil bli integrert i brenselcellesystemene for fire Scania, hydrogendrevne lastebiler til ASKO, som ønsker å være en pioner i dette vekstmarkedet. 

Videreføring av know how
Hexagons know how på høytrykks hydrogenbeholdere for personbiler videreføres nå til store lastebiler i et spennende samarbeid med Hydrogenics og Scania. I Hexagon Raufoss er man veldig spente på videreutviklingen i dette prosjektet. I ASKO tror man at prosjektet er første skritt mot en storskala, hydrogendrevet lastebilflåte og på vei mot nullutslippssamfunnet. De første leveransene av gasstanker og systemer er planlagt i andre halvdel av 2017. De første hydrogendrevne lastebilene forventes å være operative for ASKO mot slutten av 2018.  

Brenselcelledrift for lastebiler
Brenselcelle-markedet for tunge lastebiler er for øvrig et område som Hexagon Composites amerikanske datterselskap Hexagon Lincoln har tatt tak i. Innledende leveranser av lagringstanker for hydrogengass er gjort med Toyota Motor North America Research and Development. Tankene skal brukes i Toyotas satsning på brenselcelledrift for lastebiler, der det pt også drives en studie på havnen i Los Angeles for å få slutt på eksos og skadelige utslipp fra biler i havneområdet. Verdensledende OEM’er har uttrykt at de tror at hydrogenbrenselcelleteknologi har enormt potensial i driften av fremtidens, tunge kjøretøyer. 
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Hexagon Composites er en global markedsleder for lettvekts komposittanker for lagring og transport av gass under trykk. Foto: Hexagon ​Composites