Inaugural address: machine optimisation key to more efficient logistics system
The processing and transport of materials can be made much more efficient, says TU Delft professor Dingena Schott in her inaugural address, ‘Advancing Transport and Processing: from Model to Impact’. She will deliver her address on 15 November. Her research focuses on the interaction between machines and materials, with a special emphasis on granular materials. She uses detailed models to describe this interaction in order to optimise machinery and the broader logistics system.
Granular materials such as iron ore, sugar, coal and soya are transported, mixed, sorted and ground every day. They are manipulated with all kinds of machines. Schott is studying how this interaction takes place. ‘Approximately 80% of the products around us contain a granular material as a raw material,’ says Dingena Schott, professor of Machine Cargo Interaction Engineering. ‘The processing and transport of these goods is a huge but also a conservative industry. It is often assumed that the processes are already optimal. But there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially in terms of efficiency and energy savings.’
Better grab for iron ore
Schott examines these processes on three levels: the interaction between particles in the material itself, the contact between material and machine, and the function of the machinery within the larger logistics system. ‘We create models that give us a unique insight into equipment. For example, we can simulate how certain granular materials mix.’ Based on these models, also known as the Discrete Elements Method (DEM), new equipment designs are tested and evaluated through virtual prototyping. The end result is equipment that makes the process much more efficient.
One example is the grab model that Schott and her team developed for unloading iron ore. Huge vessels carrying thousands of tonnes of iron ore arrive in Rotterdam every day, and the crane operator can choose from different grabs depending on the material. Thanks to Schott’s research, a new grab has been developed that not only reduces the unloading time of vessels by at least 10%, but is also 15% lighter. ‘This means fewer scarce raw materials are needed, and emissions are reduced because the vessels spend less time in port,’ explains Schott.
In addition to technology, human capital is an important link in the optimisation process, says Schott. ‘The people who work with these machines on a daily basis have valuable insights that can help with optimisation. That is why we often and happily work with companies on projects and innovations.’
Faster models
Schott cites the variability of materials as one of the biggest challenges in her field: ‘Every material behaves differently because every grain has a different shape and size. On the one hand, you want to have a generic model that can handle everything, but at the same time you have to take into account variations and uncertainties.’
Schott and her colleagues have shown that they can create detailed models that accurately describe the behaviour of granular materials and the interaction between materials and machines. The next step for Schott is to develop faster models that better capture the essence of the process and can be used as digital twins for design optimisation and process control. ‘But models alone are not enough. We also need detection techniques and sensors that collect real-time data to characterise materials and material behaviour in interaction with the equipment. This is what we will focus on now.’
Research and education
Schott wants to continue inspiring students in her field. Together with her team, she lectures in the master’s programmes in Mechanical Engineering and Transport, Infrastructure and Logistics. ‘Students are given the opportunity to work with real models that our PhD students use in their research. This enables the PhD students to transfer their knowledge and gain experience teaching. In this way, we increase the impact of our work and train engineers who can help to develop faster and more energy-efficient material handling and transport,’ says Schott.
The inaugural lecture of Schott begins on Friday, November 15, at 3:00 PM. Register via this link or watch the lecture online via the livestream.