Team

Alexander Christ studied Mechanical Engineering with focus on lightweight design at University of Applied Sciences Giessen-Friedberg from 2005 to 2009. As student he worked at GM/Opel in the area Vehicle Simulation and deepened his knowledge about virtual product development. Subject of his diploma thesis was the optimization of the weld spot distribution in a body in white. From 2009 to 2009 Mr. Christ studied Mechanical and Process Engineering at Technische Universität Darmstadt and achieved the Master of Science degree. His master thesis dealt with methodical product development in SME regarding EcoDesign.

In June 2011 he joined the Department of Computer Integrated Design as a research assistant. His research activities focus on the analysis and development of methods and tools in the CAD/PLM environment.

From 2012 to 2014 Mr. Christ has assisted the lecture „Basics of CAE/CAD“ and the associated, computer aided exercises. In the course the basics of virtual product development are taught focusing on computer-aided design as well as numerical calculation and simulation.

Topics: CAD, CAE, FEA, MBS, CAx processes, PDM, PLM, JT

Mr. Christ has worked in several projects in the areas of automotive, aviation, machinery and plant engineering, production engineering, and medical technology. In these projects he was able to contribute and continuously improve his expertise. His projects cover industrial cooperation as well as funded research projects.

BRAGECRIM – SCoPE

The SCoPE project aims to promote individual physical components to information carriers that contain data about their physical properties, customizations, manufacturing history and purpose. Modern internet technologies enable the interlinking of components as information carriers and the access to information stored in different knowledge repositories, like production data bases and data management systems. These “smart components” will be able to control their manufacturing and assembly procedures applied to them and to autonomously navigate through smart factories equipped with cyber-physical production systems.

JT Open

Technische Universität Darmstadt is a member of the JT Open Program since 2003. JT Open is a globally operating community of different stakeholders, like industrial enterprises, software vendors, users and universities. Main objective is the provision of 3D product data through the entire product life cycle based on an open and standardized data format, resulting in an open distribution of JT technology. Besides the cooperation in various work groups and surveys, the Department of Computer Integrated Design has released several publications for the application of JT in engineering processes and business areas. Current research focuses on JT as FEA process format, a use case for JT in ship building, Collaborative Engineering based on JT models and the integration of JT in Additive Manufacturing. Mr. Christ is represents Technische Universität Darmstadt in the JT Open Program.

Rolls Royce

In 2009, the cooperation with the research partner Rolls-Royce got transformed into a BMWi project. It is part of the 2nd call of the fourth Luftfahrtforschungsprogramm, a national funded program for aeronautical research. The cooperation between DiK and Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co. KG is part of the “RoKoTek” project, which focuses on rotating components. In this research project, a number of axis-symmetric components, in this case compressor- and turbine disks, were analyzed. Common geometric shapes, called Standard Features, were modularized and organized in a structured reuse library. In collaboration with manufacturing engineers, experience about stable processes was transformed into a set of rules. A CAD integrated software tool is then used to inform the designer about these in the context of the current model. This semi-automated design process leads to a more manufacturing conformant design model, which can then be further detailed by the designer.

EVIPRODENT

The project EVIPRODENT focuses on the experiencable virtuality in dental product development. Previous methods for the virtual development of dentures are based on an indirect human-machine-interaction. Along this indirect process several media discontinuities arise, resulting in a high risk of errors and a low degree of individuality in denture design. Main objective is the development of a technology for the design of complex dentures based on a direct, fully digital process to enable an experiencable product development. Improvements are achieved by the integration of natural sensory impressions like 3-dimensional vision as well as the application of sensomotoric movement patterns that are based on dental craftsmanship. Cost and development time can be reduced, while quality is improved. Hence, every human that needs dentures will benefit from this revolutionary technology

Topics: CAD, CAx processes, PDM, xDM, PLM, JT, STEP, PMI, Web Services, Smart Components, Smart Production Processes

Master Thesis

• Development and potential analysis of a 4GD based design process in automotive industry (2016)
• Development of a procedure model for the conception of smart factories in Industrie 4.0 (2016)
• Concept for the virtual validation of measurement orders in automotive engineering (2015)
• Development of a method for the analysis of standardization potential of CAD models (2015)
• JT master models as central information carrier in development projects (2014)
• Automated CAD-based optimization of high pressure turbine flow (2014)
• Development of a concept for algorithm based geometry repatriation from point clouds (2013)
• Accuracy estimation of distance and cutting force calculations for the simulation of rudder function tests (2013)
• Development of methods and tools for the robust design of cooling holes of double-skinned gas turbine components (2013)

Bachelor Thesis

• Concept for requirements elicitation based on 3D CAD models (2015)
• Visualization of product information on 3D models (2014)
• Development and validation of a concept for the transfer of semantic additional information based on JT (2014)
• Concept for the visualization of the maturity level of products based on 3D models (2014)
• JT as process format for FE analyses (2014)
• Development of a use case for the application of JT in product development (2013)
• Analysis of the pattern modeling in Siemens NX 8 (2013)

Diploma Thesis

• Concept, design and prototype development of an Al-FRP-hybrid roof frame for a roadster series (2012)

Advanced Design Project

• Implementation of global Industrie 4.0 quality control scenarios (2016)
• Development of a motion tracking system in dental technology (2015)
• Integration of JT in the Rapid Prototyping process chain (2014)
• Identification and evaluation of JT use cases (2014)
• Integration of supplemental technical drawings into 3D CAD models (2014)
• Potential analysis for structural optimization with Siemens NX 8.5 (2014)
• Conceptual development of a one-person vehicle (2013)
• Application of Reverse Engineering and Rapid Prototyping in product development (2013)

Research Seminar

• Product development in Industry 4.0 (2014)
• Application possibilities and potentials of the lightweight data format JT (2013)
• Methods of technical product documentation in the product development (2012)
• Application of mobile devices in virtual product development (2012)