Engineering Modelling

Mission
To undertake theoretical and applied research in the areas of numerical computation and systems modelling.

Aim:
The group strives to develop appropriate modelling methodology and efficient numerical algorithms for a variety of engineering design problems. We aim to bring interdisciplinary skills from electrotechnology and mechanical engineering, computer science, mathematics and statistics to the engineering research undertaken by the institute.

The Numerical Computation and Modelling Group applies systematic modelling tools and develops appropriate computation strategies for a wide variety of scientific and engineering problems. The applications include such diverse topics as short-cut algorithms for high speed controllers, finite element models for adaptive lenses made from smart materials, transport models for fresh water ecosystems, stochastic signal processing, and structural equation modelling of business success.

Most of the projects combine recent developments from the disciplines of computer science, numerical analysis and system dynamics to specific engineering applications.The group uses a range of computing environments such as Java technologies, MPI and parallel scientific computing, embedded system tools, and commercial scientific computational packages such as Matlab, Nastran and SolidWorks.

The group also provides computational and data analysis assistance to the other research groups within the ERI.

Current & Open Projects

• Numerical Computation
• Development of model-based control algorithms suitable for low cost, finite precision embedded controllers
• Development of a transparent parallel computing platform on MPI using a 16 node cluster computer and comparison to ad-hoc networks
• Large-scale optimisation strategies

Modelling

• Modelling of the chaotic nature of New Zealand’s electrical supply
• Develop dynamic engineering models for smart lenses and respiratory systems.
• Explore the limits to modelling under different paradigms. What are the limits to predictive modelling, what data is needed and how does the modelling approach
• Mathematical modelling for calculating electron-optical systems
• Creation and validation of a scale to measure small business performance (in conjunction with the School of Mathematical Sciences and the Faculty of Business)

Our research interests include:

• Fundamental understanding on aspects of (and hence improvements of) a number of manufacturing processes: welding (friction stir welding being the current focus), solidification and die casting, and deformation processing.
• Microstructure development during manufacturing processes and the resulting properties
• Die/tool materials and performance/failure mechanisms of the materials (including surface engineering/coatings) used in a number of forming processes

People associated with the group are:

Prof Ahmed Al-Jumaily
Dr Andrew Ensor
Dr Alla Shymanska
Associate Professor David Wilson

Andrew Ensor obtained his PhD in Mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1995. Besides working at the University of Auckland, the University of California at Berkeley, and Vanderbilt University, he held a research position at the Università di Siena in Italy 1997-1999. Since joining AUT in 2000 Andrew has coordinated the development of mathematics papers in the Engineering degree and the object oriented programming sequence in Engineering Technology.