ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9033
Open Date: 26/07/2017
Closing Date: 27/09/2017 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 17.133.11
Prog. Ref.: GSTP Element 1 Dev
Budget Ref.: E/0904-611 – GSTP Element 1 Dev
Special Prov.: BE+DE
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Orbital Transportation & Re-entry Systems / Structures / Structure Eng. SW / SW for Structures design, analysis, simulation, etc.
Satellites & Probes / Structures / Struct. Eng. SW / SW for Structure design, analysis, simulation, etc.
Launchers / Structures / Structural Engineering SW / SW for Structures design, analysis, simulation, etc.
Techology Domains: Structures / Structural Design and Verification Methods and Tools / S/C Design and Design Tools
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Mechanical Engineering Department
Division: Structure and Mechanisms Division
Contract Officer: van Hilten, Linda
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 26/07/2017
Update Reason: Tender issue

Additive Manufacturing is seen as one of the key enabling technologies for a significant number of space applications. However, currently available design toolswere created for state-of-the-art manufacturing processes including for example casting, milling, and turning. AM offers a wide range of geometrical freedom,which, however, can only be exploited in a limited way with current state-of-the-art CAD / FEM / Manufacturing tools. Furthermore, AM design and manufacturingrules are not well defined and established, hindering the wide spread application of this technology.In an optimal process, these rules shall be taken into account at a very early stage of the design loop. They need to be combined with Finite Element Analysis, butalso with manufacturing guidelines on aspects such as the required orientation of the part in the building chamber and the design of a supporting structure. All ofthese specific features shall be available in one software tool or in several combined tools with suitable interfaces. This will significantly shorten the part optimization process and enable high performance products to be manufactured.The activity will consist of the following tasks:- Review of the applicability of state of the art Design / FEA / Manufacturing toolsfor AM, including design Optimisation algorithms- Identification of needs and potential improvements- Analysis and optimisation of currently available software tools, taking into account:- identified needs and potential improvements- development of CAD/FEM software tools to include AM specific features- topological optimisation of the part, directly assessing the manufacturability of the final product- compatibility of the design files with the AM machine- manufacturability of the part- orientation of the part in the building chamber, as well as the identified need of minimization of supporting structure- Specifications of new software tools based on the analysis performed. These can be new tools, macros or routines in existing software platforms.- Production of a software tool prototype conforming to the specifications.- Validation of the prototype to selected benchmark cases.- Definition and drafting of a design/manufacturing guidelines for AM space hardware

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