All aircraft engines require the use of efficient and cost effective brackets. Additive manufacturing creates opportunities to build unique and highly efficient bracket-like structures. Here is an opportunity to show your best design.
When designing critical components for aircraft engines, today’s designers are constantly challenged with the tradeoff between performance requirements for strength and stiffness on one hand and size and weight on the other. Recently, software tools have been developed to aid designers in optimizing their part designs. However, today’s manufacturing methods restrict designers ability to take advantage of these optimized structures beyond a certain level of complexity. Additive manufacturing is lifting the constraints of traditional manufacturing processes, giving designers the ability to grow practically any shape, enabling the use of fully optimized lightweight designs that do not sacrifice performance.
The designs submitted will be analyzed and evaluated via simulation, and the top ten designs will be selected for fabrication and testing. These optimized engine bracket designs will be additively manufactured and subjected to a given loading scenario. The winning entries will best satisfy all of the performance criteria with the lowest mass.
The partLoading brackets on jet engines play a very critical role: they must support the weight of the engine during handling without breaking or warping. The brackets may be used only periodically, but they stay on the engine at all times, including during flight. But these brackets aren’t the only parts on an engine that offer weight-reduction opportunities. There are many similar load-carrying parts on the engine that, because they were designed for conventional manufacturing technologies, are not fully optimized for both performance and weight. By substantiating Additive Manufacturing in this particular case, we will enable significant weight savings throughout the engine.
The test sectionThe designs entered in this competition that meet the weight and size envelope requirements will be evaluated by simulation for performance based on the load conditions given in Requirements Section below. The top ten designs will be manufactured using additive manufacturing and subjected to the defined load cases. To simulate engine transport and demonstrate maximum load carrying capacity, the part will be subjected to the individual load conditions shown in the Requirements Section below with the specified load being applied to 3/4” diameter pin at interface 1 while interfaces 2-5 are fixed. For designs that meet the performance criteria, the static loading will be increased to show ultimate capability. Designs that do not match the interface dimensions will be disqualified.
This Challenge will have TWO phases:
PHASE I:Submit an improved design based on the provided diagram and specs from June 12 to August 9 (note: extended on July 19, 2013). These designs will be analyzed and evaluated via simulation with the top ten designs awarded $1,000 each.
PHASE II:The top ten optimized engine bracket designs from Phase I will then be additively manufactured and subjected to a given loading scenario. The top 8 designs will receive awards from a total prize pool of $20,000. Phase II will run from September 17 to November 15 (note: dates changed after Phase I extension on July 19, 2013). The final announcement is set for mid-December.
RequirementsYou can design your entry in any CAD software as long as STEP or IGES file is submitted.
The optimized geometry must fit within the original part envelope. STEP file will be available via the Download specifications button, soon.
Material: Ti-6Al-4V
Service Temperature: 75 F
Minimum material feature size (wall thickness): 0.050 in.
Interface 1: 0.75 inch diameter pin. The pin is to be considered infinitely stiff.
Interfaces 2 – 5: 0.375-24 AS3239-26 machine bolt. Nut face 0.405 in. max ID and 0.558 in. min OD. The bolts are to be considered infinitely stiff.
Load Conditions:
1. Max static linear load of 8,000 lbs vertical up.
2. Max static linear load of 8,500 lbs horizontal out.
3. Max static linear load of 9,500 lbs 42 degrees from vertical.
4. Max static torsional load of 5,000 lb-in horizontal at intersection of centerline of pin and midpoint between clevis arms.
Added based on Community questions (6/11/2013):
- Assume yield strength is 131 ksi.
- Participants should target the lightest weight designs.
Please post your mass or volume reduction compared to the original part envelope in your entry description. This will make it easier for the judges to sort the entries at the end of the Challenge. Thanks! (Added 06/14/2013)
See Official Rules at http://blog.grabcad.com/ge-terms-of-service/ for details. Contest opens on June 11, 2013. Must submit at least one Entry by July 26, 2013 (extended to August 9, 2013) to be eligible for Phase II. Must be 18 years of age or older to participate. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
THESE OFFICIAL RULES SUPERSEDE ANY OTHER RULES AND TERMS & CONDITIONS ON THE WEBSITE OF SPONSOR OR GRABCAD.
By registering for the competition, you accept the conditions stated in these official rules (http://blog.grabcad.com/ge-terms-of-service/), agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges and warrant that you are eligible to participate in the competition. If you do not accept all of these official rules, then please do not register for the competition. We recommend that you print a copy of these official rules for your future reference.
PHASE I – During Phase I, Entrants will create an improved aircraft engine bracket design using the design and specification information (“Design and Specs”) on the Competition Website. Entrants can use any CAD software to create the design but the Entry must be submitted as a STEP or IGES file.
PHASE II – The top ten (10) Entries from Phase I will be additively manufactured and subjected to the loading scenarios defined on the Competition Website. The top eight (8) Entries with the lowest mass which also satisfy all the testing performance criteria (defined herein and also set forth on the Competition website) will receive additional prize awards (described herein).
The PHASE I of this Challenge starts on June 11, 2013 and ends on August 9, 2013 (note: extended end of Phase I on July 19, 2013).
PHASE II will run from September 17 to November 15 (note: dates moved due to Phase I extension, above). Final announcement is separate from Phase II dates.
Judging - Entries in Phase I and II will be analyzed and evaluated by a panel of (5) five judges (the “Jury”) comprised of experts from GE and GrabCAD.
PHASE I -The Entries will be analyzed and evaluated via simulation based on the identified performance criteria set forth on the Competition Website. Judging for Phase I will occur during a two week period from August 9th to August 23rd (dates moved due to Phase I extension, above). The top ten (10) Entries that meet the performance will be selected as prize winners.
PHASE II – The top ten (10) Entries from Phase I will be additively manufactured and subjected to the defined load cases on the Competition Website. Entries also will be evaluated for suitability for production from an additive manufacturing perspective. Other considerations will include determining load at failure and long term durability. Judging for Phase II will occur during a three month period from September 17 to November 15 (note: dates moved due to Phase I extension). The top eight (8) Entries that satisfy all the performance criteria with the lowest mass will be selected as Phase II winners. Final announcement of Phase II winners is planned for mid-December.
Tag your entries with "generalelectric"
Phase I: $1,000 for each of the TOP 10 entries
Phase II: Additional awards for TOP 8 entries from a total prize pool of $20,000 as shown below.
$1,000 cash each
$7,000 cash
$5,000 cash
$3,000 cash
$1,000 cash each
The Jury consists of judges who are experts from GE and GrabCAD.
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