Annual Report 2005
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Annual Report 2005 adMatematik FCC Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics © Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from FCC. This and other FCC reports are distributed by FCC Chalmers Science Park SE-412 88 Göteborg Sweden Telephone: +46 (0)31 7724000 Telefax: +46 (0)31 7724260 [email protected] www.fcc.chalmers.se Cover The front cover shows stresses in a linkage arm exposed to traction forces, cf pages 19 and 25 (courtesy of Atlas Copco Rock Drills). Illustrations To illustrate our research on pages 12 - 45 we use the fourteen Swedish sites on UNESCO´s World Heritage List, cf the inner back cover. Annual Report 2005 Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics, FCC Editors: Annika Eriksson, Uno Nävert Layout: Annika Eriksson Print: stromia.se Published in June 2006 Contents Preface 2 Profile 4-5 Acknowledgements 6 Clients and Partners 7 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 8-9 Chalmers 10-11 Computational Engineering and Design 12 Electromagnetics 14-15 Fluid Dynamics 16-17 Optimisation 18-19 Risk Management 20 Fatigue Life 22-25 Finance and Insurance 26-27 Geometry and Motion Planning 28 Geometry Assurance 30-31 Path Planning 32-35 Surface Inspection 36-37 Systems Biology and Bioinformatics 38 Systems Biology 40-43 Bioinformatics 44-45 Annual account (in Swedish) 46 Appendix 48 FCC Annual Report 2005 1 Preface The concept of mathematics as a technology is nowadays gaining general acceptance, not only by the big companies, but also gradually by small and medium size enterprises. Mathematical and statistical analysis including modelling, simulation, and visualization are used to quantify performance and properties of processes and products for op- timal design and quality control. This framework is being recognized as a powerful tool for industrial innovation and competitiveness. FCC has successfully been operating according to this vision FCC operates in Chalmers Science Park. since the start in 2001. Together with our partners Chalmers and the Fraunhofer industrial mathematics institute ITWM we cover a wide range of applications. From 2001 we have started more than 160 projects, 130 of which have been completed, with companies and or- ganizations of different size and from different branches. The diagram below shows the build-up of the Centre in terms of income and staff. kEUR Industry Public Fraunhofer and Chalmers Staff #staff 3000 30 2500 25 2000 34% 20 35% 39% 1500 15 44% 25% 24 18% 27% 1000 19 10 21% 17 12 43% 500 38% 41% 5 35% 4 0 0 2001- 2003 2004 2005 2002 The profile of the Centre is controlled by its income structure. The result of 2005 is well in line with the Fraunhofer financial model, i e, the project volumes from industry (41%), public financieers (25%), www.fcc.chalmers.se and Fraunhofer and Chalmers (34%) are well in balance. 2 FCC Annual Report 2005 Preface The department Geometry and Motion Planning, working in close co-operation with the Chalmers Wingquist Laboratory, has continued its success story. Our research together with industrial partners has also attracted substantial public funding, e g, through a three year grant within the MERA programme starting 2005. A new challenging aspect in the robotics application is the handling of flexible cables being addressed together with our partner Fraunhofer ITWM. In December 2005 the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research decided to start the Gothenburg Mathematical Modelling Centre (GMMC) as one of seventeen strategic centres, to be financed by SSF in five years 2006 – 2010. The Centre is run by Chalmers Mathematical Sciences and has FCC as a key component. In 2005 both Fraunhofer and Chalmers decided to continue (and increase) their commitments for the next five years 2006 - 2010. This is a wonderful quality certificate which gives FCC a strong basis for future operations. Later in this annual report we present our departments and re- search areas. For illustration purposes we use the fourteen Swedish sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List of sites having outstanding universal value; I wish to acknowledge the kind help of the Swedish National Heritage Board and the National Land Survey of Finland to realize this idea. Before ending this preface I take the opportunity to thank my co- workers at FCC for their enthusiastic commitment to form our new Centre, and express my appreciation of the fruitful collaboration with our friends at Chalmers and Fraunhofer ITWM on a local as well as European scale. Göteborg in May 2006 Uno Nävert Director Uno Nävert, Director of FCC. FCC Annual Report 2005 3 Profile The Fraunhofer Society and Chalmers have founded FCC to under- Mathematics has become a key take and promote scientific research in the field of applied mathema- technology for industrial innova- tion since mathematics is behind tics to the benefits of Swedish and European industry, commerce, and all work in the virtual world. public institutions. To do so the Centre undertakes scientific research and marketing financed by the founders and works on projects defi- ned by companies and public institutes on a commercial basis. FCC is an example of a bottom-up strategy to build the European research space. First we define a small network of closely (daily) co- operating research institutes. To solve concrete problems from compa- Public nies from all over Europe, we then create optimal teams built out of Chalmers and Fraunhofer this network. We do this in the field of mathematics, which is a key technology for industrial innovation, lying behind all work in the vir- tual world, e g, simulation for prediction, control, optimisation, and Industry risk assessment. By the end of 2005 the staff was twentyfour full-time equivalents, including four scientific advisers from Chalmers, each one working Project mix by income. 10% - 20% of full time at FCC. Scientific competence FCC undertakes scientific research financed by its founders and by The Centre undertakes scientific research projects and marketing of public institutes. scientific results financed by its founders and by public institutes. Respecting the confidentiality of data from customers, the Centre encourages the publication of results. FCC supports efforts to use its Computational Engineering and research for educational purposes at all levels at Chalmers as well as at Optimisation other educational institutions in Sweden and Europe. FCC sponsors PhD work, if the subjects are of basic interest for the research in the Systems Centre. FCC keeps contact with the worldwide community of applied Biology and mathematicians by active participation in conferences and by inviting Bioinformatics guest scientists. Risk Management In 2005 the Centre has received public grants from SSF (Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research), Vinnova (Swedish Agency for Geometry and Motion Planning Innovation Systems), and EU (Network of Excellence Biosim). Departments by income. 4 FCC Annual Report 2005 Profi le Entrepreneurial competence Th e Swedish Society for Applied Mathematics, STM, is a consortium FCC works on projects defi ned of companies with business in Sweden, cf page 7. Th is consortium is by companies and public insti- tutes on a commercial basis. the largest individual industrial client of FCC and represents almost fi fteen percent of the total industrial income. Experiences from Fraunhofer show that small and medium size companies constitute an important market for an industrial mathema- tics institute. Th e number of SME projects at FCC is however still less than ten percent of the total industrial income. In 2005 the Centre has served international industrial clients from France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Professional networking FCC in close co-operation with Th e Centre has a very close relation to its founders Chalmers and Chalmers and Fraunhofer shall be Fraunhofer ITWM, cf pages 8 - 11, exchanging staff members, co- a leading international partner in operating in projects, by joint participation in European projects, by industrial mathematics. connecting Swedish clients with ITWM and vice versa, and by stimu- lating the co-operation between Swedish industry and other Fraun- hofer institutes. In order to fulfi l its tasks optimally, the Centre co-operates with com- petent scientifi c groups at universities and elsewhere, cf pages 14 - 15, 22, 28, 40, and 42. It also promotes research and education in indus- trial mathematics at institutions outside the Centre, cf pages 10 - 11, 13, 19, 21, 25, 29, 39, and 42. Fraunhofer Fraunhofer Chalmers Universities ITWM FCC Public or- EU Industry ganizations Financial mix FCC earns approximately 35% Th e fi nancial model distinguishes between three income sources: from its founders, 40% industrial project fi nancing from the founders, industrial project income, and income, and 25% public income. public project income. Th ese three should be in reasonable balance. Over the fi ve year period, the industrial and public project volume has increased more than expected in the original business plan. As a result of this, the relative project fi nancing from the founders has decreased from 45 percent in 2001 to 35 percent in 2005, cf page 2. FCC Annual Report 2005 5 Acknowledgements The Centre is a Swedish foundation established by Chalmers and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The decision has been based on a business plan prepared by the Swedish Institute for Applied Mathematics (ITM) and Fraunhofer-Institut für Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathe- matik (ITWM). The Swedish Society for Applied Mathematics (STM) and the former Swedish National Board for Technical and Industrial Develop- ment (NUTEK) have supported FCC taking over ITM operations. The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) has played an essential role by giving support of one million euros for a public pro- ject where two future scientific leaders have been recruited to establish a research team in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at the Centre.