On December 10th, 2014 the conference “New Technologies for Life Cycle and Protection” organized by the Associazione Nazionale Ufficiali Tecnici dell’Esercito Italiano (National Association of Italian Army Technical Officers) took place in Rome. Ecor Research attended it.
Three specific Sections of the technical and administrative area of the Ministry of Defence took part: the Land Armament Section (Terrarm), the Naval Section (Navarm), the Aeronautical and Airworthiness Section (Armaereo). Moreover, spokespersons of Finmeccanica Group Company OTO Melara (which manufactures firing systems), AeroSekur (which manufactures filtering systems and safety systems), and Ecor Research (represented by Mr Nicola Pozzan, Head of Technical Department) were invited to give a speech. We asked Mr Pozzan to further clarify some of the main issues covered at the conference: component reliability and life cycle.
Nicola, how did Ecor Research contribute to the conference?
We contributed, in particular, to the discussion on engineering of reliability of components, thanks to our expertise in the field of Integrated Simulation Environments, that we call test rigs.
What is generally meant by reliability of a component?
Reliability Engineering is a branch that provides for the application of scientific knowledge to components, products or complex systems in order to make sure they work properly without any damage for the period stated in the specified environmental conditions. Therefore, these studies allow us to define the expected life cycle of a product, to foresee and prevent damages that can presumably occur, to optimize the cost of development and the support of the product and to carry out analysis so as to redesign lower-cost products with possible related risks.
Why is it important and strategic to perform reliability tests on such components?
The objective of a reliability-centred approach on designing and production is to optimize both process and product systems through modeling, virtual simulation, test rig and statistical elaboration of data. If traditional and reliability engineering are to be compared , in the latter an intermediate phase takes place where a simulation test is performed before the components are placed in the real environment.
Which are the solutions that Ecor Research can introduce in the field of reliability engineering?
Ecor Research gives support to its customers during the engineering of components and manages testing and validation activities, from which dependable data on component reliability and life cycle are collected. This is a comprehensive support, that ranges from the designing up to industrialisation and validation through test-rig. Therefore, the strategic objective of the company is to support clients in developing components and high-complexity critical systems, not acting as an ordinary supplier, but as a strategic partner. In detail, Ecor Research approach consists of three possibilities: virtual simulation of models, physical simulation with specific tests, analysis and characterization of components in terms of mechanical, heat and chemical stresses.
Can you make an example of a test Ecor Research runs in order to foresee component life cycle and reliability and explain its characteristics?
Of course. There’s the “SimuCORR” test which analyses the corrosion components undergo in different environmental conditions. Corrosion is indeed one of the worst causes of component deterioration and possible breakage. According to this test, the component is inserted in a machine consisting of three different chambers that recreate hostile environment thanks to specific agents, such as hydrogen peroxide, under certain concentration and temperature conditions. High automation of the machinery is an added value here, which results in cost-saving tests. Moreover, the technicians can perform their activities safely, as they don’t touch the agents. Finally, data are collected automatically through a system of sensors with electrodes and the characterization of components, unlike traditional systems, is obtained through an objective system.
On the whole, how do you judge Ecor Research attendance to the conference?
I believe this conference was an important occasion to present our expertise and most of all to open a discussion on a topic of which little is known in Italy, but which is meant to raise big interest in the next years.
@EcorIntern