DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL TWIN FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
28, April 2021

ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10611
Open Date: 09/04/2021 12:08 GMT +3
Closing Date: 21/05/2021 13:00 GMT +3

The objective of this activity is to improve the advanced manufacturing processes in terms of cost, quality, technological advancement, manufacturing time and/or reducing the time to market. The means to achieve this objective isbased on the utilisation of digital twin concept for the development of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for the process data analysis of the advanced manufacturing ofthe space hardware.The concept of digital twins in industry relates to the development of data models for physical systems to accurately reproduce physical and performance characteristics of processes and products. It is often referred to as a virtual replica of the physical asset which can be used to monitor and evaluate its performance. In the scope of Industry 4.0, the digitalization of manufacturing processes bring significant potential in the improvement, namely in lowering manufacturing costs, improving performances, increasing reliability, and in reducing the time to market. In this context the use of digital twins is seen as an essential tool to predict capacity, rate, yield, performance, and feeding in data to failure analysis models. Three categories of digital twins can be considered: – Supervisory: Passive process monitoring and identification of key thresholds. – Interactive: Limited control capabilities of process parameters. – Predictive: Full process simulation through model and data collection allowing real-time process control.With this activity, the advantages of using a digital twin for a selected manufacturing process will be demonstrated including the following tasks: – Select a case study for a relevant manufacturing process such as composite or additive technologies; – Analyse the application of digital twins to the selected process, identify the variables to be measured, monitored, controlled; – Develop and tailor the digital twin model; – Implement and integrate the digital twin in the selected manufacturing process;- Establish performance assessment and validation of the developed digital twin. This is possibly complemented by failure analysis models and physical performance analysis of manufactured parts; – Assess the applicability of the developed digital twin tool to other MAIT processes in the space sector.

Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. Quality
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Contracts Officer: Anna Reinsoo
Initiating Service: TEC-MSP
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0904-611 – GSTP Element 1 Dev
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: BE+DE
Technology Keywords: 23-B-II-Silicon-Based Components / 24-B-I-Joining / 24-B-IV-Advanced Materials Manufacture / 24-F-Non-Destructive Inspection
Products Keywords: 1-D-1-Metallic / 2-C-3-a-Reinforcement Material: Glass Fibres / 2-N-8-a-SW for Structure design, analysis, simulation, etc. / 3-I-2-d-Other / 3-J-5-a-SW for Structures design, analysis, simulation, etc.

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