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Computational Mechanics, Manufacturing Simulation Design and Optimisation Group
The CoMManDO research group spans research interests in all forms of computational mechanics, including design, geometry representation, solid mechanics, fluid dynamics and multiphysics analysis software, CAD/CAM, manufacturing simulation, and design optimization and optimization methods.
Our research themes cover simulation and analysis, including fluid-structure interaction, fatigue and fracture mechanics, and system dynamics; and computational methods including algorithm development and application, computational intelligence and optimisation.
Members of the CoMManDO research group use the software packages Abaqus, Catia V5, Isight, Ansys and ANSYS FLUENT.
We apply our research to many industry sectors, from aerospace and bio-mechanics through to nuclear, rail and marine and offshore structures.
We also work closely with research partners at Monash University, University of Ulster, Moscow Bauman State Technical University, TU Dresden and Samara University.
Research projects
Areas where CoMManDO has undertaken research recently include:
- Simulation of ultrasound NDT of composites with regions of damage.
- Modelling and simulation of corrosion and surface roughness effects on fatigue life.
- Optimization algorithm development applied to MEMS design.
- Volume of fluid modelling of viscous and non-Newtonian thin film flow.
We are currently working on research in the following areas: MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), space and bio-medical design challenges.
Areas of continued interest are in:
- The application of evolutionary algorithms and surrogate models to mechanical engineering systems.
- Coupled fluid/solid/heat/electromagnetic analysis using co-simulation techniques.
- Analysis of novel structured material.
- Computational analysis of manufacturing and metrology processes.
- Computational geometry modelling.
Below are some of our recent research posters:
- Optimisation of an actuator with a tongue
- Modelling Contact and Tribology
- A Vision for Simulia: What analysis opportunities can be opened up by HPC capabi
Blogs
Content Accordions
- In Other News
Professor Alison McMillan sat down with colleagues at Simulia to discuss her presentation Fretting: Modeling mechanisms for material damage.
"Fretting is an engineering design challenge for any machine with moving parts. It is a particular issue for components such as bearings, gear teeth, and airfoil root slots, where there is a high load applied and dynamic or vibration contact conditions. Fretting damage occurs when high-pressure conditions are applied to a surface in a region called “edge of bedding,” meaning a region where contact is intermittent."
Read the full interview and learn more about Alison's perspectives on modeling material fatigue.
- Past Events
CoMManDO workshop 2024
The CoMManDO workshop is taking place 27-28 June 2024. All sessions are hybrid and open to University research colleagues, visiting researchers, research partners and colleagues from our neighbouring institutions.
Below is an overview of scheduled sessions.
Thursday 27 June 2024
Earth Observation Community Knowledge Share (EOCKS)
Session 1
Introduction to Planet Lab and the opportunities for Welsh academia, Case Studies from existing users of Planet Labs data
Session 2
Case Study: Flood Recovery
Session 3
Case Studies from existing users of Planet Labs data, Developing future collaborations.
Friday 28 June
Session 1
How to improve our paper citations and other research metrics?
What is an "H Index", what is a "good" journal choice, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) what differentiates a 2* or 3* paper from a 4* paper?Session 2
Y Bawen: Bangor, Aberystwyth & Wrexham Engineering Network Partnership Discussion
Y BAWEN is the new Mid and North Wales initiative to combine the engineering talents and skills of the main Mid and North Wales universities.Session 3
MOVE – IT Project
The inspiration for MOVE-IT was the question of transition from using fossil fuelled vehicles to EVs. The motivation for change driven by the Net Zero agenda, but there are many other factors that should be considered.Session 4
Fellowship of Advance HE and other professional memberships, and chartershipsThis session is for academic staff, and early career researchers who aspire to become academics, to learn more about the different levels of Fellowship of Advance HE, and Professional chartership BCS and Engineering.
CoMManDO Research Conference
27-28 April 2023
The CoMManDO Research Centre invites researchers from across the University, our research visitors and collaborators, and colleagues from our neighbouring institutions, to participate in our Conference.
The CoMManDO Research Centre has the objective of increasing our research output quality and impact. We aim to support this through the conference, by building a community around the STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) by providing a forum in which colleagues can share their research and experience, and support each other to improve.
The conference will be very informal, and papers will be “peer reviewed” only in the old-fashioned sense of “being read” and discussed by an audience. In view of that, we suggest you present work in-progress, and save your completed work for a journal publication.
Workshop & Conference
The conference will begin at 11 am on 27th April with a workshop for early career researchers on “Writing Academic Papers and Presenting at Conferences”. Attendees to the workshop will be expected to bring their conference paper and presentation slides to work on as part of the event.
More experienced researchers will be invited to attend the presentation sessions, which will begin later that day, and continue on 28th April.
In parallel with the main presentation sessions, there will be a number of short one-to-one support and feedback sessions with early career researchers.
Public Evening Lecture
A public outreach lecture titled "Who needs the Higgs boson?” will be given by Dr Vincent Smith, from the University of Bristol, on the evening of 27th April, which will be sponsored by The Institute of Physics, Wales and registered separately but conference attendees will be welcome to attend.
For more information, contact Prof. Alison McMillan at a.mcmillan@glyndwr.ac.uk.
Who needs the Higgs boson? - Booking
Every citizen of Western Europe pays on average £2 per year to CERN. We give you our sincere thanks, and in return, we have made numerous discoveries in Elementary Particle physics, including the Higgs boson, a key piece in the puzzle known as the Standard Model. The talk will describe the discovery of the Higgs, some 50 years after it was proposed theoretically.
Refreshments will be served in the Beehive from 17:30.
This public outreach lecture is sponsored by The Institute of Physics Wales.
Researchers’ Seminar
3rd November 2022, 11:00 – 18:15
Wrexham Glyndwr University, Regent Street Building, Rooms R25 and R21The Researchers’ Seminar brings together researchers in the engineering, physical sciences and technology fields as well as transdisciplinary contributions. The attendees and presenters will be postgraduate research students or researchers from Wrexham Glyndwr University and our nearest neighbour universities, and our collaborators and Visiting Professors.
Presentations include a guest lecture from Scott Vaughan, RAEng Visiting Professor who will talk about careers and personal development, drawing on the example of his own career in aerospace engineering and as a test pilot. Dr Rob Bolam will describe the FAST Fan Project, Dr Simon Middleburgh will describe the work of the Nuclear Futures Institute at Bangor, Visiting Professor Raj Nangia will speak about Liquid Hydrogen aircraft, and Professor Rhys Jones AC will present research results on the durability and damage tolerance of steels. Transdisciplinary presentations will be given about an ongoing discussion project, “For the Relief of our Planet”.
- Publications
Ali, K., et al. "Composite repairs to bridge steels demystified." Composite Structures (2016).
McMillan, A. J. and Holeczek, K., "Explicit Finite Element Modelling as a Development Tool for New Ultrasound Testing Methodologies for Detection and Characterization of Porosity and Defects in Composites," Materials Performance and Characterization, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2016, pp. 78-98.
Miah, Md Salim, et al. "Thin film flow on a vertically rotating disc of finite thickness partially immersed in a highly viscous liquid." Chemical Engineering Science 143 (2016): 226-239.
Ali, K., Peng, D., Jones, R., Singh, R. R. K., Zhao, X. L., McMillan, A. J., and Berto, F. (2016) Crack growth in a naturally corroded bridge steel. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, doi.
Bracken, C., et al. "Quasi-optical analysis of a far-infrared spatio-spectral space interferometer concept." Infrared Physics & Technology 77 (2016): 171-178.
C. Bracken ; C. O'Sullivan ; A. Donohoe ; A. Murphy ; G. Savini, et al.
"Optical and quasi-optical analysis of system components for a far-infrared space interferometer", Proc. SPIE 9362, Terahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-Wave Technology and Applications VIII, 93620N (March 14, 2015); doi:10.1117/12.2076385.McMillan, Alison J. "Material strength knock-down resulting from multiple randomly positioned voids." Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites 31.1 (2012): 13-28.
McMillan, A. J., C. Monroy Aceves, and M. P. F. Sutcliffe. "Moderate energy impact analysis combining phenomenological contact law with localised damage and integral equation method." International Journal of Impact Engineering 43 (2012): 29-39.
Conference Proceedings edited by us
International Conference on Advanced Composites and Materials Technologies for Arduous Applications 2011 - 2015