nTopology (nTop)
Canvas Category Software : Engineering : Digital Twin
Next-generation engineering design software. Leading companies depend on nTopology to develop revolutionary products for advanced manufacturing. With nTopology, you can solve the hardest advanced manufacturing and engineering problems, generate unique high-performance parts, share and reuse your workflows with your team, and more. nTop (formerly nTopology) was founded in 2015 with the belief that engineers’ ability to innovate shouldn’t be limited by their design software. We’re bringing additive manufacturing to mainstream production by enabling engineers to create complex geometries, optimize instantaneously, and automate workflows to create groundbreaking products in record time.
Assembly Line
Flow management innovations: reducing pressure drop and energy
Many real-world applications don’t operate under steady-state conditions. The flow can be pulsating, intermittent, or undergo sudden changes. Because of these transient conditions, engineers must consider additional variables such as temperature fluctuations, material stresses, and the dynamic interaction between different fluid phases. Failing to account for these variables can result in system failures or a considerable drop in operational efficiency.
In this article, we will delve into flow management in turbomachinery for aerospace and defense applications. We will cover the impact of techniques such as design optimization, texturing, and perforations on turbomachinery, and discuss how nTop drives these advancements.
Impeller Design & Optimization for Additive Manufacturing
Wärtsilä’s engineers redesigned the centrifugal pump impeller for additive manufacturing. Not only was the optimized turbomachinery component 44% lighter, but it was generated using an automated design process, enabling customization.
For this collaborative project, engineers from Wärtsilä’s additive manufacturing center in Finland joined forces with nTopology, SLM Solutions, and Oqton to create a digital workflow based on advanced engineering design and additive manufacturing technologies. The primary aim of this project was to replace the traditionally cast impeller.
Heat Exchanger Design with Additive Manufacturing
Heat exchangers (HEX) are crucial in many heat transfer applications, from cooling electronics to recuperating heat in industrial facilities. These devices are essential for thermal management as it ensures the product and processes perform as intended over their expected lifespan, and they are critical in energy production.
However, for many high-performance applications, we have reached the limit of what is technically possible using traditional manufacturing methods in terms of heat exchanger efficiency or size. This is where additive manufacturing technologies come into the picture. The design freedom of additive manufacturing allows you to create more innovative designs and empowers you to optimize heat exchanger performance.