Residual stress in additive manufacturing

In previous blog posts we have discussed various issues related to residual stress in welding. Here, we’ll follow up with a more detailed look at residual stress in additive manufactured parts, which is a form of welding. Additive manufacturing processes, including powder and wire-fed E-beam and laser, produce residual stress as an undesired consequence. Residual stress in additive manufactured parts results from thermal cycles, temperature gradients, and localized plasticity. Continue reading Residual stress in additive manufacturing

Hill Engineering at Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference

Hill Engineering gave a presentation about fatigue analysis of pipelines at the 2018 Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management (PPIM) Conference in Houston, TX. PPIM is the industry’s only forum devoted exclusively to pigging for maintenance and inspection, as well as pipeline integrity evaluation and repair. Hill Engineering’s presentation, titled “Is the Paris Fatigue Crack Growth Relation the Only Model Appropriate for Pressure Cycle Fatigue Analysis of Pipelines,” included an overview of various fatigue analysis models for pipeline fatigue crack growth assessment. The abstract text is presented below. Continue reading Hill Engineering at Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference

Mike Prime: a history of the contour method

Hill Engineering has proudly named the primary conference room in our new facility the Prime Room, a tribute to special Hill Engineering collaborator and inventor of the contour method, Mike Prime. We were recently honored to have Mike stop by for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Prime Room. In addition to the ceremony, Mike also gave a presentation about the history of the contour method and how it almost didn’t happen. Click on the video below to view Mike’s presentation and see how the contour method grew from one man’s curiosity to what it is today. Continue reading Mike Prime: a history of the contour method

Welcome Bruce Anderson

We would like to welcome Bruce Anderson to Hill Engineering. Bruce has over 26 years of experience using NX 3-D CAD software. As a Senior Engineer for Hill Engineering, Bruce’s responsibilities will include: overseeing the modification of A-10 legacy product definition to Model Based Definition (MBD) effort at Hill Air Force Base, working with A-10 engineers to develop and implement best practices and policy, providing guidance to subcontractors to ensure proper Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) models are delivered to the government, and working with prime contractors to ensure a quality deliverable to the Air Force. Bruce is also actively involved with implementation and management of Teamcenter Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system within the A-10 community and oversees the MBD (Model Based Definition) design effort on the A-10 Wing Replacement Program. Continue reading Welcome Bruce Anderson

Doug Bateman Joins the Hill Engineering Team

We would like to welcome Doug Bateman to Hill Engineering. Doug has over 20 years of experience in the Aerospace industry with organizations including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream, and ATK. As a Senior Engineer for Hill Engineering, working out of our Layton, UT office, Doug will support efforts with the A-10 3-D Model Based Definition initiative, facilitating the transformation of A-10 Mechanical Systems Product Definition (2-D drawings) to 3-D MBD. Continue reading Doug Bateman Joins the Hill Engineering Team

A visit from Dale Ball

Hill Engineering recently played host to Dale Ball, a longtime friend and collaborator. Dale is a Senior Fellow working for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, and has been involved in a number of high-profile US Air Force projects, including the F-16, F-22, and F-35 aircraft. After delivering a riveting seminar about the progression of aircraft design since the inception of the Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP), we had the chance to inquire about Dale’s career – what drives him and what he foresees for the future of aircraft design.

Continue reading A visit from Dale Ball

Bob Burt wins 2017 Lincoln Award

The Lincoln Award is named in honor of Dr. John W. (Jack) Lincoln, the U.S. Air Force’s first Technical Advisor for Aircraft Structural Integrity. Established in 1996, the Lincoln Award is given out annually at the USAF ASIP conference to recognize a distinguished career expert who has made significant contributions toward advancements in aircraft structural integrity and safety. Recipients have dedicated their careers to aircraft structural integrity through contributions to research and development, engineering, or applications. Hill Engineering would like to congratulate Bob Burt (Lockheed Martin Aeronautics) on winning the 2017 Lincoln Award! Continue reading Bob Burt wins 2017 Lincoln Award

Compressive residual stress

We recently answered the question: what is residual stress. As a follow-up for all of our interested readers, today we are addressing the topic of compressive residual stress. Once you understand the concept of residual stress, which is stress that is locked in a material during manufacturing, it is important to distinguish between compressive residual stress and tensile residual stress. Continue reading Compressive residual stress