| Popis: |
In this paper the objectives and implementation of the company Materials Database at European Gas Turbines (EGT) are described. In the initial stages, a materials audit identified the existing functional requirements for materials information, the properties required by each function, and the flow of information. The main requirement of the database is to provide materials design data. Related, but separate databases for bibliographic and test data were also created. Technical procedures are necessary to define and control the content, use and maintenance of the Database, with an example being the creation, review and approval of materials property sets. Written procedures were also prepared to describe the flow of data resulting in relationships between a unique material specification, the ‘design data’ and its source, and the applications of the material for EGTs engines. The database and technical procedures developed by EGT may be used as a model for other manufacturers developing their own computerised systems. It is shown that data may be represented in several ways, and it is argued that the structure of the data evolves during the implementation stage. Current standards and key publications (eg. Newton, 1993, and Buttner and Kröckel, 1989) which define how to build a materials database do not, so far, define the information content for gas turbine materials. With increasing electronic exchange of data amongst turbine manufacturers, and with their material suppliers and external test houses, there is an urgent need for standardisation of exchange methods. It is concluded that new standards for formatting and exchange of material property data will be of general benefit to the gas turbine industry. |
