Case Study

Komatsu Predicts Equipment Engine Life with Simulation

“Our intended scope was to use existing input data to predict when engine parts would fail. The idea was to avoid using full-scale simulations and instead use a low-computation-load reduced-order model (ROM) to obtain quick results. With that goal in mind, by combining the capabilities of multiphysics solvers and reduced-order modeling, it became possible to make predictions based on the current state.”

— Motomi Mizugai
Assistant Chief Engineer, Development Center, Komatsu Ltd.

Komatsu Predicts Engine Life of Construction and Mining Equipment with Simulation and Reduced-Order Modeling

Komatsu engineers planned to use existing data, including temperature data from an internal satellite system, to run simulations and predict engine part failure. However, Komatsu preferred to use ROMs instead of full-scale simulations to accelerate predictions and simulation run time during operation.

With multiphysics simulation solutions from Ansys, part of Synopsys, including reduced-order modeling, Komatsu reduced model complexity, accelerated runtimes, and verified data through structural, fluid, and thermal analyses.

As a result, Komatsu developed a method to predict engine failure more quickly and efficiently than expected.

Dump trucks riding on the background of the mine.

Challenges

Komatsu builds essential industrial and construction equipment that power critical operations around the world. As such, unexpected equipment failure and downtime can have a direct impact on customers’ bottom lines, causing costly delays and lost productivity.

Komatsu engineers did not have an efficient method for predictive maintenance or forecasting engine life. Full-scale simulations can be computationally expensive and time-consuming. In addition, traditional thermal fatigue analysis requires calculation data of real thermal conditions.

Renderings of an exhaust manifold. This image is for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual product or component.

Engineering Solutions

Komatsu used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capabilities in Ansys Fluent software to perform a steady-flow analysis of the exhaust gas heat flow inside the exhaust manifold and obtain data for heat transfer analysis.
Using the CFD data, Komatsu performed a heat transfer analysis in Ansys Mechanical software to calculate the structure’s temperature and complete a thermal strain analysis and strain calculation.
Next, finite element analysis (FEA) results from Mechanical software were analyzed in Ansys nCode Design Life software to evaluate thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) and determine the fatigue to date.
Reduced-order modeling capabilities in Ansys optiSLang software lessened the computational load of full-scale simulations to predict fatigue under various conditions more easily and optimize workflows.

Benefits

Using an optimized simulation workflow, the team evaluated TMF 15X faster than traditional computer-aided engineering (CAE) methods.
By analyzing TMF and exhaust gas heat flow using Ansys simulation, Komatsu developed a prediction method for engine component life and determined optimal timing for part replacement.
With the help of reduced-order models (ROMs) of fluid simulations for TMF, the team produced the necessary structural data more easily than expected.
The new prediction method enabled by Ansys solutions led to rapid design life assessment — taking less than a minute — under defined loading conditions.

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Technology Used

Company Description

Komatsu Ltd. is a leading global manufacturer of industrial equipment, including construction, mining, forestry, and heavy machinery. For over a century, Komatsu has been creating value through manufacturing and technology innovation to empower a sustainable future. Front-line industries worldwide use Komatsu’s machines and services to develop modern infrastructure, extract fundamental minerals, maintain forests, and create products that support society.

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