Call number: LD2668 .T4 1965 P231 / Master of Science

Optimisation of the control of an autogenous grinding circuit requires a better understanding of system dynamics than exists at present. To this end extensive operating data were acquired on an industrial semi-autogenous milling circuit and a model was developed to explain the circuit responses to changes in input variables. This model represents the trends in the data fairly accurately and showed that: • When an excess o f slurry was present in Me load (i.e. more than the volume of the voids) a pool of slurry forms st the toe of the load. • The complexity of the power dependence on the variables describing the mill load defied dynamic modelling with toe limited knowledge avail- • The key parameters determining grinding efficiency vary constantly as the grinding environment is disturbed indicating a need for adaptive con- • The flow through the mili is adequately modelled by a single well mixed Itwasalso clear that maximisation of the power with respect to themass alone was insufficient, and that control of the feed dilution water rate is essential. Mill discharge slurry theology was studied eo gain an insight into conditions in the load. An energy balance using temperature measurements around th t mill discharge sump provided a very reliable estimate of the mill discharge density. This estimate was not successfully used for control although this potential should be exploited. Attempts to commission an on-line measurement of discharge slurry viscosity failed. Several theories and ideas were tested in a production environment subject to a multiplicity of disturbances and conclusive qualitative results were obtained. An improved understanding of milling circuit dynamics and a rationalisation of where controi can be improved has resulted from this work.

Minimizing cost and optimization of nonlinear problems are important for industries in order to be competitive. The need of optimization strategies provides significant benefits for companies when providing quotes for products. Accurate and easily attained estimates allow for less waste, tighter tolerances, and better productivity. The Nelder-Mead Simplex method with exterior penalty functions was employed to solve optimum machining parameters. Two case studies were presented for optimizing cost and time for a multiple tools scenario. In this study, the optimum machining parameters for milling operations were investigated. Cutting speed and feed rate are considered as the most impactful design variables across each operation. Single tool process and scalable multiple tool milling operations were studied. Various optimization methods were discussed. The Nelder-Mead Simplex method showed to be simple and fast.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2001. / Includes bibliography.

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2014-11-10T11:55:57Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:55:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2014-11-10T11:55:57Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:55:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Os moinhos de bolas são equipamentos presentes em plantas de mineração, sendo uma máquina importante no circuito de cominuição de minérios. Em função de inúmeros fatores como, por exemplo, projeto, fabricação, sobrecarga no equipamento, falta de manutenção e procedimentos de operação inadequados, são desenvolvidas descontinuidades nos componentes estruturais desse equipamento. Os componentes estruturais dos moinhos, basicamente, corpo, tampas e munhões, além do custo elevado, possuem prazos de fabricação que podem variar de dois a três anos dependendo da demanda do mercado. Portanto é cada vez mais necessário que as descontinuidades detectadas nesses componentes sejam corretamente avaliadas. Neste trabalho analisaram-se pela mecânica da fratura a criticalidade de descontinuidades, tais como trincas constatadas em um munhão de um moinho de bolas e compararam-se os valores teóricos de taxa de propagação (crescimento) dessas descontinuidades com valores reais obtidos por meio de inspeções periódicas realizadas neste componente. A nucleação das trincas foi causada por falta de lubrificação nos mancais do moinho, gerando esforços térmicos circunferenciais no munhão, em que a temperatura estimada do contato munhão e bucha atingiu a faixa de 100 °C a 150 °C. No período analisado, os resultados obtidos por meio da norma BS7910 mostraram-se mais próximos dos valores reais do que a norma ASME Seção XI, Apêndice A. O tamanho da trinca mais crítica foi aceito pelos critérios da norma BS7910 e aprovado apenas na condição de emergência da norma ASME Seção XI, Apêndice A. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

published_or_final_version / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Face milling machinability investigation of two difficult-to-machine nickel-based superalloys, namely Inconel 718 and Waspaloy, has been carried out with four different types of tungsten carbide tools under various cutting conditions. The tools comprised of one double-layer CVD-TiCN+Al2O3 coated (KC994M), two PVD-TiN coated (KC720 and KC730) and one uncoated (KMF) tungsten carbide tools. The objectives of the study include investigation of tool performance, failure modes and wear mechanisms under the cutting conditions employed. In addition, surface integrity of the machined surfaces, with regard to surface finish, subsurface microhardness and metallographic examination of the subsurface microstructure, was investigated. CVD-coated KC994M gave the best overall performance in terms of tool life at low and high cutting conditions on both workpieces. The second best-performing tool was the uncoated KMF grade which gave as high tool lives as KC994M at lower cutting speeds. However at higher cutting speeds, KMF was generally outperformed by PVD-TiN coated tools. Short tool lives were obtained at higher cutting speeds of 75 and 100 m/min due to premature failure by chipping. Tool wear at low cutting speed range was due to a combination of progressive microchipping and plucking through a fracture/attrition related wear mechanism associated with cyclic workpiece adhesion and detachment and abrasion/diffusion-related flank wear. Plucking and microchipping were the dominant wear mechanisms. Coating layers on the rake face of both CVD and PVD coated tools were almost completely removed within the first few seconds of cutting at all cutting speeds tested, thus becoming ineffective. On the flank face, however, they remained intact for a longer period and hence increasing tools performance at the medium cutting speed range. Analysis of the subsurface microstructures and microhardness measurements showed that plastic deformation was the predominant effect induced onto the machined surface, the degree of which influenced by the cutting speed, tool wear and prolonged machining. In addition surface irregularities in the form of tearing and embedded hard particles were found to occur which was mainly associated with the chipping dominated wear mode.

During the past three years, a research project has been carried out in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UCT, directed at developing a system to accurately reproduce three-dimensional (3D), sculptured surfaces on a three axis computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machine. Sculptured surfaces are surfaces that cannot easily be represented mathematically. The project was divided into two parts: the development of an automatic noncontact 3D measuring system, and the development of a milling system capable of machining 30 sculptured surfaces (Back, 1988). The immediate need for such a system exists for the manufacture of medical prostheses. The writer undertook to investigate the measurement system, .with the objective to develop a non-contact measuring system that can be used to 'map' a sculptured surface so that it can be represented by a set of XYZ coordinates in the form required by the milling system developed by Back (1988). This thesis describes the development of a PC-based near-realtime photogrammetry system (PHOENICS) for surf ace capture. The topic is introduced by describing photogrammetric principles as used for non-contact measurements of objects. A number of different algorithms for image target detection, centering and matching is investigated. The approach to image matching adopted was the projection of a regular grid onto the surface with subsequent matching of conjugate grid intersections. A general algorithm which automatically detects crosses on a line and finds their accurate centres was developed. This algorithm was then extended from finding the crosses on a line, to finding all the intersection points of a grid. The algorithms were programmed in TRUE BASIC and specifically adapted for use with PHOENICS as an object point matching tool. The non-contact surface measuring technique which was developed was used in conjunction with the milling system developed by Back (1988) to replicate a test object. This test proved that the combined system is suitable for the manufacture of sculptured surf aces. The accuracy requirements for the manufacture of medical prostheses can be achieved with the combined measuring and milling system. At an object-to-camera distance of 0.5 m, points on a surface can be measured with an accuracy of approximately 0.3 mm at an interval of 5 mm. This corresponds to a relative accuracy of 1:1600. Back (1988) reported an average undercutting error of 0.46 mm for the milling system. This combines to an uncertainty of 0.55 mm. Finally, the limitations of PHOENICS at its prototype stage as a surface measuring tool are discussed, in particular the factors influencing the system's accuracy. PHOENICS is an ongoing project and the thesis is concluded by some recommendations for further research work.