Improvement of a Thermal Simulation Model Based on Experimental Data

Abstract

A method to improve finite element models for thermal deformation analyses has been proposed. In this method, a model is adjusted so that the results of analysis by the model fit experimental ones. The adjustment process consists of the following steps : first, a static deformation of a structure due to a unit force is obtained, based on Maxwell-Betti's reciprocal theorem, from the measured temperature distribution of the structure and the resulting thermal displacement measured at one point of the structure ; second, the experimental result thus obtained is compared with the analytical result obtained by static analysis by using the model ; third, the discrepancy between the two results is eliminated by modifying the analysis model. A case study has been done for a finite element model of an index unit of an NC lathe to show that this method is effective not only to improve the accuracy of finite element analysis but also to find out errors included in experimental data to be used in adjustment.