Altair Case Studies Optimization of Railway Component Design at Alstom

	Optimization of Railway Component Design at Alstom Altair

Optimization of Railway Component Design at Alstom

Altair

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
Applicable Industries	Equipment & Machinery Life Sciences
Applicable Functions	Maintenance Product Research & Development
Use Cases	Additive Manufacturing Manufacturing Process Simulation
Services	System Integration Training
Challenge	Alstom, a world leader in integrated railway systems, was faced with the challenge of optimizing an existing component design to be manufactured with casting or alternatively with additive manufacturing technologies. The component in question was a part used in Alstom's Metropolis units in the train bogies to support the anti-roll system. The initial design of the part was found to be much too strong for the workloads it was subjected to, and the safety factor was also a little too high. Alstom's engineers were tasked with improving the design of this existing cast part, with a specific focus on optimizing it for production with metal additive manufacturing. The challenge was to improve the overall design while optimizing material usage, and to explore new production options with additive manufacturing. Read More
About Customer	Alstom is a promoter of sustainable mobility, developing and marketing systems, equipment, and services for the railway sector. The company manages a wide range of solutions in the market, from high-speed trains to metros and tramways, as well as customized services such as maintenance and modernization, and infrastructure and signaling solutions. Alstom is present in over 60 countries and employs 31,000 people. The company is constantly striving for the best manufacturing and development processes to create the finest possible products. For this specific project, Alstom’s engineers were tasked with improving the design of an existing cast part used in their Metropolis units. Read More
Solution	Alstom adopted a simulation-driven design approach using solidThinking Inspire for topology optimization and solidThinking Evolve for shape refinements. The first step involved an analysis with solidThinking Inspire, which confirmed the results of an earlier finite element (FE) analysis conducted with Altair HyperWorks. To improve the design and optimize material usage, the design volume of the part was increased, followed by a topology optimization. After several iterations with Inspire, a customized solution was found, and the exterior shape was then refined with solidThinking Evolve. The final geometry was then again verified with a detailed FE analysis. Alstom also collaborated with local 3D printing companies to prepare and analyze the part for additive manufacturing. The use of solidThinking Inspire, solidThinking Evolve and Altair HyperWorks’ solutions allowed the engineers to complete the process and support structural tests. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Applicable Industries

Equipment & Machinery

Life Sciences

Applicable Functions

Maintenance

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Additive Manufacturing

Manufacturing Process Simulation

Services

System Integration

Training

Challenge

Alstom, a world leader in integrated railway systems, was faced with the challenge of optimizing an existing component design to be manufactured with casting or alternatively with additive manufacturing technologies. The component in question was a part used in Alstom's Metropolis units in the train bogies to support the anti-roll system. The initial design of the part was found to be much too strong for the workloads it was subjected to, and the safety factor was also a little too high. Alstom's engineers were tasked with improving the design of this existing cast part, with a specific focus on optimizing it for production with metal additive manufacturing. The challenge was to improve the overall design while optimizing material usage, and to explore new production options with additive manufacturing.

About Customer

Alstom is a promoter of sustainable mobility, developing and marketing systems, equipment, and services for the railway sector. The company manages a wide range of solutions in the market, from high-speed trains to metros and tramways, as well as customized services such as maintenance and modernization, and infrastructure and signaling solutions. Alstom is present in over 60 countries and employs 31,000 people. The company is constantly striving for the best manufacturing and development processes to create the finest possible products. For this specific project, Alstom’s engineers were tasked with improving the design of an existing cast part used in their Metropolis units.

Solution

Alstom adopted a simulation-driven design approach using solidThinking Inspire for topology optimization and solidThinking Evolve for shape refinements. The first step involved an analysis with solidThinking Inspire, which confirmed the results of an earlier finite element (FE) analysis conducted with Altair HyperWorks. To improve the design and optimize material usage, the design volume of the part was increased, followed by a topology optimization. After several iterations with Inspire, a customized solution was found, and the exterior shape was then refined with solidThinking Evolve. The final geometry was then again verified with a detailed FE analysis. Alstom also collaborated with local 3D printing companies to prepare and analyze the part for additive manufacturing. The use of solidThinking Inspire, solidThinking Evolve and Altair HyperWorks’ solutions allowed the engineers to complete the process and support structural tests.

Impact #1	The use of solidThinking Inspire, solidThinking Evolve and Altair HyperWorks’ solutions has drastically changed the way products are developed at Alstom. The simulation-driven design approach enabled by these tools has resulted in better products being developed in much shorter development cycles. The redesign of the part resulted in overall weight savings of about 70 percent, which is a significant improvement. The engineers at Alstom have gained a profound expertise in structural design and are combining simulation, tests, and the expected behavior in most of the situations to achieve the best possible result. The company plans on using these tools for a long time, as stated by Juan Manuel Romero, Structures and calculation lead engineer at Alstom, Barcelona.

Impact #1

The use of solidThinking Inspire, solidThinking Evolve and Altair HyperWorks’ solutions has drastically changed the way products are developed at Alstom. The simulation-driven design approach enabled by these tools has resulted in better products being developed in much shorter development cycles. The redesign of the part resulted in overall weight savings of about 70 percent, which is a significant improvement. The engineers at Alstom have gained a profound expertise in structural design and are combining simulation, tests, and the expected behavior in most of the situations to achieve the best possible result. The company plans on using these tools for a long time, as stated by Juan Manuel Romero, Structures and calculation lead engineer at Alstom, Barcelona.

Benefit #1	Reduced development time
Benefit #2	Improved components in terms of less weight (~70%)
Benefit #3	Increased stiffness of the components

Benefit #1

Reduced development time

Benefit #2

Improved components in terms of less weight (~70%)

Benefit #3

Increased stiffness of the components

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Overview

Optimization of Railway Component Design at Alstom

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit