Masters Student

Req ID:306845

Leading societies to a low carbon future, Alstom develops and markets mobility solutions that provide the sustainable foundations for the future of transportation. Our product portfolio ranges from high-speed trains, metros, monorail, and trams to integrated systems, customised services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solutions. Joining us means joining a caring, responsible, and innovative company where more than 70,000 people lead the way to greener and smarter mobility, worldwide.

**Student Project**

**Development and validation of a fatigue evaluation tool for rubber-to-metal parts**

**Project overview**
- The main goal of the project is the development and validation of a fatigue evaluation tool for rubber-to-metal parts based on non-linear FEA simulations.
- The position is located at ALSTOM / Bombardier Transportation (Switzerland) AG in Zürich-Oerlikon.

**Context**
- In railway vehicles, suspension components are used in the bogie to ensure a safe and comfortable ride, while helping the vehicle negotiate track irregularities and curves. Rubber-to-metal components are frequently used for this purpose due to their cost efficiency, flexibility, and superior damping properties.
- In the development of rubber-to-metal components, the industry is currently relying mainly on experience and benchmarking of stress
- and strain-levels against existing products. For accurate lifetime prediction of complex parts, an evidence-based fatigue evaluation method is needed.
- Unlike metals, the material properties of rubber are highly non-linear and no standardised material data or calculation methods are available. Therefore, a fatigue calculation method needs to be developed which allows an accurate prediction of the component lifetime based on the load-time-history obtained from multi-body simulations.

**Possible topics / Focus**

The focus of the project can be adapted depending on the student’s interests and skills:

- Determination of suitable material models for maximum accuracy and minimum testing & calculation effort
- Comparison and experimental validation of different damage hypotheses
- Evaluation of supplier-specific material differences vs. inherent scatter of the method
- Definition of the appropriate workflow and programming environment for calculation, post-processing and visualisation of fatigue data
- Development of a fatigue calculation tool to implement the defined workflow and calculation methods
- Validation of the tool through fatigue testing of real parts
- Evaluation of influences such as shape factor, shore hardness, loading state and supplier-specific material differences on the applicability of the selected prediction methods
- Contribution to the optimisation of ongoing part developments

**Required skills**
- Interest in fatigue and FEA
- Interest in experimental validation
- Basic programming knowledge (e.g. PYTHON, MATLAB or FORTRAN) required
- Basic knowledge of meshing, FEA simulations and/or fatigue of materials is beneficial
- Independent, pro-active mindset and willingness to actively participate in shaping the project focus
- Working language can be German or English. Fluancy in English (spoken and written) is an advantage.

**What we offer**
- Hands-on project which is solving real-life problems in the industrial environment of a technology leading company
- International environment and possibility to get to know the industry by visiting suppliers and production sites
- Opportunity to validate the project work on actual serial parts used in live contracts
- Work in a small, dynamic and international team of skilled experts

**Place of work: Zurich-Oerlikon**

**Start: By arrangement, overall duration 6 months**

Alstom is the leading company in the mobility sector, solving the most interesting challenges for tomorrow’s mobility. That’s why we value inquisitive and innovative people who are passionate about working together to reinvent mobility, making it smarter and more sustainable. Day after day, we are building an agile, inclusive and responsible culture, where a diverse group of people are offered opportunities to learn, grow and advance in their careers, with options across functions and geographic locations. Are you ready to join a truly international community of great people on a challenging journey with a tangible impact and purpose?

**Equal opportunity statement**:
Alstom is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local law.

**Job Segment**:Intern, Entry Level